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D2DCon is right around the corner with Mastermind Day, January 16th in Salt Lake City, Utah with Tim Grover, Author of Relentless and Michael Jordan’s coach.

Sam Taggart 00:38
Hey everybody, this is Sam Taggart with the D2D podcast and I’m here with Richie Contartesi. He is a public speaker, gym owner, real estate investor, former college athlete football player, he’s done all sorts of stuff. So flew all the way to Utah just to hang with me, right? Yeah. So we’re here in DDD headquarters today, and Richie’s reached out a few times about door to door con is like, hey, how do I get speaking? How do we make sense? And I was like, well, Dude, come start with a podcast. Ninja hang out. So super excited dive in. I guess how’d you hear about door to door experts? I mean, it’s not like your background, a door to door where where did you get introduced to the door-to-door tribe, our world.

Richie Contartesi 01:21
Well, one of the things you learn about is especially in sales, right? is you want to look out and do research and find opportunities, find events for speakers, particularly you want to find events that could be a good fit, and what do you do, you reach out, you got to be relentless, you reach out and we reached out and I think we spoke with someone on your team a couple of times. And there was some dialogue, there were some interests. This was maybe a year or two years ago. So it takes time and just kept reaching out. And we connected somehow. I don’t know how we connected on Facebook. Maybe I had reached out and started chatting and one thing led to another right?

Sam Taggart 02:03
Yeah, love it. So it’s crazy. Like there’s a lot of people that want to be public speakers, there’s a lot of people want to be coaches as well. Like, you’re landless, you have a shirt on that says University comm Is that

Richie Contartesi 02:15
So we were talking earlier about taking advantage of opportunities as opposed to sitting back and you know, not taking advantage or blaming circumstances or challenges for not going out and getting what you want. And in March my speaking business completely shut down done. All Events canceled, postponed whatever. And I and I sat there and I had a choice. I could sit here and blame the government I could blame the circumcision virus the this the that or I can go out and create something new. And there had been something I’d been working on for some time. I’d probably been on this concept for about five years. And it was the watershed of Qatar right to busy always on the road doing this doing that doing the gym. And I said you know what, this is the greatest opportunity to take this to the market and do what I’ve wanted to do for so long. No excuses. So I went all in on it. And I started out I had three courses. Now I’ve got 31 and every Monday morning I do a live and so I’ve just built up membership over the months and then started bringing on corporate clients. So now all of their employees come on every Monday morning. So it’s been interesting. It’s been a journey, something that I’m learning, but I had to make a shift I had to figure out what’s next. Right? So okay, so let’s rewind you played collegiate football for Old Men not like you know sec team you started your senior year all 12 games Yeah,

Sam Taggart 03:49
You’re five foot nothing how tall? 5757 Yeah, Buck What?

Richie Contartesi 03:55
a buck 50 just out of the pool. So So

Sam Taggart 04:03
what positions you play?

Richie Contartesi 04:04
A slot receiver okay, but I earned my way onto the field and onto the travel squad by holding field goals. Really? That was my that’s how I got in. I had to find a way to get in it. Right I had to find a way to get I wanted my main goal was receiver but I had to figure out how the heck am I going to get onto this travel squad? How am I going to get onto the field? As a receiver coach always said to me you got to be on the travel squad. I can’t I can’t do anything with you. I can’t get you on the travel squad got to do something on special teams. And the special teams coach notice that I just never dropped the ball. He’s like you ever thought about holding field goals? I’m like no, but I’ll be the best field goal holder you’ve ever met in your life. And I did it for a year on the practice. Can you imagine? The practice squad field goal

Sam Taggart 04:56
With enlarge getting all the hotties

Richie Contartesi 05:00
You’re gonna wear the uniform though, you know? Yeah. Except for nobody believed me when I told him I was on the team but so I was on the practice squad fillable holder and then and then the believe this or not crazy wild the punter was the field goal holder and in practice, tore his ACL and couldn’t get on a knee. My first game was against Alabama. Oh, wow. So I’m standing there on the sidelines, Nick Saban, right there 20 yards from me. And I was like, you know, at the time I, I don’t I think that was the first time I ever even stepped onto the field on game day. And I’m standing 20 yards from Nick Saban and 20 yards from Julio Jones. And I’m sitting there like, I’m gonna hold these field goals. And yeah, so that was my first game was against Alabama.

Sam Taggart 05:53
That’s awesome. So then you work your way into, like, being a lot more in the playing role. And yes, relentlessness. Yeah, that you’ve had to gain. Got you to your senior year starting. So I guess Have you always kind of had this relentlessness as a kid or?

Richie Contartesi 06:09
Yeah, I you know, it took me a long time to figure this out. And I have a mentor right now is freaking awesome. And, and the biggest thing is, sometimes I just feel like I’m delusional. Like I would walk out onto the practice field. And I would see Michael or from the blind side and guys I played with, and I wouldn’t recognize them as bigger than me. I just didn’t see it in my mind that. I mean, they were bigger, but I didn’t like even I was standing next to Mike Wallace. Right played for the Pittsburgh zoo, amazing receiver. So I played with him for a couple years. And I just didn’t look at him as better than me. I just I don’t know what it is. And I’ve always been crazy like that the first football practice I ever had. The coach came up to me because I missed the whole draft. And he was like, you’re the steal the draft. I woke up, I couldn’t move the next day, the whole practice. I just put pads on. And I just hit everybody like a crazy animal. Like I was just crazy. And I’ve realized, like, because I’ve been, you know, speaking for professionally for almost six years now, and I’m just different. I’m just different. I want to and I share these things. This is what I’m doing. This is how I did this. This is how I got in the field of sounding care. What these guys were laughing at me about I didn’t care. This is how I earned edos Juran was the head coach my first year. And he just won a national championship at LSU. And he put me in this drill with the straight head to head with the middle linebacker. And I got other guys would do this drill and they would just kind of try to avoid it or kind of try to get out of you know, have you Oklahoma drill. It’s you can’t run away. Yeah. And I didn’t man, I just went full speed head speed, full speed, head down, right into his chest. And I had a blocker, who was also kind of blocking him. So I’ll give a little you know, it wasn’t all me. But my head went right into his chest and he went backwards. And I went over him. And the whole team went this is starting middle linebacker. I was this was my first week of practice. The whole team goes frickin nuts that Friday at OSHA on put his arm around me He’s like, dude, you got a spot on this team. Cuz I didn’t even make we did to try out. I didn’t make the team. They were like, well, you’re not gonna make the team but we’re gonna give you a one week chart. We’re gonna let you you know, show us what you can do. I was like, all right, I walked into the locker room. Everyone had these like, plated lockers and look at this kid mean a piece of tape with my name written on it. And I was like, Alright, at least I got a locker. Awesome. And so I just, you know, I was just

Sam Taggart 08:51
but I think there’s some I think there’s something to be said with you saying I’m gonna go hit the I’m gonna go hit the biggest dude on the team and just knock him over that it is. And I think that in sales, I watched people start a new job. Be the new kid on the sales team. Be the new person at the company. That was always my biggest thing. I’m gonna go beat the number one dude. And just like make a name. Yeah. So can you make an impact? And say, How do I how do I go show everybody like I’m here to play? Yeah. And maybe I’m not like the most athletic. Maybe I’m not the best sales do maybe I’m not the most. But I’ll tell you what, I’m gonna come out swinging. Yeah, and make a statement because it means something. I think there’s something to be said there. Yeah. So you now teach relentlessness. You speak on responsibility and all these things. Is there a framework because you know, we both happen to be wearing a shirt that says relentlessness. Last year, Tim Grover spoke at our event. Yeah. And he wrote the book. Yes. We made it our slogan relentless pursuit of excellence for our mastermind group called the circle and but what there’s got to be so I just did a podcast with a guy and you know, he asked a question He’s like, are Door to Door Guys, can you like how do you know if they’re gonna work out? How do you know if they’re, you know, gonna have the work ethic be relentless? Yeah. Is there like a relentless test that you can say this person’s either a one or this person’s a 10? And then his second question would be, are there is there like a framework to build relentlessness? If you if somebody is kind of weak, you know, if they’re, if they’re not going to hit that linebacker head on, and they’re like, yeah, I’m done with these drills. I’ll go home. Yes, there’s a lot of people.

Richie Contartesi 10:31
For sure. It’s not It’s not for everybody. Yeah. I actually spoke at an event. It’s not for everybody. It’s like, I know. So to answer your question, yes, I think. And the first question is like, a one to 10. Right. And I think Yeah, so I think people are specifically you’ll they’ll fall on that scale. But I do think very strongly that we can move people through that scale. By to answer your second question. I think there’s three things, there’s three things if you wanted to call it a framework. When I rebranded the gym, I called it relentless warrior fitness. And I call this kind of the relentless warrior framework. And there’s three aspects of this. There’s number one, having a reason. So that’s is the triple R. And number two is responsibility. And number three is relentless resilience. What do they mean? Well, all three of those things, number one can be taught all three of those things are a skill, relentless, so so resiliency, a lot of people think that they can just be Oh, be resilient, like, you know, it’s like a motor, but be resilient, be persistent, never give up. But 99% of people always give up, they’re not resilient. And it’s because it’s a skill, and I’ve narrowed it down to I call it building your resilience muscle. And, and it’s just like going to the gym, you know, you’re you’re skinny, you don’t have muscles, you got to build that muscle. And resiliency is a muscle and it starts with small wins, right? So the three things is reason, and that is having some sort of specific vision and a reason for that vision, right? responsibility is you have to take responsibility for everything, no victim mentality. Not Oh, it’s this person’s fault. That person’s fault. It’s where I grew up. It’s I don’t have enough money. It’s, I’m not smart enough. I’m not talented enough. No, no, it’s everything’s on you. Most of the things that happen in our lives are because of things that we did in the past. That led up to that point, right. There’s, there’s death, there’s disease, things like that, right, that are out of our control. But I believe responsibility is a mindset. And if you can take responsibility, this was one of the biggest things and shifts that I made at Ole Miss. Because I was really big at like, Man, I’m not talented enough, I’m not big enough. It’s this person’s fault. And I was kind of always in this victim mentality. And even though I was like, gung ho, crazy, you know, the reputation I had was the guy that had the dirtiest uniform on the field, where I got the name, relentless, Richie was there. Man, I lost my train of thought there. But as far as responsibility goes in this victim mentality. If you can say, no matter what happens, everything in my life is my fault. A switch flips. Because then at that point, when you’re saying everything is everybody else’s fault, you have zero control of the outcome of your life. You’re, you’re basically saying, the government is controlling, has control over my life. The my boss has control of my life, the person’s door I’m knocking on. And the answer that he says has control over my life, not what I said, Not me, having control that person. That’s the difference. I was saying, the coaches are having control of my life. And what you do is you put handcuffs on yourself, when you have this kind of victim mentality, because everybody else has control, as opposed to being relentless, resilient, and saying, this is this is me. Everything that happens to me is me. Even if I couldn’t control something that happened in the past it totally it absolutely wasn’t my fault or death happened. You get a specific disease, you can control every decision and action that you take from that point moving forward. Yeah, every choice that you make that’s on you. Right, and people don’t look at it that way. They look at it like oh, it’s this person’s fault. And then they become blaming, and they and they’re constantly in handcuffs, because if you don’t have control of your life, and someone else has control of your life, how can you get ever get out of that situation, let alone take advantage of a situation. And so I mean, that and that was a big switch that I made at Ole Miss. Was my junior year I was like, I almost quit. I had this conversation with my dad and he was just like, he’s like, he didn’t tell me not to quit. But he’s like, dude, stop letting other people’s opinion of you control your future, like, what are you doing? And I really thought about it. And I was like, dang, man, I’m I was constantly down. And that’s, I mean, when you’re in sales, and you’re not, I think three years, dude, three years of getting my ass whooped in practice every single day. And, and even though I wanted it so bad, I wanted it so bad man. And, and even even the people that want it really bad, and even the people that are relentless, like, dude, you’re gonna get down, right? Like, I was down, I was hurt, I would cry, I would piss and moan. I would do all those things. But I would still go to practice every day. I never missed practice. Because at the end of the day, I wanted this one thing. And, and I just like, you go through all that. But after that phone call, I was like, I realized that the reason I wasn’t playing was, yeah, I’m not that big, and all these other things. But the reason I wasn’t playing was me. I didn’t figure it out. And that was the problem. And so what I did is over that summer, I was in the film room almost every single day. And I was figuring out, what can I do? What are my biggest strengths, and I dragged the coach in, I let him know what I was doing. I was like, I need to know, what are my biggest strengths? And how do I beat the competition? How do I get on the field this year? What is it that I need to do? I was in the weight room every day and I just said, Hey, this is on me. I’m going to take this I’m going to figure it out. Because I only have one year left, like there’s no going back. And so I figured it out, man. And I just figured out Hey, I got to dip and dive I got to be you know, I have to learn how to rap linebackers better. I’ve got to figure out how to get off the line better. I got to. And I just worked on those specific things. And it’s exactly what sales I gotta be. I gotta get better at overcoming these specific objections. Maybe I need scripts, maybe I need to do it this way. Maybe, maybe when I when I’m knocking on the door, and I’m getting the same result over and over and over again. Obviously, I need to there’s something that has to change. And it’s not them. It’s not always necessarily product, and it’s definitely not the price.

Sam Taggart 17:25
Yeah, so what’s interesting is, I think there’s so many salespeople that are afraid to call in the coach and be like, Hey, this is what I’m struggling with. Help me like I’m doing that, like, what you did is you just said I’m gonna really pinpoint get support mentors, get the right practice on like going over and over and over. Like you said, these objections or this close or whatever. It’s the same parallel. I think there’s so many parallels to sports and sales and business and this resilience this disseminate, get better at my craft. So I can play and be a starter, so I can be a professional so I can make real man money in this job. Yeah. And I think there’s so many people in this industry that never really make real man money, because they weren’t willing to put in and go to practice. They weren’t willing to do what you were doing in that offseason to say I’m hitting the weight room harder than everybody else. I’m going to do these little drills are so annoying, and I’ve done 100 times. So those are the guys that making the space flat out. I mean, I’ve interviewed a lot of people and he asked them like how much time do they spend on the drills and the practice and the training light libraries and the you know, coaches and XYZ all of them have the same same response. Yeah. So So let’s say that you have somebody you coach and speak and train and let’s say you have somebody that’s not very resilient or they’re not taking responsibility like they’re kind of being this victim like you said, Yeah. What do you what do you do with them?

Richie Contartesi 18:54
It goes back to number one man what what what are you doing this for to begin with? And I know that it’s it’s kind of like who started this silence? Yeah, starting with why stuff I’m not I’m not a huge fan of the whole why thing I’m more of a fan of having a and it because the Y thing is important but it also goes to this whole thing like freedom and legacy and and I was big on that for a while but I realized that not that those things are important, right? A lot of people do are in sales for freedom and these things and I think that’s fine. But I always I think there’s something that’s much deeper than that. And if you don’t know what that is, then this came out because somebody asked me they go Why the hell would you constantly get up every single day and do this Oklahoma drill and get your ass whooped. And I was like, straight up, because I had to prove myself right but bigger than that. I had to prove Every person that constantly said that I could not do it and that was my dry I would literally pictured these people in my mind.

Sam Taggart 20:10
My last podcast. That was her driving feat factor her first year selling. Yeah, her dad or brothers were like, nope, you’re not gonna make it. Yes, it was like, I am doing this solely just to prove that. That’s good motivation like, Dude, it’s, it’s insane. That is a very common first start motivation to getting somebody successful. I think there reaches a point where like, okay, I made my point. And if you rely solely on that, then it might diminish. There’s two things. Yeah, there’s, there’s, and this is why I’m not I don’t agree so much with the why.

Richie Contartesi 20:44
The Why is predicated on on on this grand thing that you’re going to accomplish. I earned this scholarship, and it was okay. It was okay. Like, I mean, it wasn’t like, I was super excited. Don’t get me wrong, but it only lasted like two days, two or three days, dude. Like, and I was like, what’s next? Like? How am I gonna scholarship? How many catches Am I gonna get this year? You know? So there’s two areas and the Y, the freedom and the legacy, all of that focuses on this grand, great, good. But what drives people what you’re referring to next level people? Is is the reverse? It’s the pain side of things. Hmm. It’s it. For me, that was the pain side of things, just constantly dealing with negative people. But for next level people, it’s, it’s if I sit here and continue to do this, and continue to stay here. What is the end result? What were what what is this gonna lead to? As opposed to? I’m constantly shooting for this, like, amazing pleasure, which I think is important. But if it’s not enough to drive successful people, I don’t think and here’s the other thing, most successful people have that inner crazy fire. So there’s the middle people, there’s the people that need the pleasure. There’s the people that are the next level people. And then there’s the people that just doesn’t matter what you say what they’re just going to grind, they’re just going to be go they just don’t stop

Sam Taggart 22:21
there. The the, like Tim Grover talked about

Richie Contartesi 22:24
Tim Grover. Yeah, the cleaners that are the cleaners are the word they’re the Ed, my let’s the world, they’re the these get that nothing, it doesn’t matter. They’re not stopping. It’s those middle people that are tough when you said the pain in the beginning, like the middle people, the next level people.

Sam Taggart 22:40
So there’s an interesting concept that I learned called the law of diffusion. Okay. You ever heard this theory? I haven’t. So it talks about the first you know, about 2% of your organization or people you work with? They’re like, kind of your first movers that are just like top, you know, top 2% or crushers? Yeah, they’re kind of that weird. cleaner? Yeah. Then you have the next like, 13 and a half percent that are your first movers. Are your your early adopters? I mean, and it’s kind of this, your top 20% is that, you know, 16 to 20%. We’ve all heard the 8020 rule, right? But then you have like these early majority is the next phase. It’s 34. Usually 34%. So this is a bell curve. Yep. And this early majority, are kind of like waiting to get moved into this, you know, early adopter, like this, this top performer realm, and then there’s the late adopters. And then there’s just like the laggers the crappy people that’s like the, this is 34%. This is 34%. Then there’s the bottom like 16%. Yeah, you’re like, get rid of them. Yeah. So the turnover. Yeah. So it’s interesting, like understanding how to work with this bell curve, because the big majority that 68% of people are either in the early majority or late adopter realm, and being able to say, How do I transition these people into more of a higher performer I think is really the master of a leader. Yeah. I thought it was such an interesting principle. It kind of goes along with like this. There’s top 1% they’re just gonna do you have to babysit them. Yeah, there’s like these crappers. And there’s like, this prime middle ground, and there’s two sides

Richie Contartesi 24:18
Right. There’s the prime middle ground that they’re doing just good enough. So they’re comfortable. Yes. And then there’s the people that are trying to get to that spot. So yeah, like kind of that’s why they’re splitting the two. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I think the people that are the next I call them the next level people is the the ones you’re saying that are comfortable. Right? Yeah. And I think it’s your question. How do we get them to? Yeah, I think I think figuring out what it because they’re comfortable. So figuring out what is because they still have stuff that’s they still have some sort of pain in their life. And I think You have to dig and find that and use that to drive them. Yeah. You know,

Sam Taggart 25:04
and I think there’s a who like when you say start with why try on start with who? My formula, I have an achievement framework I’m writing it actually start with what? For me, I’m like, how do you build a why until you actually have a what? Like, what am I? What do I want? And why do I want it? Yeah. But I think there’s an element of who that you put in there like I’m proving these people wrong. That’s my who. And I think you put in there an element of an antagonist, somebody that you can pin yourself against. I’m sure there was somebody who were gunning for their starting position. You were like, I hope you get her but don’t hope you get hurt, like I am coming for you. Yeah. And every day you’re practicing for your spot. And there was probably somebody behind you when you were a starter and saying, I’m coming for you. And you had to play it in a game. And I think that the difference between a lot of sales organizations and a football team, Nick Saban is not afraid to cut his players. Nick Saban is not afraid to say you suck last game I’m putting in this guy. Yeah. And you have to go in your spot back in sales. nobody’s really not many managers are sitting there going you really sold last week. So you have to sit the bat. Yeah, you know what I mean? Right? Right. There’s they’re kind of like, Oh, come on, dude. Like, don’t you want to make money? Like, don’t you want to be successful? And you’re like, But see, that’s they’re focusing on the Good, good, good, good. Yeah. They’re not being like, Let’s sit the bench, right. That’s the that’s like, go home. Like you’re not allowed to sell here. Yeah, no, autoplaying Wake up. Wake up, dude. Like until you take responsibility. Anyone on the team? Thank you. And like, I don’t think enough leaders have the balls to actually look their sales dudes in the face just because they’re worried about him leaving quitting feeling bad, but I’m like, you didn’t instill enough pain? Yeah. Why does somebody fight? They don’t want to sit the bench. Nobody wants to be that dude. That’s like, yeah, I played all four years. Never got a game. Yeah, it was so awesome. Like, Yeah, look, look at the cornerback for the Patriots.

Richie Contartesi 26:55
Bill Belichick is not scared to the quarterback for the Patriots. I can’t remember his name right now. But he made the big interception against Seattle. You know, the big interception, they won the Super Bowl because of this pickup with like, no time on the clock. The next Super Bowl. He was benched the whole game because of something that happened previously during camp or during the week before or something and Bill Belichick benched him

Sam Taggart 27:27
for a Super Bowl. He’s not afraid to do it. That’s what makes him a good coach. Right? So I went as high as one six. why he’s won so many. Yeah, he’s not afraid to get rid of great players. Yeah. Because like you’ve had your time you’ve you you’re you’re just you’re fizzling out, I need to shake it up. He’s always getting new people. And you watch like, the new players on his team right now. They just starting to plan in a different league than they used to be playing, you know what I mean? And so it’s like, you watch good coaches and good leaders? I think it’s that ability to pull the relentlessness like you said out of pain. Yeah. And pleasure, I think in in some regards. But I think that that ability is the difference between some of your people in your organization, making a lot of money and a little bit of money. Yeah. And an abundance mindset around benching firing some of the fat that like you’re hanging on to and hopes. It’s kind of like, they gotta want it. Yeah. And you got to not tolerate people that don’t want it. I mean, would you be happy if someone was just constantly comfortable? Just hanging around comfortable? Like, Hey, I’m good with my paycheck like, No, I mean, no, not a chance to hang with that guy. Yeah. Suck. Life would suck if that’s you. So kind of moving on. What? What do you what do you think? Okay, so obviously, you’re in the speaking circuit. A lot of different audiences. You’re not like a door to door connoisseur. You did it. When you’re eight, you said, which is Yeah, there’s still an element of it’s in there. Well, the relentlessness and you probably would slay, I wouldn’t be afraid to put you on the doors. I figured out how to make an extra dollar.

Richie Contartesi 29:10
This is the craziest thing. I had a buddy who he had this lawnmower in his garage. And I was like, Dude, what, like, let’s do something with this. So So and he will he would mow his lawn, like once a week. And I was like, dude, if I could get you $1 would you mow another lawn? And he was like, yeah, so I literally went door to door. And I found and I was charging $2 $2 dude, to mow someone’s lawn. And people would say no to that. I mean, I didn’t really know much at the time and be like, Hey, I’ll mow your lawn. He’s like, really? And he would like, look out. There’s no lawn mower. Look, we’ll come we’ll mow your lawn. it’ll, it’ll be great. And we’ll do a really good job, the best job and it took one guy, and he was like, you’re gonna mow it for $2? And I was like, yeah, we’re gonna mow it for $2 and he’s like, okay, I was like, awesome. So I sprinted all the way. I was like, dude, I got you $1 just bring the lawnmower mow his yard. And that turned into two turned into three. And then I started charging $3. And so what I would do is I would give him the dollar, and then I would get $1. And I started charging, I would give him $1. And I would get $2. And then what happened was when he started not being able to mow the lawn, so the guy that lived across from, he was also around our age, he’s a little bit older and was like, Hey, will you mow a lawn for $1? And he’s like, Yeah, I was like, Dude, look, he’s doing it. Every day, he’s able to get ice cream from the ice cream truck. You’re not I can get you $1 every day for mowing a lawn. And so I started I just kept getting lawns. And eventually, we had this like circle, and then it kind of went out. And it branched off. And I went through the circle all the way. And then there was like another big circle. And I almost had this whole thing of knowing lawns. And it started out because I wanted $1 I just wanted $1 every day so I could buy an ice cream truck. I don’t even think they exist anymore. But they’re there. Yeah. Not in my neighborhood. But, but anyways, I was able to, I ended up getting way more than $1. And because it was a kind of wall for scaling a lawn mower. But yeah, I just did. I mean, I I in the very beginning, it took a long time to get the first one. But once I got the first one, it was so much easier to get the second one because I was like hey look like

Sam Taggart 31:33
so here. Here’s the principle, though. You know, it’s funny, I just got interviewed on this other guy’s podcast, right? And he came into Utah interviewed me just barely. And he brought up a story like this little kid selling popsicles at a garage sale, you little kid mowing lawns, getting this dollar recruiting, getting other dude to split profit with 50. Yeah. And what’s very interesting, is he asked me the questions like, why is door to door? Good? Like what like, what what advice would you give, you know, kind of started talking about he does a lot with like, internet marketing and content. And, you know, he kind of had a little debate and I say, you know, the problem in most business owners is, is they forget about that little boy inside of them. That went out and hungry. Yeah, looking for his dollar. I just wanted that Fun Dip. And and we don’t realize there’s 1000s and 1000s of homes right around us. Yeah, that are waiting for somebody to show up to us offer a service and fair price. I mean, the dollar is cheap, but see what I mean. And they over complicate the crap out of it. Yeah. How do I make a magic funnel that then all of a sudden does like to do and my drips, my emails, and then eventually my phone will ring the blah, blah, blah. And I’m like, Guys, yeah, very simple. human being. Talk to him. Close them. Yeah. Collect. There’s nothing like relationships. Yeah. But we’re so afraid to get off our asses and talk to human beings today. Even people listening to this door to door podcast. Like, guys, simple. You can think this. Yeah, I mean, I have a I have a smartphone. I have internet marketing. I’m doing a podcast, I get leads online. I’m not obsolete to it. But guess what, I still pick up my phone and make calls to get clients to get sales. I still go knock doors. I watch myself, go to companies and watch them get so creative with their marketing and go. So you just spent $30,000 and what do you have to show for? And the amount of time money energy effort? I could have gotten knocked 10 doors made that $30,000 Yeah. And it’s like, that is resilience, in my opinion, is doing what is required, no matter what. Because I watch business and I’m sure you’ve seen reps. I’ve certainly seen business owners I’ve seen Have you seen clients where you’ve been like, I don’t know. Maybe she’s like, go to work and hustle. Maybe I mean, let’s not overcomplicate this like you got to have a reason get take responsibility why you suck and then like no one owes you anything we wake up like sorry get off your ass go like yeah, I’m sure that’s a lot of what you preach. I mean everyone we live in the trophy culture right yes That’s that’s the responsibility thing. It literally that everybody’s like well I deserve this um, earn I owe this no you’re not you’re owed nothing while you’re out and then to hit on that on the on the you know, everyone’s trying to find the next technology certain things is really good for but if you’re wasting all your time, looking for the magic funnel or this Yeah, there’s some things that is good for but like you said, when we first did that, the challenge I was telling you about, we have I made flyers and we went to just all the local businesses right around us. Now we have all of them, right? But that was what I didn’t. We did in the very beginning. We went to all the local businesses, and we handed out a flyer we said, Hey, we’re doing a challenge. Would you guys want to come and check it out? And we, you know, we talked them through it, and this and that, and we got our first 12 people that way. I mean, think of that,

Richie Contartesi 35:27
We got into businesses. Yeah. You went in and you said, it’s downtown. So we can’t go into the high rises, but we could go into the business. 100% Yeah, heck, I

Sam Taggart 35:36
want to try to freakin sneak my way into that. How do I Oh, for sure, for sure. That’s awesome.

Richie Contartesi 35:45
I totally, I literally totally forgot about that. And then I remember we had the blue, the baby blue and white flyers. And we walk. There’s three of us. And we went into all the businesses and the casinos right around the area. And most of them said, No, but there was enough that we got our first I think it was 12. And let me some Yeah,

Sam Taggart 36:03
that’s that we’re in business. We’re collecting checks finally.

Richie Contartesi 36:07
So you’re so right, because like, the phone is good. But the face to face the you have, it’s you should be dying to be face to face. Because so many people over the phone, their objective over the phone is to get a face to face. When you’re going door to door you are face to face right away. And I think face to face is the easiest way to build a relationship. I mean, am I wrong when ever the first job sales job I had I was fired in the first three months, the second sales job I had to pay for so I was Rookie of the Year fortune 500 company. And it was just because I went back to the things I did. And our main objective was to pick up the phone call to meet face to face, door to door makes it even easier. That’s door to door makes it easier because the second they open the door you’re face to face. Now whether they want to see you or not the different thing but you’re there. Yeah, you’re already in front of them. So you do that first impression. If you can be likable man, if you can get them to like you. And then build that relationship. There’s nothing like the human connection, no funnel will ever beat the human connection.

Sam Taggart 37:13
I’ve clicked through my emails and delete them all. You know, I mean, yeah, but I don’t answer the door and be like, slam right away like a small percentage of people will do will do you that’s like, most people are gonna give you at least 20 seconds like, what do you got? Cool? Not interested? Okay, cool. Not injured. You know what I mean? And yeah, but eventually, it’s like, you can either win this little like standoff at the beginning or not? Well, then it goes back to responsibility. How

Richie Contartesi 37:40
Good is your first 20 seconds? Yeah. And if you’re, if you’re converting three out of 10 wise in a four to 10. If you’re converting converting four to 10, why isn’t it five out of 10? What is that? 20 seconds? How do you make that 20 seconds? convert six out of 10

Sam Taggart 37:55
love the seven you know what I’m saying? No, that’s I mean, that’s responsibility. And that’s you going back to your little How do I sling around this linebacker faster? How do I run this route at a quicker turn? Like how do I you know what I mean? And I think that that goes back to those little teeny steps. And it’s where’s my body language? Where’s my foot functionality tonality and the fluctuations? And where How am I name dropping? How am I building poor? How am I breaking the ice? All those things? Okay, so we got to wrap up. So one, if you could in one just thank you for being on the show. This is fun. I will come to our space. I don’t have to fly around and get on the podcast and but what like if you had to give obviously this door to door isn’t your forte you know you speak and you’re in front of crowds and you’re you know, that’s its own knocking? You’re hitting him up on Instagram, you know, or whatever.

Richie Contartesi 38:46
Yeah, you I mean, you’re still sell yourself, dude, you’re still having to sell. And real quick before you ask the question. Yeah, I know you keep it in your mind. It’s it. In my opinion, it’s harder because or a lot of people’s challenges dealing with rejection, right negativity, but people are rejecting the product right? The back end product when you’re getting rejected to speak at an event reject they’re rejecting you You are the product

Sam Taggart 39:16
you are the product dude I never looked

Richie Contartesi 39:18
At so in the beginning like if you think and this is the lesson if you think being rejected on your product hurts try being rejected on you as the product and so like just having that mindset of like, dude, I’m I’m not getting rejected, or whatever I’m selling right? It’s the product that that um, but I think you can get better right? You can get better at doing that.

Sam Taggart 39:41
But that explains a lot that’s why nobody likes me man. I just never took a personal was like it’s rejecting my services. I am the service. Yeah, yeah. So door now I’m gonna get like home and cry. Suck if you listen to this and you said no to me. I shun you forever, and I deleted you on Facebook. So just kidding. No, I that is way true though. Like, there has been moments where, you know, I’ve been hitting people up and I’m like, hey, I want to train or, you know, we’re pretty I kinda have a sales team that does a lot of it. Right. And, but like, yeah, I mean, I’ve had a lot of rocks thrown at me that are like that, like, as a joke. I’ve seen his stuff or whatever. Yeah, you’re like, No, I think it’s a confidence thing. I’m pretty sure and myself. Yeah, it’s not like an arrogant way. But I think that that is hard, though. Now that you said that. I’ve definitely had moments where I’m like,

Richie Contartesi 40:34
But Dude, that’s why you’re, that’s one of the reasons you’re able to be. So like that. Remember? I said, Dude, but delusional, like, yeah, yeah, you

Sam Taggart 40:43
think everybody else is saying, like, I’m hanging out? David Goggins? Yeah, he’s not any different just runs farther than no big deal.

Richie Contartesi 40:52
Yeah. But you guys have the same mindset. Yeah. And you’re able to deal with other people that are able to deal with that. So that’s being able to deal with rejection and helping people through that, like, you’re able to deal with rejection on a whole nother level. It’s like dating to like, if you can get good at getting rejected by women because they’re rejecting you. That makes getting rejected at doors even easier. Amen. Same with women get rejected by men because of you. And then when you knock on women, or

Sam Taggart 41:26
knock on doors, it’s so much easier. Yeah, no, that’s actually a wagon. It’s funny. People don’t realize dating is sales. All sorts of things like did your kids your kids talk about your kids? You say Oh, 100 married you? Yeah,

41:43
you sold that one? That’s a Grant Cardone thing. Yeah. seller. It was. What does it seller? seller? Everything. Everything in every conversation is a sale. Right? Yeah, it’s true.

Sam Taggart 41:55
It’s true. It’s true. Well, I I’m glad you brought that up. Because I don’t think we’ve ever brought that up. podcast. Very good point. Okay, so the question I was gonna, yeah, good. I like we’re going through this. You were to give one piece of advice to our industry, what would it be? It’s kind of interesting, because you’re outside looking in.

Richie Contartesi 42:20
Yeah, so so. So here’s what I would say. And I know we talked a lot about it, but I’m just gonna kind of sum it up for people. If you can look at everything in your life, any everything around you. And know that everything around you is because of you. Every decision, choice and action that you’ve taken in the past, has created what’s around you. And if you look at the world that way, and everything you do moving forward, is based on knowing that everything I do is going to create the next surrounding or the next surrounding or what I want to build or what I want my life to look like. If you have that mindset that it’s always you, it really, really changes the game, because now you’re 100% in control of your life. You’re 100% in control of everything. Now you can’t control x, what other people do, you can’t control things like like disease and stuff like that. That’s the only the everything else that you can control everything around you is created by you. And if you have that mindset and mentality, then you will constantly always be in control. And you can always improve and move forward because you’re in control, not your boss, not the guy you work with, not your recruits, not to you. So everything’s on you, you can always improve and get better, because you’re not waiting for anybody else.

Sam Taggart 43:52
It’s you know, it’s interesting to add to that, because it couldn’t agree more. I think a lot of people think that a customer buying your service or product isn’t in their control. I’m under the impression that you have probably 80% of the control more than you think. I think a lot of people think they have zero control whether the customer buys or not. And I go No, no, no, no, no, no. Then there would be no such thing as sales ability.

Richie Contartesi 44:17
Right? You just have anybody doing Yeah, like you would have anybody do this job and somebody be amazing and somebody be terrible.

Sam Taggart 44:23
Exactly. So I’m like, does it make sense? So I think a lot of people get in the mindset of Well, nobody bought today. No, you didn’t take control over any situations today to get somebody to by reframing that. Yeah. Well,

Richie Contartesi 44:38
it’s just like, it’s just a switch and the way that you’re thinking, yeah, you know, it’s a switch in the way that you’re thinking. And it’s like, okay, that why am I doing the same thing over and over again? And what is the reason that people aren’t buying that’s why you know, scripts and the things that you have in place and the are you asking the certain questions, so you can learn and figure out what what’s not working? what’s working, do what’s working, and then whatever is not working, if that, fix it, and then keep moving forward, right? But if it’s if your mindset is it’s their decision, you’re never gonna get to the top 100% you will never get to the top.

Sam Taggart 45:17
It’s good. Okay, you guys heard it firsthand. Where can people learn more about you and follow you? And

Richie Contartesi 45:22
yeah, yeah, so Instagram is a good place. relentless. Richie is the talentless Richie. Yeah. And then brownless University to rock

Sam Taggart 45:32
university.com go check it out. You guys. This guy’s a stud. Appreciate you and you coming out here and being on the show, man. Cool, man. Thanks for having me. Yeah. Thanks. We’ll see you guys much love