Business and Career Readiness: Supporting the Future Workforce

A look at why businesses care about career readiness and how businesses can support our future workforce, with Brian Johnson, CEO of Mail Shark, and Brad Stephenson, Co-owner and CEO of New Castle Lawn & Landscape. Hosted by Terri Hill, Executive Director of the BBEC.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:13

Hi, and welcome to another BBEC Burke's Business and Education Coalition podcast, where we feature the programs, people, and partnerships in our community that help prepare our students for their their lives after graduation. I say this almost every time, but I truly am thrilled and excited today to spend time with two of my favorite people, uh Brian Johnson and Brad Stevenson. And what I hope that our viewers take um home with them today or they learn today is one of the things how business can get involved in the career readiness uh partnerships. But also I want them to share their stories as to how they got from high school to where they are today. And there's so many cool nuggets of uh things that they said yes to or decisions that they made along the way that I think are really helpful for people to understand how you propel yourself forward after you after you leave school. So you're first, Brian. All right. You're on the corner. So you're first.

SPEAKER_03 1:10

Okay. Uh well, happy to be here with you. Terry, thank you for inviting me. And uh as you mentioned, I'm Brian, and I'm the CEO of Mail Shark. And I guess a little bit about my journey and how I got to, you know, where today is. Um went to Exeter High School, went to Loyola in Maryland for a marketing degree, kind of took a traditional path through life and uh went to the Bosgovs Executive Training Program, which I'll give a shout-out to Bosgovs. They were uh it was a phenomenal program and kind of got me ready to contemplate going into business for myself and um took a path from there to buy a franchise. And it was in the direct mail space, which I know you appreciate, Terry, as um someone that's been around that block and um kind of learned the school of hard knocks when you first decide to go jump into business for yourself and went to the Lehigh Valley, which was my territory, and knocked on every door possible to try to sell B2B. Um basically selling an ad inside of an envelope with multiple advertisers, and anyone that would listen, I would try to sell to, and quite honestly not very well. Um and really uh just learned how to begin to think about business on your own. And it was just me, myself, and I at that point. And uh ran into a pizza shop owner one day who kind of in reflection gave me all the pain points that he was having on his marketing for his 20 pizza shops, and um uh most of what he articulated to me was um something that he tells everyone that would come through the door is I need all these things, and no one could deliver. And one of the things that we've talked about um in other conversations is just that's kind of one of those moments where do you say, yeah, that sounds too difficult, and could I break through uh and give you what you're looking for, even though you haven't been able to find it within 20 years, or do I kind of just say, sorry, I can't help you and move on and do what I've been doing every day? Which at the moment, and maybe part of one of the strengths for any entrepreneur is breaking through that barrier, um, but also being a little um numb to why not try it, uh, you know, or just let's give it a go. So I listened to what he was looking for. It was outside of my wheelhouse completely. It was still direct mail, but very different. I found a printer in in Houston, Texas that could execute on what I thought was some of the thing, the elements of what he was looking for. And really the long and short of that was we were able to find a way to solve three of the major pain points that he was experiencing with this direct mail marketing program. And and really in reflection, it was mailing pizza menus around his pizza shop. Um but we did it in a strategic way where it was weekly, and we spread out his payments and and we helped him manage the way he bought his food, manage the way he staffed his restaurant, and these were the real pain points that the the marketing program saw for. Um and with that you know, at some point there was there's execution, and he was having success and some aha moments to go then and find other pizza shops to go help and and go chase this thing. And um, fast forward 18 and a half years later, I guess, um we have 160 employees and uh we've built something on top of what that pizza guy wanted, and you know, but the maybe the pivotal moment in that history in the story was kind of um this pizza owner who had talked about his pain and what he wanted, and everyone else around him saying, sorry, that's not possible, or we can't help you because it's not what's out there on the marketplace. And and we broke through and Mail Shark was born.

SPEAKER_00 4:44

I I love that story because I think there's so many times in our lives that we come across a a pain point or or challenge where we have the opportunity to say, How can I, or we can say no, right? We can say no, we can't do that, or how can I do that. And um you having the um idea or fortitude or understanding and saying, uh uh and I think uh let me just pause. I think part of it is that that your current that current position or current um business that you had was probably not as uh profitable, maybe. You had not gained enough traction in it to so and this gave you another idea that you could you could kind of latch on to.

SPEAKER_03 5:21

Yeah, I think having frustrations or daily challenges that you're not satisfied with gives you a thirst if you're of that right mindset um to seek new opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 5:32

So I I love that about you. So now we have the other the other B on the table. Brad?

SPEAKER_02 5:38

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:39

So we have uh well, you're gonna tell me. I know you're gonna tell me no matter what. So tell me a little bit about your story. Because what I love about yours is it's almost like the underdog, right? So go ahead.

SPEAKER_02 5:49

Yeah. Um well, not like Brian. I didn't I didn't go to college. Uh I barely got through high school. And when I was 14 years old, I was diagnosed with ADD uh back then. Uh not really, I'm 51, but back then nobody knew what ADD meant. I thought it was people calling me stupid, and I rebelled and you know, went down the wrong path. But now I have an adult ADHD and I think it's a superpower. I think that everybody has ADHD. It's 100% a superpower. Everything slows down for me in a crisis situation. And I, you know, I'm listening to a book now as far as like being stuck in the gap or the gain, and the gap is like looking at the horizon, it just keeps going. I'm looking, I always look at the gain now as far as like where I came from. Like, how do I celebrate my past and not be ashamed of it? So ADHD, it's a superpower. Um back then I thought it was people calling me stupid. So failed the seventh grade. Um, but the second year of seventh grade, the first quarter, I made honor roll. Uh yeah, so I showed up at a Sunday party for all the kids that made honor roll, and all the kids said, Brad, what what are you doing here? I'm like, I made honor roll. What do you mean what am I doing here? Uh because you know I was labeled the stupid guy, right? And the one that failed seventh grade. But you know, I was a I I started playing you know football because I was a bigger kid then, because you know, I failed, and so I got a little leg up on them. But just going through high school, you know, I think it it was a struggle. And I graduated, uh, met my wife uh two years after I graduated, and she really I don't give her enough credit for how much she got me out of my shell. I was a little bit of a, I was kind of a shy guy, uh, believe it or not. Yeah, so she broke me out of my shell some. But, you know, I worked for an employer, pretty much told me that I I I wouldn't ever become a foreman. And it was just this constant. I felt like I was back in high school. I'm like, man, like I'm who am I, right? I had this desire, you know, I had all these great ideas, at least I thought they were great, but I didn't know what to do with them. Um but I started, you know, working in the landscape industry, worked for a couple employers, moved to Texas. Uh, this was right after the employer that I had here told me I was never gonna turn into something. So I had that thought in my head because I'm 21 years old. Yeah, I got some self-limiting beliefs, right? So I go to Texas, I make $5.30 an hour uh working for the state on their tree crew. My wife was going to college there, and I was the only white guy, uh, the only guy in the the whole crew, uh, great people. Um, but I was the only one, I was like, I was the the the one that's that stood out, right? Um, but all these guys that I was around, they were just so great to me. And there was one irrigation tech at the uh the college that he just said something to me that just sparked something in my head. And he he it's because I always wanted to just work. I just it they took so many breaks because they worked for the state, and I just couldn't stand taking breaks anymore. I mean, it was like, holy cow, we're only working 20 minutes. I need to keep me out on this project. So I was actually building a uh, I was on the tree crew, but I was building a playground for a daycare for the college. And there was an irrigation tech just turned to me and said, Brad, you're gonna be something someday. And that just that that those words just they still land, you know, in me today. But if it weren't for him, I don't even remember his name, but if it weren't for him just speaking something into me, and I believe that everybody just needs somebody to believe in him once in a while. So having him do that, it just kind of twisted me and my thought process. I'm like, you know what, I'm not gonna listen to these owners that I work for. I mean, like, why? Um, so I got some some more self-work with my wife uh helping me as well. Uh worked for another local landscape company for 10 years. Great guy, uh, really helped me through uh learning a lot. I was working for Waterfall Gardens for 10 years, ran their landscape side, met a lot of great people. Uh, worked for Ray Nyag. Uh, Ray Nyag, uh, I mean, everybody knows Ray. He used to bring me into his kitchen and just speak to me about life, to sit me the dirty landscaper, just bring me into his house, sit me down, talk to me about life. And I learned a lot from Ray. I worked with him, I was like his personal gardener, met with the sculpture people from New York to bring this sculpture down. Like he had me a part of everything. And that's thanks to Tom Womba from Waterfall. He kind of let me let me into that world. Um, but then I started with Newcastle. Um, you know, I started as a laborer uh with Newcastle. I knew there was ownership opportunities, and I knew that there was a gap in what they did because my thing was construction, and I loved doing landscape construction, and at that point, Newcastle was just maintenance. So I saw that there was a void there that I could fill and help and also grow plus possible ownership in the future. So I made the jump and we were 600 in revenue, probably about uh eight to ten employees, and now you know we have about 85, 90 employees. Uh, it was a lot of growing to you know, minority ownership, now majority shareholder with my partner Brian Kukrow, and then we have two uh minority owners as well. But you know, again, starting from not feeling like I'm worth anything to being the CEO and owner of a company that is creating careers in the landscape industry that doesn't happen. And then I also have my own coaching business as well, where I go in and coach. I mean, I'm coaching landscape companies, but I'm also coaching like some really well-known companies that are the revenues through the roof, but everybody has the same problems. Like everything that I went through just building my career and really in life has really gotten me to um really understand people and really be people first. And back it up a little bit. My mom growing up, she has uh she's bipolar, and I was the only one at a very young age that could um really get to my mom and make her laugh. Like that was my thing, make people laugh. And if I made her laugh, then she wouldn't be manic depressive. So all I always I always tell her, I was like, mom, you you've been taught you taught me my skills like at a very early age. Um, but I learned through that, and I use that today. Like that was three until you know I I left home. But like it's still today, I I remember, and here's another thing, and I know my ADHD is probably going into crazy overdrive, but people are put in your in your path for a reason. I'm a firm believer in that, and you gotta look up once in a while. When your head's down and you're just you're just like stuck in the work and you don't look up and see who's in your path that can help you. I mean, like Craig Poole, I met him, and we've been friends ever since, and just some of the things that he spoke into me. And there's just so many people that have been in my life that are in my path, and they're there for a reason, and I gotta make sure I make the most of it. Um so yeah, every, you know, be in the game, don't be in the gap. Like always be in the game. Look back, look at where you came from, uh, and don't get stuck in in the horizon. That just keeps moving forward.

SPEAKER_00 12:57

Well, I really like um one of the things you did say though, and I'm gonna point it out, is somebody believed in you, right? And you don't even remember that person's name at this point, but still their thoughts and words resonated with you so much that uh it has changed the trajectory of your life. So that doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_03 13:13

Terry, do you think and Brad? I mean that's I've known you for a while, but the first time I've heard the full story and made me think of a lot of the chapters in my own life of where you need this support system of people that believe in you, but sometimes what also fuels you is the person that did not, and the one that said you're never going to. And I'm like almost equally as thankful to those people for giving me some of that um in your belly fire that says, Oh, you know, once you you know get that self-worth and confidence in you to kind of say, look what I'm going to do. Um, and you know, it doesn't have to be passive aggressive, you can own it in your own way, but you need to find your support system. But also love some of those people that kind of told me that I wasn't going to achieve in certain chapters and um maybe thank them as much for your fuel in the fire.

SPEAKER_02 14:00

Yeah, and I actually did thank him. Um uh probably about seven years ago in a Newcastle vehicle, I pulled over. He was working at a job, and I went down and I said, I just want to thank you for being a blink to me. Like, and I said, I'm serious, and he didn't remember, right? Because it's not like he wasn't trying to do anything. I just took it personal. He was just trying to rev me up. But I thanked him because without him, I don't know where I'd be at. So I did personally thank him. I stopped. It was actually in your development. Actually, it was at your house, I think. Maybe I don't know. Was it me? No, it was, you know, I I yeah, I thanked him because he did help me. And I was, you know, I was a young punk, right? I probably would have said the same thing. And yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:42

And I I think the other thing too, though, is you don't words matter. So you don't even know sometimes how you react or what you say to somebody, how it can either, you know, be a positive in their life or a negative in their life. So so words are powerful. Sure.

SPEAKER_02 14:55

Sure, but I think challenging people. So he challenged me, and I thought it was a bad thing, but now I challenge people, not in the same way, but man, when you challenge somebody, it's the kindest thing you can do for somebody is tell them the truth and challenge them to be more. Like look at a man for who he is, he only becomes worse. If you look at a man for who he could be, he becomes who he should be. And that's my thing. Like, how do I look at people's gifts and and figure out what their gifts are and pull them out? Like that's I think that's my gift that I have is being able to see gifts in people, and then how can I pull them out and and raise people up. Now, not everyone.

SPEAKER_03 15:30

Very rewarding is that when you see it come to life. It's insane.

SPEAKER_00 15:34

Well, then this kind of really dovetails really, really well into our next conversation. So one of the reasons that I tapped you too and said, please, please join me on a podcast, is because both of you had made commitments to career readiness, especially at the in the in the schools. And uh the first time I met you, and I don't know if that's how you started your journey, was through the Business Advisory Council that Barry Schlauck started at Mifflin. So if you can share whoever wants to start first, as to you know how you started to get involved. Maybe you got involved before that, but I don't remember you being as active as that opportunity, and then how it opened other doors to other possibilities within the schools. So I don't know who wants to start.

SPEAKER_02 16:13

Oh yeah, I mean we always do stuff, we've always done stuff with high schools, um, whether going in and speaking to ninth graders, uh, me going in and speaking to 12th grade classes where you know the kids might be a little lost and tell them my story and like, hey, you can do it too. If I did it, I had drug addiction in my 20s too, so I got a lot of stories I can tell to meet people where they're at. So I'll go in and talk to these kids that just they don't they don't have a way yet. If, you know, and it helps me, like it helps me, like what you just said is that you know, I us as a company, we want to change and impact 100,000 lives. That's our mission as a landscape company is to change and impact 100,000 lives. I'm at, I have a count, 111 right now. We have impacted way more than that, but 111 people have come up to me and said, You have changed my life. And that's rewarding. And that's a confidence protector, too, when I'm having a bad day, sitting at the car wash crying to myself about something. You know, poor Brad. Um, but no, I think, you know, just so we started, you know, talking to high schools. Um, it just started it, you know, developing from there, getting involved with the BBEC, um, you know, the the emerging entrepreneurial thing too, like that. I spoke uh last year, but just giving giving kids a different view on things. Now I think you know being a part of the the council for Governor Mifflin has been so rewarding for me because I didn't like going back into school because it was not a good experience for me. So seeing what is being done now, man, I'm like, if this would have been, but I I'm glad it wasn't. But if this would have been back when I was in school, man, maybe I wouldn't have gone down that road. But I'm glad I went down that road because it's made me who I am today. So I'm glad they they stalled that. But to see like what they're doing, allowing the kids to work into projects and stuff, it's it's it's it's so cool to see the presentations. And and Barry, I met him. Well, I reached out to him in LinkedIn and asked him if he wanted breakfast. And and I can tell you, reaching out to LinkedIn and just asking for coffee or something is the best thing you do. That's how I met Krin McLean as well. Um but I met Barry at a coffee shop, Do C Dough. And he came in with his notepad and you know was asking me questions and wrote everything down. But you know, through that, he asked me to be on the business council for Governor Mifflin, and it's been very rewarding.

SPEAKER_00 18:40

So, Brian, I'm gonna tap into you. So if you can quickly just because I know Barry asked you as well. It was a cold call. Yeah. It was a cold call for him. Um, and just quickly say about you know what you feel the business council brings, and then I would love to hear about your decision to be involved. Like you have really stepped in and and said as well, you know, here's here's what I can do to support the career initiatives within the school. So you have a little bit different view.

SPEAKER_03 19:06

Yeah, no, I I um wasn't heavily involved until about maybe five years ago, um, maybe even less. And some of that came to my own self-worth and confidence and what I've built over time and this imposter syndrome of like I built a company from my basement to what it is today, and at some point you begin to own the leadership that people need from you. Um and so that you know, me going into a high school to inspire uh the youth of America was never like why me or am I even capable of doing that. And I wasn't a um a very academic kid either. You know, like reading and writing wasn't my thing, and hands-on learning was um really where I thrived. And so some of the things that when I got tapped on the shoulder and attended a meeting from, you know, and that time it was in Barry Schlauck's living room when it was just getting started for the Mifflin Council, um I began to actually get inspired about how I could maybe make a difference. And so it was almost a self-reflection to see, and then you you take some courage steps, so you know it wasn't comfortable for me to go present in front of you know a class uh in the in the high school. How are the kids going to perceive me? And um then you break through that first barrier and you see uh the eyes opening in just a handful, or you know, the whole class, or um, you're seeking the talents of these high school students in this case. Um and then I got more involved and more involved, um, you know, and hosted Wave Apparel, which was their senior project, and um to come to Mail Shark. And I thought there was gonna be five kids coming over, and all of a sudden there was 40 uh in the cafeteria, and I'm you know giving that presentation. And um, we made a difference in their their ability to learn hands-on, and it filled every bucket that I had on my side too. So it was kind of a maybe uh that win-win that I needed to see that I could make a difference with money and time and resources to be part of that council, uh, make a difference in their lives, and really also people that are teachers and the administration, the the superintendents, they have a tough job. And the the last part I'll share is seeing what they go through, um seeing how they're trying to see things in a new lens, even with all the red tape that they have, um, to and then to help uh businesses and the community come together to help where they can also inspired me to be part of that.

SPEAKER_00 21:30

So Well, I love that. And you touched a little bit uh about um money support, right? So there are foundations and there's different organizations that um do supply programs or other uh resources to our schools, and uh they have the ability to receive donations through something called the earned income tax credit. So um can you explain? I I know you have been uh using that model. Yeah. Uh so if you can talk about it, and one of the things I want you to touch on is normally in our state, you have to go through the state in order to get approved in order to donate, but you found a workaround which makes it was which was a little bit quicker for you to get it involved.

SPEAKER_03 22:08

So the EITC program in my shorthand description of it is you could either give your Pennsylvania income tax to the state or you could make it go to work in a meaningful place locally. That means more to you. And there's rules around that as to who you can give to and it it's pretty complicated. And when I first learned of it and um wanted to particip to participate it was lots of forms and you go to this website and make sure you hit this timing and make sure your accountant gets it right so that you can apply the credit. But as you um mentioned I found another organization called Friends of Education that basically did all the work for you on the again that red tape side the form filling out and um the the tax forms that you need back to file with your accountant. And with that program you know kind of piggybacking on what I had just talked about once you see the difference you can make in the community to with the the kids' lives and um and then kind of making that decision do I want to it's not to say the state won't do good things with your income tax money, but to see it go to work at Governor Mifflin or Exeter or Wilson or uh the BBEC. I mean there's the Olivetts Boys Club. I mean there's tons of organizations that you can give to through this program um and it's powerful. It's real dollars. It goes to work here in our local community. And as a bus busy business owner now um not having to think and Friends of education says tell us how much you can give and there's a formula with your income tax and uh who you want to give to and they cut the checks and you write one to them and the power of that giving back locally has been tremendous.

SPEAKER_00 23:52

And just quickly for the audience because I know we're we're coming up on time so for every dollar you can you can offset your tax obligation by anywhere from I think it's 75 percent to 90 percent.

SPEAKER_03 24:04

And with Friends of education you get that immediate 90 percent again not having to to think and getting the full credit so you know for uh the hundred dollars that you you gave you get a $90 tax credit which you know basically means you you did donate the $10 but you it cost you 10 to give $100.

SPEAKER_00 24:23

Trevor Burrus Right I I think I I love that.

SPEAKER_02 24:25

Yeah we and we do that with John Paul too too we we explore I mean we've been using EITC for four or five years now. But again just using your your tax dollars 90% credit I mean it makes sense you know if you have if you have a a good year and you have some positive income if you're gonna be paying taxes on it how how could you help the community? Yeah keep it local.

SPEAKER_00 24:48

Yeah I love I love that. And I do want to kind of like kind of bring it back a little bit. So I have there's a quick lightning round and I went through AI to ask the question.

SPEAKER_02 24:58

So um what is one skill that you would like every graduate to come away with when they when they leave high school is there one skill for me it's it's communication and connection how do you connect with people as quick as possible so that's that's huge. And communication's not like a perfection it's just being able to have a conversation with somebody and especially with with all the the you know you know being on Instagram or whatever all these accounts like it's tough to go face to face with people. So I think more of that has to happen.

SPEAKER_03 25:33

Yeah and I would just say the eagerness to contribute learn um do whatever it takes earn your stripes um type of mentality um you know there's there's a lot of um kids that come out and want to be VP tomorrow um and there's a path for that and you can get around the right people that will support you into that but having that um skill set it's almost a skill in itself to um be willing to earn it and grind for it and um go get it. I don't know what the the word exactly is except for uh just having the grit to know that you're making this today but if you keep showing your value and growing your own skills that um there's some good things that can come in front of you.

SPEAKER_02 26:20

Showing your value find find the person you want to become that you work for and make their job easier by taking some of their their constraints off of them. That's how I grew in Newcastle is taking on the jobs that the two owners didn't like doing and it started building my worth so find who you want to be like and then help them get to where they need to be I love that. So my last thing is um what is the best career advice you've ever received best career well it's kind of life too but uh we're all the same we all have the same problems and you know people look at these the stars or even anybody in the community like we're all the same. We all I mean heck Brian just said about the imposter syndrome we all struggle with it right upper limb whatever you want to call it so don't think you're any different we're all the same. Just do what you can how can you be unique but how do you just put your head down look up and find those people in your path that can help you through that because I know how it is when you're young and seeing all these people that succeeded it was not an easy path. It was an up and down for sure.

SPEAKER_00 27:28

And I know it's been pointed out before that when you see people successful you you did not see the journey that they took to get there. So you're missing out on a lot of it.

SPEAKER_03 27:37

Brian I'll just piggyback on the gap versus the gain concept and um it really is pushing yourself forward and it's what we naturally do just grind and grind and grind but not forgetting to stop and look back and celebrate the wins not just for yourself but for your team and your support system. And many probably chunks of time have gone by in my life where I forgot to stop and reflect on um the blessings that occurred and um the people that helped you get there and um instead of you know just continually chasing the horizon you've got to you know look back and and celebrate the wins.

SPEAKER_00 28:13

And I and you also celebrate the people that helped you get there. So I really do um appreciate you both being here today. I will tell you we could probably talk for a much longer period of time. I have so many more questions and so many great we've had conversations that we could probably bring up here. But I'm gonna wrap it up and I will say that if you have any interest in learning more about how your business or organization or you as an individual can get involved reach out to the to me Terry Hill at the Burks BEC Burks Business Education Coalition and I will gladly you know meet with you and share what what possible ways you can get involved with our community. It is so wonderful to see these these two gentlemen who are um leaders and have are willing to share their stories with our students in order to inspire them to move forward. So thank you very much.

SPEAKER_03 29:03

Thank you thank you Terry