Sean Ackerman Joins Us On The Steve Jobs Inspired Join Up Dots Podcast
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Introducing Sean Ackerman
Sean Ackerman is today’s guest joining us on the Steve Jobs inspired Join Up Dots Podcast.
Sean was kind enough to have me as a guest on his amazing new online show “You Leading You” awhile back, and it was clear in the conversation that we are almost the same person.
We have such similar backgrounds, inspirations, talents, that we are almost brothers separated by a vast expanse of water called the Atlantic.
He has been a corporate guy for many years, and has worked at climbing up the ladder of success, rung by rung, and like so many got to a position when he realised that he didn’t like the climb.
He didn’t like the fact that he was climbing a ladder, which at anytime could be pushed over, and leave him plummeting downwards.
How The Dots Joined Up For Sean
So he took action, imperfect action which is always the best, and started taking control of his life.
This is a great tale of persistence, with many dots that show how he went from being homeless to an inspirational coach, speaker and host of a super popular podcast….with a heartattack being thrown into the mix too.
So how did he take the decision that was required to start building a life under his own terms?
And why did one conversation with a boss, that he didn’t see eye to eye with, literally throw paraffin onto the passions that were simmering deep within him.
Well let’s find out as we bring onto the show to start joining up dots with the one and only brother from another mother….Mr Sean Ackerman
Show Highlights
During the episode we discussed such weighty topics such as:
How he went to California as a young man and lived the party life, but knew that it was time to close the door of that lifestyle and move forward to becoming who he is day.
How he was in Disneyworld in 2011 when he received notice that his house had been hit by a flood.
He realised that he had a choice to make….and he decided to enjoy the last three days of his vacation before facing the ruin.
How he recognised that he had greater and greater inner strength as he tackled challenges in his life, and consistently moved forward in the direction that he wanted.
How he knew that he had to assess how he was operating on a daily basis once a stress related incident hit him at work….and shares how he did just that.
And lastly…..
Why he believes that we have to decide what we want most in our heart, and aim to leave our legacy whilst on this great earth of ours.
How To Connect With Sean Ackerman
Return To The Top Of Sean Ackerman
If you enjoyed this episode with Sean Ackerman, why not check out other inspirational chat with Princess Umul Hatiyya Ibrahim Mahama, Anton Kraly, Dana Malstaff, and the amazing Elizabeth Tryon
You can also check our extensive podcast archive by clicking here – enjoy
Audio Transcription Of Sean Ackerman
Intro [0:00]
When we’re young, we have an amazing positive outlook about how great life is going to be. But somewhere along the line we forget to dream and end up settling. Join Up Dots features amazing people who refuse to give up and chose to go after their dreams. This is your blueprint for greatness. So here’s your host live from the back of his garden in the UK, David Ralph.
David Ralph [0:00]
Yes, hello there. Hello, everybody, and welcome to Episode 231. of Join Up Dots. I’m gonna love this show. And I’ll tell you why I’m gonna love this show is because I’ve already been a guest on his show, he was kind enough to have me as a guest on these amazing new online show you leading you a while back. And it was clear in the conversation that we’re almost the same person. I’ve got more hair to be honest. But other than that is about the same. We have similar backgrounds, inspirations talents that were almost brothers separated by a vast expanse of water called the Atlantic. Now he’s been a corporate guy for many years and has worked a climbing up the ladder of success rung by rung. And like so many got to a position when he realised that he didn’t really like the climb anymore. He didn’t like the fact that he was climbing a ladder, which anytime could be pushed over and leave him plummeting and downwards. So he took action, imperfect action, which is always the best and started taking control of his life. This is a great tale of persistence, with many dots that show how he went from being homeless to an inspirational coach, speaker and host of a super popular podcast with a heart attack being thrown into the mix, too. So how did he take the decision that was required to start building a life under his own terms? And why did one conversation with a boss that he didn’t see eye to eye with literally throw paraffin onto the passions that was simmering deep within him? Well, let’s find out as we bring on to the show to start Join Up Dots bo one and only brother from another mother and up has never said that before. Mr. Sean Ackerman. How are you Sean?
Sean Ackerman [0:00]
David, I am Fantastic. Thank you so much for that introduction. That was amazing. Thank you. It definitely speaks to my heart and soul. And yeah, I do feel as though there is this connexion between us and similar storeys. I’m glad that you’re here to help Join Up Dots. Today, I’ll be honest with you, this is almost like looking at a mirror and having having that self critical, expansive, expansive experience that I’ve been looking for. So David, this is going to be an amazing time. Thank you so much. And
David Ralph [0:00]
honestly Sean when I was on your show the other day, it was freaky, wasn’t it? You You were talking about yourself, I was talking about myself. And after about five or 10 minutes, I wasn’t sure if you were doing the talking, or I was doing the talking because it was a same storey. It’s amazing that so many of us have be similarities in our lives where we go on a corporate route, where we get to a point that it’s just not for us, and we have to do something about it. And that’s we’re going to talk about later in the show. Quite often, it’s something very small or insignificant, really, that can be dot that pushes you on. So just to sort of phrase it as we are at the moment, you haven’t quite taken the leap of faith, you are still in full time employment, but you are hustling like a madman behind the scenes to do your own thing.
Sean Ackerman [3:14]
Absolutely. And you know what, and it’s funny, I just actually had my CEO on my show, because again, my show is about personal leadership and organisational success. And I look at this, and I said, you know what my the CEO of the company has been somebody that has inspired me over the last 10 years, and just took a chance and said, You know what, I’m also doing this show that talks about personal leadership, the ability for people to go ahead and achieve whatever they want out of life. Because again, I don’t just focus on business, I focus on anything from personal development through business through you know, if you want to write a book, if you want to go ahead and climb a mountain, you’ve want to achieve something amazing in your life, well, there’s these little ways to go ahead and get there. And it’s not just taking that 800 pound gorilla in the room or elephant in the room. And trying to so it’s taken one bite or one little bit out of at a time. And that’s what my show is about. I was so happy to go ahead and have him on the show. And it was it was actually like a combination of those things of I still live nine to five, Monday through Friday, or eight to five or seven to five, it depends on when it is. But I also am able to, and we’ll talk about this throughout the storey, I’m also able to do the show, which gives me such a release from the corporate environment. I’m finding such a huge balance in life. And oh my god did I actually say that balance, but a huge balance in life, a work life balance where I am hustling on the side, you leading you is not just a podcast platform, which is I’m very happy with the success that I’ve gotten so far. But it’s opened so many doors for me, you know, consulting and coaching for people with organisation and goal setting, through actually helping people with their social media and podcasts in the small business sense locally. It’s given me the ability to start to write a book, as well as giving me public speaking opportunities and teaching opportunities. I’m very, very blessed.
David Ralph [5:04]
Well, you should be blessed because you are flexing the old hustle muscle as we say on here you are somebody that’s doing it your way doing a time that suits even if it’s not a convenient time. And when you are doing, as we call it on this show the slide of faith where you’re building something on the side to actually ultimately Fingers crossed, as opposed to replace your nine to five gig and give you the flexibility that you want. You’ve got to do it at times that are convenient, don’t you you’ve got to get up earlier, go to bed later, do it in your lunch time, and sort of just changed the way that you might be operating leading up to that point.
Sean Ackerman [5:40]
You know what it is, and it goes back to prioritising your time I was you know, I was busy with work before I started with you leading you. And I know I’ve got to go ahead and join up some older dots before we begin that, but but I look at what I’m able to do with the podcast right now. And I’m spending, you know anywhere in you leading you time. And I want you to say the pop podcast because it’s not just the podcast, it’s it’s really a movement that I’ve started. And in looking at the time I spend yet another 15 to 20 to 25 hours a week that I’m spending with individuals like yourself masterminds, learning, education, working on the podcast itself that I never knew I had before. And, and it’s funny because with making those priorities really be a focus in life, I’m able to still achieve fantastic success in the corporate environment that I’m still in. And and I love that challenge to be honest with you, there is a challenge there that and I’m sure to a certain degree, David, especially doing what you’re doing now there, there’s always that that hustle that you had to do in the corporate world that that sometimes you miss, and you’re able to try to recapture that in doing what we’re doing with you leading you or Join Up Dots or in a small business and entrepreneurial sense. It’s, it’s amazing that I’m able to go ahead and again, find that culmination of something that lives to my spirit, which is you leading you, and now I’m more razor focused than I ever was before we’re in the corporate world.
David Ralph [7:01]
So if push comes to shove, where would you go corporate or your own thing.
Sean Ackerman [7:07]
Ah, if push came to shove, and again, I would I would love to go ahead and take the leading you movement as far as it possibly could go, this is something that was born, you know, 42 years in the making. I’m 43 this year, so it’s 42 years in the making. I would love to go ahead and continue that journey and instil make sure and again, this is part of my personality was always wanting to help others. And still make sure that what I left behind was a tremendous legacy, even in the corporate world.
David Ralph [7:38]
So if we went back in time and started Join Up Dots, you have always been in corporate environments, but a lot of it in the early stages was very much based around retail and customer service, you spent quite a long time as a store manager in Walmart, for example. Now, does that kind of experience build on to the next experience, we always say that no experience is wasted. But do you see and the months that you’ve taken from say Walmart, those those six years that you spent there, but you are now using their?
Sean Ackerman [8:08]
Absolutely, David, if I can go back even a little bit further. You know, I actually my father was always a blue collar worker. And I actually started working when I was eight and eight or nine helping him when he was out working, you know, just helping to shovel and rake and and do you know, some minor menial tasks. And so I always had a work ethic growing up that you know, you needed to work in order to go ahead and have a living will will cab will caveat that a little bit later on. So I worked you know, I had my working papers early, I began working when I was 1516. I graduated high school, and I didn’t go to college, I did not go to college right away, actually, I wanted to I had put it out that I was going to wait a year. So I left New York where I grew up. And I decided to go ahead and take a year and live in California. So I lived in Long Beach, California for a year with some friends. And it’s funny because the work ethic that I had carried over out there as well, I was one of the only a couple of the folks that were actually able to get and maintain full time employment, and started to work my way up through in a supervisory ranking in the retail world. But coming back, so then I came back to the states or back to rather New York State. And, you know, began a journey that, you know, I said, Well, I need to do something with a career in life. And I’m not really sure where I wanted to go. I i at that point in time. I also had a son, I had a son very early in life. I don’t think I’ve talked about this on that
David Ralph [9:34]
somehow, when the when the boy came along,
Sean Ackerman [9:37]
I was actually 21.
David Ralph [9:39]
So you know, really, you know, you were boy yourself really well, because I would have struggled to advocate at 21? Well, I could have had to absolute, but it looked different.
Sean Ackerman [9:49]
It will it was and you know what, in his mother and I were not the most compatible individuals. And you know, what, we tried to make it work for what six years. You know, and again, part of it is the responsibility of being a father, you know, part of it is the responsibility of trying to, you know, create an environment that that was worthwhile. So I worked and, you know, so I had a son, and you know, that relationship didn’t work. And eventually I realised I wasn’t married, originally. But then I married my current wife, we’ve been together for 15 years, we got two beautiful daughters, and I have a great son who was a strong part of our life. Let me backwards go a little bit to Walmart though. I began in 1993 with Walmart. And when I began, there was a store opening that was taking place, I was working in another retail as a assistant manager. And the opportunity became available to work in Walmart. I began it overnight working as an overnight stalker, and then supervisor and then an assistant manager went through their programmes. And the reason I’m going through this, and you were asking about skills, and I know I went a little bit off on a tangent, but one of the things I found was I was never a public speaker, before I started working at Walmart, I was never really in the in addressing, you know, really had the skill of addressing larger groups of individuals. And one thing I found with working in Walmart is you have 300 people that are around you that as a leader, you need to go ahead and and have that drive and direction to go ahead and move. So I found a voice. And I found a great voice. And I really enjoyed it. And I actually had the opportunity to go ahead and speak at one of their conventions. You know, it was just a fantastic experience to gain those skills. And they
David Ralph [11:29]
indeed a surprise to you, though, when when the boys came did it surprise you?
Sean Ackerman [11:34]
It did. I was always an introvert in high school. I was you know, I was the I’ll be blunt. I was the long haired kid in high school who enjoyed Let’s be honest. Yeah, I if I sent you that picture, David, I’m not so sure if you want to put that up as well. But yeah, I, you know, I was I was a rocker in high school. And I grew up, you know, obviously, when my son was was born, I grew up, I changed. I said, You know what, here, I need to go ahead really find a course in life. And, you know, at that point in time, I thought to myself, I can’t really go back to school and provide for a son. So I began working and began working with Walmart worked my way through Walmart as into the point of store management. And talking about the different things they had fan tactic, programme programmes associated with leadership and management. And so one of my greatest educations and you know, it sounds kind of funny in in looking at Walmart, but the structure was amazing.
David Ralph [12:31]
So So this kind of slow it down, because the that’s all fascinating stuff. And we aren’t going to touch on that. But a bit of really interested me was the bit where you, you’re young man, you’re in New York, and you decide to go over to California, but then go back to New York, now, Miami to California, and I’ve spent quite a bit of happy time there is a place where once you’re there, you’d want to stay there and what what was it that led you over there? And what did you do while you were there?
Sean Ackerman [12:58]
Well, we actually there were two are, we had a group of friends, all males that were graduating in around the same time, two of the friends had already moved out to California about six months prior post graduation, they had moved out and the opportunity came up to for three more of us to go ahead and move out. So there were five of us from New York that were living in California, Long Beach, Southern California, you know, literally what I think three blocks away from the beach itself, you know, beautiful, beautiful location. So that’s what drew me out there was the the ability to go ahead and leave that upstate New York snowy realm, never leaving home, you know, not sure what I was going to go ahead and do in life and said, let’s just jump on a plane and take a ride out there.
David Ralph [13:41]
And did you find yourself out there? Or was it just a vacation? Really?
Sean Ackerman [13:48]
It was a vacation? I you know what? No, I will say it was a vacation that was part of the problem is that there were five kids, you know, out in California that we’re learning to be men. And so in that respect, it was a vacation in the same respect, I learned some valuable life lessons. And I mean, one of the main reasons for coming back was the fact that there were five males living, you know, an Animal House lifestyle for one of a better way of putting it. And that that wasn’t really growing up. And I recognised it and sold a couple of other of us and we left and we came back.
David Ralph [14:23]
That’s an interesting character trait. But you’ve got then because a lot of you see across the globe, guys in their 40s, and sometimes even later, who still haven’t grown up and you see it as they’re still in kind of college party time. So as a young man, you were right to be a young man, when you would want to have the party lifestyle and enjoy yourself and have fun. But you even at that stage knew that you were going in a different direction. And you needed to close that door and move on.
Sean Ackerman [14:52]
Absolutely, I’m that my father growing up had a very strong work ethic. He was a Vietnam veteran, he was an navy seal and a Submariner. So you know, there was a certain degree of in the household, the military structure, he wasn’t necessarily strict to the point of bouncing a quarter off the bed. But he had ethics and standards that he wanted to make sure were maintained by by myself. And so he was a strong influence, as was my mother, who achieved greatness in the various companies that she worked with, in the banking industry, and and actually in the energy industry. She’s in today.
David Ralph [15:28]
So influenced by your parents and children.
Sean Ackerman [15:31]
Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. They were. Oh, boy, we’re really going back, David. But they were pretty much the only folks that were my family growing up. And it sounds a little odd. But there was a family Fallout that occurred very early on when my grandparents passed away. And unfortunately, the family kind of splintered I won’t go into it in any great detail, but the family kind of splintered. And so I kind of grew up without aunts and uncles that were in the gym malaria. So I was an only child, by the way. So really, my parents were my focal point.
David Ralph [16:05]
And looking back on it. Now, obviously, when you have families that go through issues, and they do spin to as you say, you can look back on it sometimes and go, I took strength from that I became a different person because of and do you see the same things with yourself? Do you see, although it was a difficult situation actually formed part of what Sean is today.
Sean Ackerman [16:27]
Absolutely. And the interesting thing is today, I’m, it’s funny, I married my wife, obviously, she’s my wife, so I must have married her. But I married my wife and she is the oldest of six children in a family. So I go in from an only child to being this nuclear very small, tight, I mean, basically everything revolved around each other, to the current family that I have my wife which I’m, it’s a while we’re recording this, we’re a couple of days before Thanksgiving, I we host Thanksgiving, we have my wife’s entire family I’m over, there’s 20 of them, which is just the immediate family, by the way. So the immediate family comes over, we have a great time, we’re together all the time. And I’m and I’m blessed. And I never knew that that kind of experience could be there. Growing up and and I think that’s a valuable lesson to really look at is that we’re never too old to go ahead and learn not just traits about business and you know, different aspects of skills in that area. But even in life, I mean, look at this, here it is I grew up, but what do I need? What do I need a large family for? And I can’t imagine living today without it.
David Ralph [17:35]
I can’t imagine a large family. And today actually, they all went off. I’ve had a lovely day, Sean, I’ve been on my own all day. It’s been very, very pleasant. Indeed.
Sean Ackerman [17:46]
I will say that I do really enjoy those times now though, as well, David is that when they do all head out, or they do a family function, I have a couple passes that I use every now and then just to say, you guys have a great time I’m going to decompress and watch watch a horror movie or a sci fi movie on the couch without anybody else. Hear
David Ralph [18:05]
that? Now you can say I’ve got to record with David Ralph from the UK is the time zones.
Unknown Speaker [18:11]
And exactly an echo. That’s annoying.
David Ralph [18:13]
Tell me who coated with him what’s going on between the two of you?
Unknown Speaker [18:18]
Absolutely.
David Ralph [18:20]
So where where you are now You seem very rounded. You seem very in the right place. You seem the Sean Ackerman that was meant to be Do you? Do you feel that yourself?
Sean Ackerman [18:33]
I do. I mean, after Walmart, I actually left Walmart, my wife and I were both wall Martians. And we were both in management. So at the time, we’re both working 7080 hours a week. And because at the end, this is going back to the late 90s. where, you know, that was really one of the expectations. And we looked at each other and said, you know, hey, we love each other great. But we’re not going to have any sort of life if we don’t do something here. So I left Walmart, really we the day of the store opening of the one that I was working on. I basically put in my notice, and I left. Because I felt as though I had reached a plateau or an accomplishment. And I said, you know, I’m going to leave on top of my game. And I’m going to go into another area. And I was really enjoying computers, computer repairs and things of that nature. At the time, I said, I’m gonna go into software consulting. Well, I joined a company that actually did not only software consulting, but also business management and sales practices, and kind of melded the two to create the solutions provider. So I spent the next five years working in the tech and consulting industry. Unfortunately, that’s also when 911 occurred in 2000. I left in 2002 thousand to fall 2001 is when 911 occurred. And unfortunately at that point in time, the tech market took a nosedive for the next three years. I stayed with the company for three years. It was a it was a small mom and pop company. And actually, he’s been a former guest. And it’s also a relative of the family, Bob Ritter, who had had on before and it was a it was a fantastic experience. I learned so much. But one of the things I missed was leading I was I was an employee, and I had a great function and had a great deal of autonomy. But I missed leading people. And so I took an opportunity with an energy industry where PepsiCo gas where I’ve been for 10 years. And it’s been a great experience. I’ve started as a branch manager in a location grew to a regional manager where I covered 14 locations throughout the Northeast, on and then some things changed over the last few years. And my roles have changed, which I think will probably go into some of those dots as well.
David Ralph [20:44]
Of course we will. And one of the dots. That’s interesting, as you were saying, I was working for the city of up in the City of London and I got made unemployed. And I thought to myself, I’m going to go into it. So I became an IT student and studied database manager funnily enough. And just when I came out with my my graduation 911 hit and it didn’t do anything for me at all. So it’s fascinating. But we were both at on both sides of the Atlantic by that that day as well.
Sean Ackerman [21:14]
Yeah, it’s, it was it was I mean, and I remember sitting in the office at nine o’clock, one of our technicians was heading on the web, the George Washington Bridge heading into Manhattan, and just at the point of impact of the first plane, and he could see it from obviously, even from the web, we had him turn around and come back immediately. But yeah, it just affected us in so many different ways. But again, these are these are some of the focal points of our lives that we actually have commonality. It’s, it’s interesting when you know, you look back and we can look at not just things such as negative things such as 911. But or even maybe the birth of the podcasting platform, and then all of a sudden, here’s another dot where there’s a connexion. David,
David Ralph [21:54]
why don’t you remember the day of 911, I remember exactly where I was, and was working in a retail industry is a shop, it is a family business, actually. And it’s the first day that customers were coming in and not wanting to be served, they were just like standing around listening to the radio. And I can’t imagine what it must have felt like actually being in New York at that time or even around those areas. It’s, um, it’s never going to be forgotten, is it?
Sean Ackerman [22:24]
No, no, I mean, and again, I was living only an hour and a half out of the city. You know, we had I live near Indian Point, nuclear power plants, just outside of the city. So you know, obviously, everybody was thinking, What’s next? What’s going to occur next? You know, we, my wife, and I, at that point in time, didn’t have any children. You know, so we were like, Well, did we pack the card, we had North energy head to the woods, you know, so many things were going through our minds at that point in time that it took, you know, it took a few years for everybody to really regain their confidence.
David Ralph [22:58]
But they do vote only they will gain the competence. That’s the amazing thing about not just, you know, the human beings on the planet. But my guests as well, that they’re humans as well. But every single one of them has these moments in their life where they’re really knocked on their heels and you think, are they gonna survive this, but they fight back and a fight back stronger than before. And although you wouldn’t want that situation to ever occur. You take positives from it, don’t you? You you you find other ways of operating you become stronger because of it. You’re not as complacent in many ways. You do need the that sort of the light and dark in life, don’t you?
Sean Ackerman [23:38]
You absolutely do and you’re in you’re roping it right back into my 2011 loss, aren’t you? Oh, yeah, you tell us about it. But yeah, I saw you pulling that in. And you know what in it, and it’s very true. And I hadn’t even you know, and this is one of the reasons why David I was looking forward to this so much is that I hadn’t even thought about the parallels. In in 2011. I, we were on a family vacation. We were in Florida, in Disney World with not only my wife and my two daughters, as well as two other sets of in laws. So there were 10 of us down there. We were enjoying a nice family vacation up in the north I had because again, we mentioned my wife has a big family. We had other sisters in laws that were still up here in the New York area. And unfortunately, Hurricane Irene was blowing through at the point in time, we actually asked my sister in law on a Thursday, go to the house and please just take down some of the some of the pictures and maybe grab the girls, you know, expensive American Girl dolls, just because we were worried about a tree limb falling into the house and then water getting into the home. You know, again, we’re far away. this had happened, you know, in the area when they had high winds. You know, so we’re expecting you know how g so a limb is going to go ahead I’m going to get shingles knocked off my roofer or haven’t even just worst case scenario hole in the roof. And so they went in the Gramps some stuff for us, which was fantastic. Then the rains came Friday into a Saturday. And on Saturday, we’re in the dining hall in Disney World, and we’re all sitting around and I get a phone call from my sister in law, Dina and she’s like, Sean, you need to step away from the table. I need to talk to you for a few minutes. Okay, on awkward or very awkward silence at that point in time. I so I kind of excuse myself I said I gotta take this call. Give me a second. You know, everybody else is thinking it’s work because usually works always calling me. So hi, I’m talking to her. And she says I’ve got some bad news. And I’m thinking to myself, Oh, no, a treated kit the house we’ve got damage. And she says they had a problem on the the creek that runs near your house. Basically, there was a log jam or something that occurred and basically it back the water up. And instead of you know, just slightly overwhelming the banks, there was a six foot swell of water that went through your house.
David Ralph [26:08]
What went through your mind at that stage? Did you obviously you went when somebody says something like that your first four years, you’re winding me up, you’re trying to be funny somehow, although it’s not funny at all. So what What went through your mind?
Sean Ackerman [26:22]
Yeah, I knew I knew she wasn’t kidding. That’s the the unfortunate part. And, and while she’s talking to me, she had already taken a couple of pictures. But she was waiting till she was had me on the phone before she sent them to me. So I had, unfortunately, some visual confirmation that you know, had two inches of mud, you know, an inch and a half to two inches of mud on the carpets. You know, and basically anything that was, you know, four feet or less in the house had had received some sort of water damage to it. And, and I and I said, Okay, you know, How bad is it? And she said, it’s, it’s pretty bad we went in and everything that’s at that ground because it was a, it was a modular home. So everything at that ground level and below was basically ruined. And it was, what was I thinking God, I was thinking to myself, how am I going to tell my wife this? Because she can tend to be worrisome at times about things. And then the next thing is, how am I going to tell the kids? So I’m talking to her and I said, Okay, so at this point in time, we’re pretty much stuck. This is what’s occurred, okay. And I thanked her, and I said, Okay, I’ll give you a call back. And I went back over to the table. And I sat down, and I asked my youngest sister in law Darla, and her husband, Dave, to go ahead and take the kids, because there were four kids, my two nephews and my two daughters, and take them over for ice cream, let’s just take them over. And we just need a few minutes. So then I am proceeded to tell my wife. Again, we were that we were there in Disney World together. So the four most important things were being taken care of, you know, the people were whole. But that began the process for us of starting to make some determining factors of what we needed to do.
David Ralph [28:14]
The irony of having news like that, while you’re in the home of the males, that that kind of been lost on you.
Sean Ackerman [28:22]
You gotta I always say this, and we’ll go into actually tear it throwing away our stuff to in a minute. But I always say this well, because of the fact that Hurricane Irene hit. Mass Transit was shut down, up and down the East Coast, airports were shut down, you couldn’t take we were thinking of taking a car and driving up. We couldn’t get anywhere. So we basically got three extra days and the happiest place on earth under some of the most unfortunate circumstances. But and you know what we did, we enjoyed it. And we didn’t say anything to the kids either. At that point in time, they were young. Geez. So at that point, I think they were seven and nine. So we said you know what, we’re not gonna we’re not going to go ahead and overwhelm them right. Now let’s let’s deal with it. When we get back, we’re just delayed and getting home. And we actually didn’t tell them until I think we were in the airport and saying we’re going to go ahead and have to stay at Nana’s house for a little while. And you guys go with them. And mom and dad are going to check out the house on the on the way home.
David Ralph [29:18]
Did you think because of and I know how serious that is, I used to be an insurance trainer. So I used to do training courses on the flood damage. And quite often you might be out of your house for six months, or even to a year because of the sort of the actual saturation of the brick and the drainage and just nastiness and the sewage coming into them. So the fact that you had bad mental strength to go right, okay, this is bad news. But we can either decide on putting a brave face on this and enjoying ourselves or making the last three days of this vacation. horrendous. Do you think that is just you? Is that you? Did you play a part? Or was that actual character?
Sean Ackerman [30:02]
I think that was my core character, I really do. And that may come through and what I tell you in a moment, so we got back and we walked into the house, it was dark going out there. And we could see that there was a lot of damage. And this was a total loss because it was a modular home. And because the water had it took us extra days to get there. mould had already started in the home. It was basically a total loss. We we and we were lucky, we were one of the only people in the neighbourhood that had flood insurance. So I do understand and had lived with my insurance carrier for for the next two months to go ahead and get some things taken care of. But you know, all of our worldly possessions were basically gone. We had, we were down to about a storage unit and a half of things that we maintained in that storage unit was Christmas and things that weren’t even at the house. So we get back and part. And I always remember those kinds of pictures as they but part of it is we’re making piles in the front yard of all of our worldly belongings, to see what we can salvage, see what we can. And my relatives are all there. And it’s got to be one of the most depressing, pardon me David goddamn experiences that anybody ever has to go ahead and experience. But I’m sitting there and I’m singing showtunes. And I’m smiling and I’m going, Hey, let’s just keep this thing moving. Because that’s that at my core is I think, really the ability to go ahead and you know, I’ll use the word spit in the face of adversity and say, you’re not going to define me, I’m going to go ahead and define myself, that that was really key at that point in time.
David Ralph [31:41]
motivational speeches kind of emphasise is what’s going on here. And it’s from a bizarre source. But if there’s relevance, this is Rocky,
Steve Jobs [31:50]
you, me, and nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward, how much you can take a keep moving forward. That’s how we did it.
David Ralph [32:07]
Now that situation, you were being here, and you were being hit again, did you realise how hard you could be hit and keep on getting up and moving forward? Like Rocky saying,
Sean Ackerman [32:18]
I didn’t I didn’t know it’s funny, you always see on the TV, David, that, you know, there’s a fire or a tornado or a flood or an earthquake. And you look at these shell shocked people that that have lived through the experience or have lost everything. And that’s what I thought I would be to be honest with you, I thought I’d be this the shell of a person that you know, what occurred around me was going to define me and i and i think that was really one of the key one of the key defining moments over the last three or four years that have really changed me as a person was recognising that I had that strength and my situations will not define me. I’m not sure if it was on our episode, or we may have talked about it afterwards. But I’ve always been a huge, huge advocate of Viktor Frankl and Man’s Search for Meaning. And the thought process that the environment will not define you, you define you.
David Ralph [33:11]
Now to all our listeners out there, that’s a key statement. You just made that, isn’t it once you get that mindset, but your situation is directly linked to the decisions that you’ve made and the decisions you’re going to make. Life changes for the better, doesn’t it?
Sean Ackerman [33:28]
Absolutely. And you know what I came out of this with a new strength I did. And you know what, I went back to work after a month we were we were homeless, we were living out of a hotel, we were living with my mother in law, we were basically for two months, we did find a home, we ended up moving into a house within two months, kept the kids in the same school district try to keep the same amount of normalcy that we definitely could as much as humanly possible. So we began our lives by so by this happening in the end of August, by the end of October, we were beginning our life again. And we were moving into a house and I was back at work I took they allowed me to take like a month off to go ahead and get things taken care of which again, ever so grateful for I went then I went back in full steam ahead. And in David I went and I just applied myself at work and work and work and then getting the house up to speed and getting everything taken care of. And in May of 2013 I walk into my office, I’m a regional manager, I’ve got this huge expansive area and responsibility. And I look at one of the dispatchers who I know is an EMT. And I said to her, can you come to my office for a moment. And I close the door and I said, I’ve got to ask you a favour. I don’t feel quite right. My left arm is feeling numb and tingly. And I feel like an accelerated heart rate. And I said, I’m a little worried about myself. So she grabbed your bag. And she checked my stats. And she said, we need to get you to the hospital right now. Not exactly words that I was looking to here at you know, nine o’clock in the morning, when I’ve got three meetings coming up and everything else about to happen. I’m like, I can’t fit that in right now. But I went down to the emergency room and I was admitted. And I it was not a cardiac arrest. It ended up being a stress related attack. And I never had one before David in my life, I’ve never had that happen to me. I’d never had that moment of weakness where everything had built up to a point over the last two years and really 18 months since we lost the house. I never took any time to really mourn the loss of everything that was a part of our even though it was it was the material makeup. But everything that it went into losing our home and rebuilding again, I had
David Ralph [35:47]
exactly the same thing happened to me, I thought I was. And I’ve told the storey numerous times, I want to go into the lengthy version, because I’m sure that the listeners have heard this. But I was at work. And I suddenly thought I was having a heart attack. And I was been absolutely convinced I was having a heart attack. But unlike you, I didn’t go for the help. I just carried on working thinking I can just ignore this. And bizarre I look back on it, I think what the hell was I doing? I should have just stopped but I didn’t. And that was stress as well. It’s it’s like a pressure release, isn’t it. And when they put the monitor on me, and I had to wear it for two or three days and stuff, I was convinced that they were going to say yet, you gotta you got a dodgy heart. And you got to have said some kind of operation. But they went now you’ve got an amazing heart, you got an amazing heart, you’re just stressed. And the thing with me Sure. And I don’t know, if you felt like this, I would have sworn blind but I wasn’t stressed, I would have sport blind, but I was just dealing with everything at the time and but really what you’re doing, you’re bottling it up and then suddenly your body goes hang on another base and does something about it.
Sean Ackerman [36:48]
Absolutely. And that was exactly the case. I mean, I was at the pinnacle, or the height of where I was in the operational point of my career. And this was just status quo. And I had not been any inkling in the back of my mind that this was going to come to a tipping point. And and when I got out of the hospital, David the next couple of days, I looked at my boss and I said, Mike, I have to be honest with you, I can’t do this anymore. I need something to change. And because I was working 6070 hours a week, you know, at nights and weekends, it was all consuming and and part of that’s my personality as well. I can’t blame work for giving. I think any job can go ahead and consume us even podcasting or whatever else we do can consume us as an individual. But being a workaholic, you know, I dove into it. And but laying in the hospital. I like telling a storey I’m laying there, it’s about 1130 at night. It’s not it’s not a private room, I’m sharing a room with a gentleman next to me, who’s admitting all sorts of noises all evening long. And you know, and I’m miked up, and I’m thinking myself, okay, I didn’t almost die, or I could have almost died, I just I need to what do I need to do to change my life. And that’s when I said, I need to go ahead and lead a better me. And you know, and I had thought about, do and I was actually doing a blog before this. But it was just about family and some things and at that point in time, I said, I need to lead myself. And that’s where kind of the thought process behind you leading you was born. Because I knew that there were things that were inherent in me that I knew that others were facing the same problems. So that’s why I said, I’m going to go ahead and you know, begin this, and I didn’t know what it was at that point in time. And this is May of 2013. In the fall, I’m thinking I’m going to write a book, I’m going to write a blog, I’m going to I’m going to do something. And I’d always been a podcast fan. Since oh five, since my wife got me an iPod for Christmas, of course, it was entertainment and a little bit of management, and eventually became a teaching tool. But I also knew that I love to talk and I love to be in front of crowds. And I love to move an audience. And so that’s where the thought process was to begin the podcast as
David Ralph [38:56]
well is fascinating when you look at your life, but you are and I’m going to use the word a dealer, you’re not a drug dealer, but you deal with stuff you deal with stuff. You’re a young man and your family go through situation, and you dealt with it. And then you have your son earlier than you would expected you dealt with it. And your whole life seems to be that when something occurs, you’re the one who’s the strong one, you’re the one who has to make the decisions to help people through. You’re the one that is whistling showtunes to sort of brighten up the mood when your house was flooded. So it really is not surprising that you’ve got to this point in your Join Up Dots timeline, but you’ve kind of gone now it’s about me. Now it’s about me taking control and actually doing things that are right for me and not actually being being the person who deals with stuff for other people.
Sean Ackerman [39:51]
Yeah, and that’s that’s so true, David, it is. It is the point of personal accountability and leadership. And again, I’m not gonna beat you leading you to death. But that that’s really what I want to ingrained in. The conversations that I have with people. And the content that I share is that everybody’s had their own bit of adversity everyone has, and every single person out there regardless of the adversity that they’ve dealt with, has achieved success in one manner or another. And you know, there are people that have faced some, some pretty difficult things. I mean, you’re you’re 200 was on 200 episode with transformer. Absolutely. about that. Um, yeah, we were talking about that on my show. I mean, that man dealt with such an amazing, you know, being basically given a death sentence with two forms of cancer, to eliminating that and humming to Everest. You know, he’s just an amazing person. But I think all of us have those characteristics within us. It’s just a matter of us being able to tap into that, and not just, you know, allow life to happen to us, we have to happen to life.
David Ralph [40:55]
I’m gonna play another motivational speech. Now, I think I’m gonna go all three. But I do want to show showing you bringing out with me, because yeah, we all have that strength, don’t we? We all have that ability to shape our, our legacy, and shorts Warner on episode 200. He was amazing. But some was every single person I’ve spoken to. So are you. Everybody out there is taking action and trying to do their thing. And a lot of people say to me, you know, what’s your perfect guest. And I literally say, as long as they are getting off their backside and doing something, they pretty much pulled into my category as a perfect guest. Because that there’s a storey, there’s a storey of movement. And when you hear the people who are in corporate jobs, and they don’t like it, but they’re not doing anything about it, I literally want to shake them and I want to say to them, even on this planet, once might, you’ve got to start doing something because otherwise the time is going to go. And you’re going to look around and go, damn, I missed it. Did you feel about?
Sean Ackerman [41:58]
Absolutely. And David, it’s funny you say that I was I was hoping to grab you before you played the clip. I finished an interview yesterday with the CEO of the company that I worked for Joe, Joe or Montana PepsiCo gas. And at the end of this, he goes, you know, that was a strange experience, having one of my employees interview me for their show. And he says, but you did a great job. And I can tell you have a passion for this. So to speak to exactly that point. It’s finding that voice. And then you know, putting everything you have that you possibly can into it, and seeing what can come out of it and seeing what the outcome is, if you do nothing. That’s exactly what you’ll achieve.
David Ralph [42:34]
Absolutely. Right. Let’s play the words of Jim Carrey, because he said something amazing a couple of years ago, or it might not even be a couple of years ago might be last year. But I’m busy Jim Carrey.
Jim Carrey [42:44]
My father could have been a great comedian, but he didn’t believe that that was possible for him. And so he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an accountant. And when I was 12 years old, he was let go from that safe job. And our family had to do whatever we could you survive. I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was that you can fail at what you don’t want. So you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.
David Ralph [43:11]
No, but those words, half of them is about you leading up to now. And then the last bit about doing the thing that you love is now isn’t a you’ve played the safe route. You’ve gone through corporate life, doing the hours making sure that you put in the early shifts and the light ships, you’ve done all that. But now you really finding that thing that lights you up. And I’ve heard you on the show, I was fortunate, as I say to be on your show, and the amount of preparation that you do, and the professionalism. It shook me. And it made me think, David, you got to raise your game here because this guy is going to go places. What What is it about what you’re doing now. But it’s really the thing that you love the thing that you’re willing to take a risk on.
Sean Ackerman [43:57]
I’m connecting to people, I’m connecting to people at such a core level. And I’m finding their building blocks, which are not much different than any other human beings. And David, that’s where that’s what really excites me is that you know what, we’re all these bags of meat that are all on this planet at the same point in time, what really differentiates us, you know, our environment, our upbringing, but we can persevere and get through all of that, regardless and achieve a goal that we put in front of us that that’s what that’s what keeps me going on this. And I’ve had a couple of moments where I said, Oh, man, this is a lot of hard work doing a podcast because as you well know, it’s a lot of hard work doing a podcast. And, and I said to myself, but I look at what I’ve gathered, look at the look at the information I’ve gathered from these people look at these storeys that i’ve i’ve heard, I can’t stop this a I love talking. Be I love talking to people that I’ve never heard or met before. And then see, I love sharing that information with the world. And you know what, and I’ve got an audience and they want I get to so guess what I’ve found a purpose that I really enjoy.
David Ralph [45:04]
But you’ve got to find that purpose. And that is the problem that people have, isn’t it? They’re out there. But they just know they want more. And I was incredibly lucky. But I stumbled into this as I can hear that you were as well. But for so many people, they will be looking around constantly and nothing kind of fit. So what what’s what’s a good way that we can get momentum for them?
Sean Ackerman [45:28]
You know, it’s funny because it is that trench. It’s that rat race that people are in there in a rut. They’re in a rut on a daily basis. Because they get up, they go to work, they come home, they eat dinner, they go to bed, they get up, they go to work, and so on and so forth. wash, rinse and repeat. What people have to do in order to go ahead and achieve something different is they need to stop. They need to and I hate to say this, sometimes you need somebody else that you can speak to. But they should ask themselves this question. What is it that my heart most wants? What is it that my heart most wants? Is it that I want to go ahead and wake up in 50 years from now knowing that I woke up, I went to work, I came home, I ate dinner, I went to bed I did the same thing five days a week, I left no legacy. And I don’t think we mentioned this on my show that you and I did. But one of the main reasons also that I’m doing you leading you is I’m leaving a legacy for my family. I’m leaving a legacy for my children to say, my dad did this. Look what he did, he created the show where he talked to people that not only inspired him and that he looked up to but also people that he never would have talked to before in his life and shared great storeys. And that influenced and helped others as well. That’s, that’s, that’s why I’m doing this.
David Ralph [46:44]
Do you see that with your kids? Your kids? He’s the penny dropping, but it is up to them?
Sean Ackerman [46:53]
Yeah, it is. I’m very blessed. My son is 21. He’s actually in college right now. So I’m very proud of him. He’s on a path that he is trying to determine exactly what he wants to do. But he recognised and see some of the things that I’m doing. And he knows that there’s an open world of possibilities. But for my daughters who are experiences who are experiencing this even earlier in life, I’m opening up the world for them to show them look, look what your dad’s doing. Here he is he’s 43 years old. And he’s now created a podcast that is been in iTunes top 10. In business, he’s had almost a half million downloads. He’s talked to people all over the world. Look at this. And meanwhile, a year ago, your dad was sitting on the couch with you and, and watching an episode of you know, sponge, Bob Square Pants. It’s amazing what life can give us. And and that is I think the most valuable gift that I can have is to show them that.
David Ralph [47:49]
I think so. And that’s the gift that you’re giving on a daily basis on your show. And now uses twice a week is your show, twice a week, twice a week, twice a week. Now I go seven days a week, you got twice a week. And it doesn’t matter if it’s your show my show, whoever really is it, it’s generally that’s that core message. And that’s what I like about podcast, when I when I listen to the news or watch a TV programme, there’s not often one that kind of almost speaks to me. But the the personal touch podcast has when you feel like you’re eavesdropping into a conversation that almost you shouldn’t be listening to. It is inspiring isn’t it is inspiring on a on a real personal nature?
Sean Ackerman [48:36]
Well, I think that’s where, you know, the the David Ralph and the Shawn documents of the world can touch anybody amongst the 7 billion populace that are out there. And I think that ability for us to go ahead and do that. Whereas, you know, five years ago, 10 years ago, it would have been a ham radio or doing a website would have been, you know, virtually too expensive. The ability for anybody who wants to, and I think that’s really the key there who wants to have a voice can have their voice. It goes back to what I said before about finding what is what gives you the most happiness in your heart. If you want to have a voice, you can do this for a relatively low cost. Again, I think you and I have been through a great deal of training and a great deal of trial and error, getting to the point of where we are. So our expense was more than the average bear speaking so to speak, going into this but but it’s not an expensive hobby, hobby, or business if you want to make it that but I mean, I look at where I started, I started listening to last podcasts and and things of that nature, which were entertainment value. And I listened to some great ones today that which are just entertainment value, but it speaks specifically as you said, to a tone or a topic that I want to hear.
David Ralph [49:52]
I started with Ricky Gervais, he’s basically and it was just something to listen to because it was finally nothing more than that. But interestingly enough, the other night on Friday, I was interviewed on the first proper and I quote, a proper podcast that I didn’t ever listen to. It wasn’t just out there for entertainment, it was teaching me something. And I was invited on to in the trenches with Tom Marquez. And I found that fascinating, but I was joining up my own dots. And where I started, I was now linking up somehow, and you just can’t perceive it when you start doing stuff. And you go, right, I’m going to turn the computer on, I’m going to speak into a microphone. I don’t know really what I’m doing. I don’t really know what I’m going to be selling. And basically you’re setting a dream, you’re setting a vision, you’re setting passion or whatever. But then something’s it’s not magic. Things happen, doesn’t it? Sure. And you connect with people and then other people connect with you. And then people have belief in you. And I was saying to a chap down the pub last night, I went down to watch a football match. And he said to me, you know, you’re really going well on you. And I said yes I am. I said, first time in my life, I think I believe in myself as much as other people believe in me. And I think it was always the case. I used to believe in myself, but then nobody else did. Or everybody else believed in me. But I didn’t. And it’s the first time that I think the two have come together. Do you feel that? Do you feel that you’ve kind of strength now that you haven’t had previously?
Sean Ackerman [51:22]
Absolutely. And you know, we can call it a variety of different things that you know, the social proof of the fact of bringing our message to a larger audience and the audience actually speaking back to us. It fills me with such pride to be able to go ahead and say this is mine. Look at what I created because you leading you isn’t isn’t your cookie cutter, you know, podcast or business podcasts where I’m asking five specific questions. And again, there are those shows, and they’ve done very well. And of course, just like anything that’s been popular, they’re mass produced until the point of where, you know, you lose the focus that was really there in the beginning. I like things like what we’re doing because it adds the personal flair and touch to it. Because people want to hear you know, the little bit of humour that will Sean Ackerman or a David Ralph will come out with, they want to hear they want to hear their friend, you know, Don Imus, Howard Stern, those radio personalities became personalities because they had personality, you know, you can read the news every day. But you can also go ahead and have a talk show where people enjoy listening to you, because of who you are not just what you know,
David Ralph [52:30]
well, we’re talking about becoming authentic our way. And that’s the moment where success really comes to you. When you you’re not playing a role. You’re just being you. And once you’re being you things just start becoming easier somehow is it’s once again, I go back to it, it’s almost like magic.
Sean Ackerman [52:46]
Yeah, now it is it is and you know, and I and I, I said it before, you know, working an extra 15 2025 hours a week that I didn’t know I had before. I’m not stressed because of that. I’m not there is no, it’s like I need to go towards this. And it’s a feeling of satisfaction when I’m done as opposed to a weight on my shoulders. So no, this is this is probably one of the most liberating experiences that I’ve ever had in my 43 years. And I’m so happy that I decided to go ahead and start this.
David Ralph [53:17]
But as I said, this is going to be a free, free motivational session here. And this is the theme of the show. And really, we have already connected your dots, we can see how they link up. And it is a fascinating storey of persistence, bloody minded character in many ways, and a personal belief that you’re here for a reason. I’m going to play the words of Steve Jobs now. And afterwards, we’re just going to see, you know, what your big.in life, what was the one that really made you who we’re talking to today, Steve Jobs.
Steve Jobs [53:49]
Of course, it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards. 10 years later. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leaves you off the well worn path. And that will make all the difference.
David Ralph [54:24]
So as I say, it’s quite obvious, but those words play out in your life. But do you have a big dog, but you look back on and you go Yeah, that was really when Sean become who he is. Because you told me a fascinating storey and I don’t know if it is your big dog about a moment in with with a manager where you just didn’t see eye to eye you was honest with him and he was on his back to you. Would that be a big dog? Or have you got other ones?
Sean Ackerman [54:49]
Well, I definitely that is one I’ll touch on that in a moment. But the stress attack was a huge.as was the loss of the house. Those were those were two, I guess and the the moment I’ll talk about in as well, where the the tribunal of dots that actually I think really awoken the Sean Ackerman, that had been a lemming for one a better way to put it in the corporate world. But as you were saying, the the individual who came on board, as a new manager within the company, he had a totally different style than I had had previously. You know, and he was very businesslike, very direct, and, at times, even a little Curt. And it’s funny. So we’re, he’s just starting, and we’re doing a tour of my area. And we get done with a three day tour where we visited all of our locations. And we just got done with the last one. He’s getting ready to get in his car. And we had just had a pretty interesting meeting where it was, it was there were a couple of outspoken employees, and he basically put them in their place. But he did it very, very directly. And a little currently, and they weren’t used to that. But again, that was just a different style than they’ve been used to. So I’m walking outside, and he’s walking to his car. He’s like, Well, you know, put it now, okay. And I looked at him I go, and David, I’ll I won’t curse on your show. But I just said, you know, you’re a you’re a bleep and jerk. And I didn’t use all the words that I use, but I was very blunt. And I looked at him and I said, You’re a bleep and jerk. And, and he looked at me and he goes, you know? Yep. And I said, Okay. And I think at that point in time, we understood each other because he was brought in as an agent of change in the organisation. It was it was a culture that needed to change and where he was going, wasn’t the direction that I was going that which is why my role is now changed. It also changed approximately 18 months later, from that point in time when I had the stress attack. So that that was another major shift where, you know, that agent of change was brought in, he had a totally different agenda. He was a lot different than I was. And I had no problem at that point saying, Well, I’m going to give them exactly my own opinion of what I thought of his demeanour. And I did. And I think there was a mutual respect that was born from that as well, though, because I wasn’t going to just stand by and and be steamrolled
David Ralph [57:21]
once again, is is an element in your life that just builds on who you are. Isn’t it is dark and light. I keep on coming back to that. But it just seems to be that was a moment when you could have gone right. I’ll just buckle. I will buckle and then he will just walk all over me but you didn’t use Did you ground and you didn’t know whether you could do it. You didn’t know whether he was going to go. I don’t like the way you spoke to me. You’re sacked or whatever. But you still did it.
Sean Ackerman [57:48]
It’s funny because To this day, I think there is a very strong mutual respect there. I you know, he’s an extremely intelligent man, though is you know, demeanour is very direct. And, but we’ve come to an understanding of how we work together and what his expectations are. And and, you know, it’s funny, because we just did the disc profiles recently. And I identified, you know, kind of the personality that he was, and I knew how I knew I needed to change how I was dealing with him, not who I was, but how I was dealing with him. And I learned so much in doing that as well, because then I learned the ability to, you know, with leading up to him, I learned how to go ahead and leverage his demeanour. And we’ve been very successful since then,
David Ralph [58:34]
you play to each other’s strengths, you find the common ground and you work within it. Absolutely. So when we just before we send you back in time on the Sermon on the mic, and bring this show to a close, where are you now, obviously you’re having a great deal of success professionally. And personally with the show? Where do you really see it going? Have you got a big picture? Have you got a five year plan two year plan, I just, I see how he’s going to be tomorrow. And then the next day, the next day?
Sean Ackerman [59:04]
No, I’m actually going through my 2015 plan right now as far as what my roadmap is, but in five years, my goal in five years is to have you leading you be a top 20 iTunes and Stitcher if they still exist at that point in time, or how they’ll exist in that point in time show that is on that generates a large fan base due to the fantastic guests that are on because again, exponentially growing, only building a larger and larger audience of success storeys. From there, I anticipate to let’s see, that’s five years from now. So I would like to have had my third book written by that point in time. 2015 will be book 120 17 is my book too, with 2018 book being booked through I’ve kind of already got them mapped out. I’m working on consulting and coaching for both leadership and organisation as well as podcasting. And I actually enjoy the podcasting aspect of it, because I’m able to leverage, you know, the real experiences that are constantly that we’re learning on a regular basis. And then from there, David, also public speaking, is something that I want to continue with. And in 2015, I have a goal of five public speaking appearances. And I’ve got one book to ready. So one down four more to go. So I’m focused for the next year. And beyond that,
David Ralph [1:00:28]
I have no doubt, sir, but you’re going to achieve everything you set your mind to you are, you are now I know, it’s a trite phrase, but you’re on a mission on you.
Sean Ackerman [1:00:38]
You know, I almost was waiting for you to queue up. I’m a survivor in the background. But you know what I’m thinking about it. And yeah, I look back. And I think to myself, you know, my father survived Hell Week in the seals, which is their, you know, their initiation into the end of the programme. And I’m glad that that blood flows through my veins. And I know that that that tonight, and that persistence is something that is key to my core.
David Ralph [1:01:03]
Well, I wish you the best on that as I wish you the best as I send you back in time now, because this is part of the show that we call the Sermon on the mic when I will send you back like a young Marty McFly to have a one on one with your younger self. And if you could go back in time, what a Sean would you choose? And what advice would you give what we’re going to find out? Because I’m going to play the theme now. And when it fades you up? This is the Sermon on the mic.
Sean Ackerman [1:01:49]
Hey, you. Yeah, I gotta yell a little bit here because your musics a little too loud. Sean, you know what you’re 16 years old. You think you know everything. And you know what I’ve had the opportunity to see what an amazing life you’ve had. But the one thing that you need to make sure that you do is always focus on looking at a dream, and making sure that you know that you can achieve it. I’ve seen your early days, and in your early days, you thought you had to go ahead and not be able to dream. And the one thing I’m here to tell you is that looking at the life that you’ve had, it took you a long time to get to that understanding, I want to help you now and let you know that you can do anything that you want in life, you’ve got to apply yourself, because that’s one thing at 16 you’re a little too smart, so much that you don’t apply yourself as much as you should. You’re here in school and in life to go ahead and learn and experience things. Don’t let it pass you by learn, live and experience and reach for the stars.
David Ralph [1:02:57]
And the same message goes to all our listeners. So Sean, how can our audience connect with you?
Sean Ackerman [1:03:03]
How fantastic they can go ahead and go to the website. You y o u leading you y o u.com. You can also check me out on Facebook, same thing, you leading you. We have new episodes each week and would love to go ahead and hear from the audience. And David, I’m going to ask for a shameless plug if I could for both you and for you guys. You know your audience and my audience. You know we have we have such strong individuals that listen and love to listen to us. You know what, David has a dream guest and so to why. And David, I would love if your audience would go ahead and we can include this in the notes, but could tweet out to Mr. McCartney, so that you might be able to go ahead and have him as a guest. And I would love if they could tweet out for me to Mr. Stephen King, the author if they could go ahead and tweet out that they love him to be a guest on you leading you. So I’d love to go ahead and see the power of social media actually help us to achieve our dreams.
David Ralph [1:03:58]
Yeah, let’s see if I can happen. I’ll tell you what, Stephen King as well, we’d be a good one.
Sean Ackerman [1:04:03]
Now, absolutely, absolutely. So, you know if your audience is can go ahead and do that, just tweet it out with the episode when it launches. We can get a couple ready to go tweets and see if we can get them on our shows.
David Ralph [1:04:13]
Absolutely. Let’s do a social media programme. Let’s see what we can create on the show. It has been absolutely delight having you on the show. And thank you so much for spending time with us today at Join Up. Dots. Please come back again when you have more dots to join up. Because I do believe that by joining up the dots and connecting our past is the best way to build our futures. Sharon Ackerman, thank you so much,
Sean Ackerman [1:04:34]
David. It’s been an absolute honour and a pleasure, sir. Thank you.
Of course [1:04:39]
David doesn’t want you to become a faded version of the brilliant self you are wants to become. So he’s put together an amazing guide for you called the eight pieces of advice that every successful entrepreneur practices, including the two that changed his life. Head over to Join Up Dots.com to download this amazing guide for free and we’ll see you tomorrow on Join Up Dots.
