Make the Deal - Joe Flores

I have been excited about this one for a long time. Ryan is a household name at WFRD and we got to sit down and talk all about his path through the Army and fire service. We discussed PTSD and the dangers of tying your identity to the job. This was a great episode full of laughter and vulnerability. Thank you so much Ryan for sharing.

Sat down and discussed WFRD's past, present, and future with Brendan. I had a great time and am very grateful he was able to get out to the garage. We dove into our culture and discovered it had been building for a long time, Brendan just popped the lid and let it out!

Nate and Jordan have a lot of experience and offer great perspective. Give this one a listen if you want to get to know these two guys a little more. This was a good one!

Spoke with Jeff Lesniak today. Had a great time learning about his progression into and through the fire service and where he still wants to go. He lays out his priorities and the importance of family from the start. It was a great conversation and we have plenty more we could talk about. Unfortunately, we didn't get to share any of the bourbon he brought so the next one's on me!

Another good conversation. Talked with Scott Wessel and learned a ton about what makes him the person he is today and we recapped some of our Union history together. We ended discussing the importance of family and Wessel shared a story about me that leaves me embarrassed this day.

That's Jimmy with a K. Had a great conversation with Bobula.We discussed the hurdles he faced when starting out and explored the perseverance it took for him to get to where he is today. Even life changing medical concerns will not stop him from being a Firefighter. Jimmy provides a great lesson in resilience that we all could use. Then I beat him in a round of golf.

Alright, it's been a while. Had Max out to the garage to discuss all things Max, his start, how he got to where he is now, and hopes for the future. We also jumped around from BBQ, golf, travel, and the supernatural. At the end max delivered a powerful message that I think everyone should hear.

Scott Nieman explains how he got into the fire service, moved through the ranks, and how he plans to leave WFRD better for the next generation. Take a listen and see how his life experiences helped shape his career and perspective on life, family, and the job.

Greg explains his unique road to WFRD and what drives him in life. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation and appreciate Greg's honesty and humility. We discussed new guy mentality, speculated on the future of WFRD, dove into reputations, and at the end Greg makes a genuine request.

This great discussion with Joe left me with a better understanding of his ability to overcome adversity while always looking for the next step forward. Joe embodies growth mindset, explains what it is to hold yourself accountable, and what it means to "make the deal!"