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Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:00:05]:
Hey y’all, I’m Chris Fuller-Wigg, and when I’m not rescuing farmed animals, I’m listening to John Garrett on What’s Your “And”?

John Garrett [00:00:11]:
Welcome to episode 623 of What’s Your “And”?. This is John Garrett. And each Wednesday, I interview a professional who, just like me, is known for a hobby or a passion or an interest outside of work. And to put it another way, it’s encouraging people to find their “And.” Those things above and beyond your technical skills, the things that actually differentiate you when you’re at work. It’s the answer to the question of who else are you beyond the job title? And do you know that pictures of dogs foster social connections amongst people and promote trusting relationships and business settings? I had Michael Puck on the show several years ago, and he’s a dog photographer is his and. And he’s gone on to create global dog art dot com, so you can check that out.

John Garrett [00:01:00]:
He’s got some awesome pictures where he’s teamed up with other global dog photographers, and all of the proceeds go towards saving one million dogs by 2030, so be sure and check that out. He was on the show and so I thought I’d plug his new thing that he’s got going. If you like what the show’s about, be sure to check out the award-winning book. You could check out everything at www.WhatsYourAnd.com. And please don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss any of the future episodes. I love sharing such interesting stories each and every week, and this week is no different with my guest, Chris Fuller-Wigg. He’s the vice president of sales at Motiv, and now he’s with me here today. Chris, thanks so much for taking time to be with me on What’s Your “And”?.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:01:39]:
Thanks for having me. Super excited to be here.

John Garrett [00:01:41]:
No. This is gonna be awesome, and appreciated you reaching out after hearing an episode, and you were like, hey, that was me that David called out. So, like, that was awesome. So, I mean, I’m just so happy to have you be a part of this as well.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:01:54]:
Yeah. I’m really, really excited to be here. And, yeah, I was grateful that Dave gave that shout-out. I was like, well, let’s continue the conversation. Apparently, I have an and. I just real I never realized that was my and. It was just like a, I don’t know, backslash in my Right. My mentality.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:02:07]:
Yeah.

John Garrett [00:02:07]:
No. There you go. Just a different character there. Instead of a slash, it’s an ampersand.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:02:11]:
Exactly.

John Garrett [00:02:12]:
Yeah. I like it. Yeah. So I have 17 rapid fire questions here. Get to know Chris on a new level here. We’ll start you out, maybe an easy one. I don’t know. Favorite color? Purple.

John Garrett [00:02:22]:
Purple. Solid. Okay. How about a least favorite?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:02:25]:
Red.

John Garrett [00:02:26]:
Red. Oh, interesting. Okay.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:02:27]:
Take that red Likers. Don’t turn off the podcast now, guys. I’m still here.

John Garrett [00:02:32]:
You know, they get angry. The red ones especially.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:02:34]:
That’s it’s in their mentality. It’s on the desk profile. It’s determined.

John Garrett [00:02:40]:
Here’s this is a fun one. When you were growing up as a kid, favorite activity in gym class?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:02:45]:
Oh, man. I was a chunky little kid, so I was, there was always tough in gym class. Probably the jump rope competition. Like, I don’t know. I remember being in the gym and just, like, alright, everybody jump rope until you can’t anymore. And I was on the can’t anymore pretty quickly as I mentioned earlier. But I loved watching the other kids being, like, man, it’s an hour that I get to sit here and watch Billy jump.

John Garrett [00:03:02]:
Woo hoo. That’s incredible. Actually, that’s I like that idea. That’s the way to think of that. Like and and also, like, what were PE teachers? Like, yeah. Just, hey, guys. Just go jump rope, and I’m gonna be over here taking a nap.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:03:13]:
Yeah. I’m gonna open the door and smoke a cig close to the exit. Just Right. You know, just go until you don’t drop. You know? I’m like, okay.

John Garrett [00:03:20]:
That’s awesome. Yeah. And then Chris is like, yeah. You know what? I did 10. We’re good. Double digits. How about a favorite actor or an actress?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:03:27]:
Adam Sandler.

John Garrett [00:03:28]:
Oh, yes.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:03:30]:
Childhood into adulthood. Holds up my wife for my birthday last year. Got me tickets to see Adam Sandler in concert, which I didn’t know existed, didn’t know it could be a thing. Greatest, like, 2 hours of my life. It’s, like, amazing. Oh, he’s incredible. Yeah.

John Garrett [00:03:42]:
Yeah. And such a good guy. Like, it’s also great when it all comes together like that. How about are you more talk or text?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:03:50]:
2. Probably more text. I love talking if I’m, like, driving. I’m like, hey. Call me at this time. I’ve got a long commute. We’re out in the country. But then so much of mine happens, like, somebody from the sanctuary text me and, like, I need this thing.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:04:02]:
I’m like, well, I’m in meetings all day, so I can hit that text and, like, the random gap between meetings. So probably text, but I love the personal connection of a call.

John Garrett [00:04:10]:
Okay. Alright. How about puzzles? Sudoku, crossword, jigsaw puzzle, Wordle? I don’t know whatever the new one is. Like

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:04:17]:
Yeah. My family goes, yeah. They’re all into, what is it, categories or something? I mean, for my huge group of family, all of them are into it. I, like, play on the side because I’m like I don’t know. I I get too distracted and too overcome. Like, alright. Well, I gotta flip that next page to that Sudoku or something, and I’m here. I’m like, man, I’ve been on the phone for, like, 90 minutes.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:04:33]:
This is not good for anybody. So I’ll just wrap it up with word search. We’ll keep it very basic. That’s my puzzle.

John Garrett [00:04:39]:
There you go. Word search. Oh, I like that. That’s the OG. Like, I feel like that was the yeah. I mean, it’s even

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:04:44]:
Simple input. You’re very likely gonna win. You find that word that’s not on there, like, puzzle idiots. They didn’t even know.

John Garrett [00:04:53]:
I love it. That’s awesome. That should be a phrase, puzzle idiots. Like, it’s like, that should be a thing.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:05:01]:
Every year at Christmas with me and my family. It is a thing.

John Garrett [00:05:04]:
There there you go. Are you your computer, are you more of PC or a Mac?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:05:10]:
PC. Back in college and stuff was Mac. But ever since I’ve been in the business world, it’s like, you can’t open up your document if you send it to me in, like, Mac. Don’t be that person. Right. Right. I don’t know what the hell your pages is. It doesn’t work.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:05:22]:
Stop sending me pages.

John Garrett [00:05:24]:
Right. You might as well send me nothing.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:05:27]:
Yeah. I was like, oh, it doesn’t open. Like, cool. I will ask my wife if she can open this and then text it to me. I’m not sure what we’re doing here

John Garrett [00:05:34]:
at all. Make it a PDF and then, like, yeah, fax it and then we scan it and then, like, it’s a what? Oh, this is a fun one. Star Wars or Star Trek?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:05:43]:
Star Wars, for sure. Yeah. Not a strong opinion on it, but mostly which I know David had a very strong opinion. I was like, hi, David. You are you’re toasted on that one. But, yeah, Star Wars has just kind of been my generation. I really haven’t watched any, if at all, like Star Trek. Like, just a it’s kind of just alluded, man.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:05:57]:
Like, been in that lane of Star Wars. You know?

John Garrett [00:06:00]:
Totally.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:06:00]:
Weird Al Yankovich brought me into the my my the saanikin guy, and I was, like, 8 years old, and I was sold. I’m like, boom. Star Wars.

John Garrett [00:06:08]:
Weird Al was I mean, I was a couple of albums before you, obviously. But, man, yeah, he was I mean, it was the, you know, the Like A Surgeon. I think I was, yeah, I was probably 8. That was probably as huge coming out. How about a favorite movie of all time?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:06:24]:
Probably, if we’re going with to reference to before, Adam Sandler, probably Big Daddy.

John Garrett [00:06:29]:
Oh, yeah. Great movie.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:06:30]:
It’s funny, but also, like, teaches you about growing and becoming who you are. And that is just I don’t know. There’s a lot of things.

John Garrett [00:06:35]:
Felt. Yeah. There’s a message there. That’s awesome. Love it.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:06:38]:
Yeah. Can’t beat Rob Snyder as a delivery guy either. Like, that’s the best, like, backup character he’s ever had.

John Garrett [00:06:44]:
Rob Snyder appears in all those. Yeah. Like, Sandler that’s the thing. Sandler’s got all his, like, little crew of buddies, and they’re in all of his movies, and they kill it.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:06:51]:
He was at Adam Sandler’s concert. Like, random Rob Snyder’s in for half of it, singing songs and doing stuff like, man, you have really made a career off of your buddy here, Rob.

John Garrett [00:06:59]:
Totally. But and Adam’s great with it. Like, he’s like, you know, that’s why I brought you guys all along.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:07:03]:
Exactly. What a job to be able to bring your other hilarious friends to other things you’re doing. Love it.

John Garrett [00:07:09]:
Yeah. How about a favorite sports team?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:07:11]:
Texas Longhorns anything. Right now, it’s their women’s volleyball team.

John Garrett [00:07:16]:
There you go. Yeah. No. They’re good in a lot of things. That’s for sure. How about chocolate or vanilla?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:07:21]:
Oh, vanilla. Quick answer. Easy. I’m not a sweets person, so I think vanilla is like that intro, you know, like chocolate, you’re like then there and you’re like a real sweets lover, and then vanilla is like, oh, this almost tastes like something else, not a

John Garrett [00:07:32]:
candy. Right. Right? Listen, you can dance it up if you want. Exactly. How about, favorite number?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:07:39]:
Oh, that is a heck of a question. Probably 7. And I don’t know why, except my wife really loves 7, so it’s like all the codes to a lot of our things. Like, 7 is just in my world now, and so, like, I like 7. It’s cool when it’s the prime number. Exactly. It’s just there.

John Garrett [00:07:53]:
No. 7’s a good number.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:07:54]:
And she’s usually really into even numbers and stuff, and 7’s there. I’m like, I like it. 7. Let’s bring the prime number in. I also love 7 now.

John Garrett [00:08:01]:
Like a quarterback kinda number. Exactly. Alright. How about your first concert?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:08:06]:
I think it was U2 with my dad when I was, like, 10. Random story. I remember my dad had this friend. My my parents were divorced. My dad and I and my mom and all of us had still a really, really good relationship, and he would come up all the time. And one time he was watching me. He’s like, hey, bud. In Houston, we lived in, like, you know, 45 minutes away.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:08:25]:
He’s like, in Houston, I’ve got this friend. They’re kind of in this tough position. They’re at this YouTube concert, but they got bailed on. I need to go help them. You wanna go to a concert with me? What? Do I have an option? 1, I’m 7. But 2 Right. Let’s do it, pops. So I just remember, like, going in.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:08:40]:
We had to, like, get ground tickets so we could actually canvas the entire place and try to find this person. I just remember being, like, following my dad, not really knowing who we were searching for or how ungodly drunk they were. I just remember being, like, yeah. I’m at a concert. It’s you too.

John Garrett [00:08:53]:
That’s awesome.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:08:54]:
So good.

John Garrett [00:08:54]:
That’s and it’s you too. How incredible is that? That’s so cool. Exactly.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:08:58]:
I love

John Garrett [00:08:58]:
that question because they’re always classics. It’s always a concert that I wish I was at. Like, always. It’s like, oh my gosh. That’s awesome. We got, 3 more. How about summer, winter, spring, or fall?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:09:10]:
Spring. 100%. Yeah. I mean, I think also living in Texas, you’re crazy if you choose summer. I mean, and then fall kinda doesn’t really exist, and then winter exists for, like, January, February. For the last 4 years, I’ve gotten freezes, and I care for 215 animals. So, like, no. Give me spring, moderate temperatures.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:09:27]:
Everybody’s good. The grass is growing. The animals are happy. Then I’m happy. Like, that’s Yeah.

John Garrett [00:09:31]:
There’s enough rain for them to, yeah, get everything. Yeah. There you go. Exactly. 2 more. Are you a early bird or a night owl?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:09:37]:
Early bird.

John Garrett [00:09:38]:
Early bird. There you go. And, last one, the favorite thing you have or the favorite thing you own?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:09:44]:
Our land.

John Garrett [00:09:45]:
So So

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:09:45]:
I was trying to think Solid answer. It’s my son. It’s everything around. It’s the home. It’s like, you know, but it’s like, no. The land. It’s the homestead.

John Garrett [00:09:52]:
Yeah. Because, I mean, that’s where everything is.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:09:54]:
That’s where my life is. Yeah. And I so ever since COVID, I I can go, like, wow. It’s been, like, 2 weeks since I’ve left the property? This is maybe I need to get in the car and drive again. But, yeah, this is this is where it is.

John Garrett [00:10:06]:
Yeah. No. That’s incredible, man. I love it, which, I mean, leads in perfectly to the animal rescue. And, I mean, how did that even get started before we get to the magnitude that it’s at now? But how how does that start?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:10:19]:
Austin Farm Sanctuary started not as Austin Farm Sanctuary, but if, like, me and my wife, we had just gone together and bought a home, and it was a half acre in South Austin. And the same weekend we were closing, Motiv connects to this, a colleague got Motiv. It was like, hey. I know you got some land and then I know you like animals. I know about 2 goats that are local goat dairy. They’re they’re no longer of use, so they’re gonna be killed. Or, like I was like, do you want a goat? High processing. Like, what? Like, you know, nobody had ever asked me a question.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:10:48]:
Never in my you’d ask me to track my life. Would you ever get the question of, like, would you like to save 2 goats, a mother daughter? We were like, yes. We have this land. I mean, a half acre now doesn’t seem like land to me. It was a backyard. But we rescued Bertha and Cookie. We built them pens. We, like, went and picked them up the weekend that we closed on the house even before we moved us and the dogs in.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:11:06]:
And then that was kind of the impetus that led to 3 months later for my neighbor. She called and was like, hey, looks like you’re into weird animals. I know about this pig through a teacher at FFA, which is Future Farmers of America, at a local high school. And then a pig is gonna be killed in 3 days, and this girl who’s in high school really is sad about it because it’s her pig. She didn’t realize this. She, like, loves them. Can you help? Like, again, not a phone call I thought I was gonna get, but, like, we love animals. Like, that’s our lifestyle.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:11:36]:
We’re vegan. Like, we wanna we never really figured that would be a path, but, like, sure. Let’s go get Doya. And Doya was a £120. He was 6 months old, putting on £10 a week. And we, like, went and picked him up, brought him home, and, like, that kind of changed everything. It was like, wow. There’s animals beyond these 3 that we’ve rescued that need saving, and we’ve always considered dogs and cats as being available for rescue, but never really knowing there was an opportunity to go out and help these types of animals.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:12:03]:
And so that was the start.

John Garrett [00:12:05]:
That’s amazing, man. So, I mean, it’s almost like, yeah, like, the universe, God, whatever, handed it, these opportunities to you.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:12:12]:
I mean 100%.

John Garrett [00:12:13]:
And and how it all lined up on, you know, when you did close on your house, then, hey. You want 2 goats? Like, no one’s ever asked anybody that. And then you you get that call. You know? And Yeah.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:12:24]:
I happen to have the neighbor that had that contact to the thing, and she was bold enough to look over my fence and see goats and be like, oh, maybe these guys. Yeah.

John Garrett [00:12:32]:
It was I mean, Adam Sandler did have that album a long time ago with with a lot of goat references to it. So maybe that’s where this all got started as well.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:12:40]:
Well, I don’t know. Embedded, pushed in motion from Adam. Love that.

John Garrett [00:12:43]:
You seem like a guy that would like goats. I I mean, you like Adam Sandler. So he looks like goats. Like, there you go. Like but I love it, man. That’s that’s so incredible and just embracing that opportunity. And now, I mean, now it’s 200 plus animals?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:12:57]:
Yeah. So we’ve moved twice since then. So we went from the half acre in 2016 to 5 acres in 2018. So from 2018 to 2021, we grew and went from 15 residents, we call them, to 85. And now we’re on 95 acres out a little bit further away from Austin and have just over 215 full time residents at the sanctuary. So

John Garrett [00:13:18]:
That’s amazing.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:13:19]:
0 to a 100 and probably faster than is healthy.

John Garrett [00:13:23]:
Right. That’s impressive, man. I mean, that’s super, super impressive. And then is this something that, like, you have people come to do tours or have kids come or I mean, you have to have help. I mean, like, this isn’t yeah. Just go out and feed the goats on the way to, like, work type of thing. I mean, this is a full running thing.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:13:42]:
For sure. Yeah. It is much more than myself and my wife at this point. So COVID has happened for many people. It was very pivotal for us and the organization knowing that, okay. Well, 1, we can move from this 5 acres and be further from Austin because we’re now remote for Motiv. Like, well, I guess I don’t need to drive anywhere, so it doesn’t really matter where I live. And then 2, that had a lot of people evaluating what did they wanna be doing, how do they wanna find their end, their hobby, etcetera, and we got to be that for so many people.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:14:09]:
So we started to grow on the number of people that started volunteering with us, wanted to come out and tour, and that was kind of the transition point of being like, wow. We’re really onto something. Not just for the animals, but this whole community in Austin and beyond that, like, want to serve this particular species and type of being.

John Garrett [00:14:27]:
Yeah. Because there are so many. I mean, you have you’ve referenced the goats and pigs, but then I saw on your website, I mean, chickens, donkeys.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:14:35]:
Ducks, cows, goats, sheep. We have a turkey. We’ve got a peacock named Andre. Yeah. There’s so there’s I mean, I think we have a tortoise named Wizz. So I think we’ve got 11 different species. Most everybody is specifically farmed animals that we rescue, but there’s a plethora. And then we’ve kind of been I mean, being in the heart of Texas, you’re in farm animal country.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:14:53]:
There’s a lot of animals specifically of those types that are in need of rescue and sanctuary.

John Garrett [00:14:59]:
No, man. It’s unbelievable. And then the idea is just the rescue and then they become residents. And then do they ever, like, graduate or move on? Or is it like, no. No. This is your home now?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:15:09]:
Yeah. We are their forever home. So there’s been considerations we’ve had in the past where we would consider adopting out an animal or something like that, very typical to traditional, like, dog and cat rescue. But You can imagine what the types of animals we rescue. 1, most people don’t have a facility to be like, okay. Cool. Doya, you’re here. You’re rehabilitated.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:15:27]:
You’re £700. Can anybody take him in? Like, that’s just there’s just not a place for that, at least where he would go safely. You know? So it’s like, nope. This is their forever spot.

John Garrett [00:15:37]:
I love it, man. That’s perfect. I mean, that’s so great. Yeah. That you can’t just call up and hey. You seem like you like weird animals. You want a £700 pig? Remember the one I picked up that was a 150? 700 now. Like, what do you say? Just bring him

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:15:50]:
back over to you. Yeah. You know, you got some fencing. Right? Which is really exciting for us because they’re you know, for these types of animals, most of them, they’re like, quote, unquote, slaughter age is, like, you know, between 6 weeks and 1 year old. So most of the world has only experienced these animals in a very small capacity of their life. And so we have I mean, Noble is a 22 year old cow that lives at the sanctuary. Doia is 8 years old. He’s now we’ve had him for his entire life, and he is older than 99.9% of the pigs in the world.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:16:20]:
And so he gets to have that experience, but also people who come out and visit. Like, you you asked earlier, yes, we do tours. We have educational groups. People get to come out and know not just a piglet, but who they become, this very intelligent, cuddly, interested. I mean, Doya, literally, if you when you come visit when you come visit, you walk up to Doya and you touch him on his ribs, he’s gonna roll over for a belly rub a 100% of the time. And he’s £900, so that takes him, like, effort. He’s like, alright. We’re doing this.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:16:45]:
I’m getting to my knees and we’re rolling over. And then we get to know and experience them in, like, a very long term space out here, which is awesome.

John Garrett [00:16:53]:
That’s so awesome. And and is this something that you talk about at work? I mean, obviously, if David brought it up, you’re CEO.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:16:59]:
Yeah. It is. You know, there’s a little bit of that being on, like, the executive team. I try not to make sure it’s kinda like being the boss and bringing in, like, hey, my kid’s selling Girl Scout cookies, you know. Oh. And we’re a nonprofit. We do a lot of fundraising. So I try to balance it with not like, I gotta appeal for hay out there.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:17:13]:
I know that review season’s coming around in April, but a lot of the people enjoy when we rescue, like, a baby goat or something because they will be like, oh, I wonder if Chris has got a baby goat on his lap for the Zoom. Like, please please have the baby goat. So they’re very aware of it and are awesomely supportive. And there’s been more than a handful of times where I’m like, hold on, team. I’m looking out my window, and there’s a cow. It’s my cow, but they’re supposed to be, like, a mile away in a different pasture, so give me a minute. So my team’s very aware of, like, the random, hey, I gotta go. I’m gonna call you on my AirPods.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:17:46]:
I’m running through the pasture because a rooster is fighting another rooster. So I’m Right. Only stories that I you couldn’t make up.

John Garrett [00:17:53]:
That’s cool though, man. Because, like, there is parts of us that, you know, especially people listening and and and all of us, I feel like that at some point, we’re like, ah, I don’t know. Like, it doesn’t have exactly anything to do with my job. So, like, you know, I should check that. And was there ever a part of you that was like, like, let’s not bring it up. I mean, obviously, I gotta go. There’s a cow. Like, I mean, it’s like, you know, once you say that once, then you can say it a 100 times.

John Garrett [00:18:19]:
It doesn’t matter. But there had to be a part of you that was like, I don’t know. Like, oh, how are they gonna take this?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:18:24]:
Yeah. Definitely in the early days. You know? You don’t want to seem like you’re distracted or kind of off playing this other thing or, like, you know, you wanna make sure that you they know that you’re being appropriate with the time that you’re supposed to be giving to the organization. And so, yeah, I would make sure to kinda be a little bit more cool and to be just kind of separate conversations. But what’s really exciting why I love Motiv is what actually allowed for me to start bringing that up was that it was clear that all of my team wanted that to be like, they knew that was a part of my persona. They brought out my and and allowed they were like, hey, Chris. How are the goats doing? Or you gonna bring in a baby goat tomorrow? Or, you know, oh, I saw your post this weekend. I’m so glad that event went well.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:19:02]:
I was like, oh, you want me to talk? Or Nate, one of our my sales team members would just be like, Yeah. Really really cool fact about Chris. I know he looks a lot like Jesus, but also he’s a savior of animals. I’m like, oh, I guess alright. We’re I’m not taught in here. Okay. I have a sales presentation, but let me talk to you about both of these topics that Nate just brought up. So and allow for that comfortability, and the people have kind of encouraged, like, no.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:19:25]:
Be you wholly, and that’s been really exciting to embrace.

John Garrett [00:19:31]:
Yeah. Because, I mean, that that also has to be freeing, you know, some liberating to not have to worry about who did I tell, who didn’t I tell, who’s okay with it, who’s not okay with it, you know, type of a thing.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:19:43]:
Anytime we do recruiting and somebody asked me what the most favorite part of Motiv is, and I was like, I know that I get to feel like I’m a respected business professional who is also Chris Fuller wig. You know? And, like, just my entity, my my embodiment from when I lay my kid down to when I wake up to when I have breakfast to go into work. Like, I’m not changing who I am. I’m adopting my persona a little bit, but I’m still me. And that’s like, yeah, it’s allowed for that freeing to kind of break down those walls and just be you and dial up where you need to to kind of make sure you’re having the right conversation with the right people, but be your unique self. And I hadn’t really felt like I was challenged with not being that until I was freed of it. And then I could look behind me and be like, wow. I was kind of compartmentalized of these different things.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:20:28]:
You know?

John Garrett [00:20:29]:
Yeah. And and I feel like we do that. That’s, like, our default, right, is to compartmentalize.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:20:35]:
You keep it safe. You’re like, well, maybe they won’t like this part or something about that or I’m, you know and then you free it, and you’re like, oh, well, I mean, if they didn’t like it, like, that’s kind of not my problem, it turns out. And most of the time, like, no. People like that. They wanna know about you holistically. Yeah.

John Garrett [00:20:49]:
It’s like we’re not in 7th grade anymore, you know, where the oddball gets made fun of until they conform. It’s like, no. No. It’s opposite now. Now, like, the unique thing is, like, everybody wants to hear about the goats. Like, what? Like, that’s And

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:21:02]:
it inspires them to be like, woah, you can go do those things? Like, man, that’s cool. Maybe I’ll chase a path like, it and then it wakes something in them that shows, like, okay, I’m not actually embarrassed because Chris has all these things going on and I don’t. I’m freed because I can go pursue a passion knowing it’s possible.

John Garrett [00:21:18]:
Yeah. No. I I love that so much, man. Because, I mean, it’s so true how we we build these walls up in our mind, and then, you know, when it does get out, it’s always awesome. I mean, it’s all I’ve never heard a story, and I’ve been doing this for a long time, where somebody’s like, hey. I I shared my hand and I got fired. You know, like, it’s that’s never happened. And if you did, well, then you were way at the wrong place.

John Garrett [00:21:42]:
Like, I mean, like, oh my gosh.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:21:45]:
Exactly. And you I mean, you almost and you don’t want to be in the stress that would be that situation to leave that. But, like, if you expressing who you are and your true self led to that, well then, like, that’s an early indicator that you don’t have to waste your time at this place. Like, go find a place where you can be you because otherwise you’re, you know, shackled, and that’s not gonna be healthy.

John Garrett [00:22:04]:
I love that, man. And and how much do you feel like it is on the organization to create that space? Like, it sounds like Motiv does. Or how much is it on the individual to maybe just, you know, hey. You know, the CEO isn’t keen on this, but amongst my peers, like, let’s find out who we are.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:22:20]:
Yeah. It’s interesting. I’ve I’ve I’ve always thought about that, you know, and especially, like, through David, you know, the CEO’s eyes of, like, well, what do you do you wanna be encouraging people that then allows for them to find this thing that maybe in 5, 10 years turns into an entrepreneurial idea and they’re gone? Or do you wanna, like, nod and just keep them happy here and have those conversations? But seeing how David and Cassie have kinda treated me and allowed that to play out, it is 100% bolstered me more into Motiv. Because I’m like, this isn’t a family that’s holding me back from something. It’s in a family that’s embraced and allowed for this to be. And so I think it is really important. I don’t know if the burden is on the organization, but I think it’s very valuable for the organization to invest in people’s ideas like that because they’re only gonna become better versions of themselves. Go learn, figure out marketing or building websites or how to ask a donor for $30,000.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:23:08]:
Like, bring that to the sales team. You’re like, you’re giving them nothing for 30 k? Like, sell it. You know? So it’s just gonna help them. And I think it’s important for the person to be confident enough in themselves to also own that. Talk to their team about it. Create that culture. If it doesn’t exist from the top, once the top starts seeing all of these other people have these interests and they’re thriving and growing, they’re, and our bottom line’s going up. Let’s invest in it.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:23:29]:
So whether they’re stuffed suits or they’re amazing leaders, they’re just gonna be reading the tea leaves, and the tea leaves are BU.

John Garrett [00:23:37]:
That’s the thing is, you know, by encouraging people to become better versions of themselves, live their best life, they’re gonna end up accidentally staying longer. Like, I mean, that’s the thing is you know, because if if you try to pigeonhole people or hold them back, they’re only gonna break free and quit. I mean, that’s the only option. But if you foster that and encourage that and and nourish this, look how long you’re still there. Like, I mean, like, 12 plus years, and you have this whole animal sanctuary going on. Like, I mean, you know, it’s like you’re making all of this work because of an organization that nurtured you, you know, and made you feel alive. If they made you decide it’s either this or that, you gotta pick, deuces, I’m out. Like, I mean, if it’s animal sanctuary tomorrow, like, I’ll do it.

John Garrett [00:24:25]:
Like, you know, and it’s so cool to hear that, you know it’s it’s not just like bubble world you know theory. It’s no no it’s living proof right here that you know, care about your people, and they will stay longer and be better.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:24:39]:
I mean, and in my own self development, I know that the sanctuary has grown way more with me being at Motiv than me not. Because of all of the skill sets that I’ve learned, I’m able to invest. I have that backup as we know. I mean, Motiv’s not the backup. It’s like that’s dirtiness. I have that platform to be able to be like, I know day in and day out, I’m gonna take care of my family. Now I can go extend and not have this anxiety about what can happen here. So it gives me the ability to do that.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:25:03]:
Plus, like, I’ve managed so many people in my last 12 years. So when I have conflict at the sanctuary with managing people, a visitor, a donor, a a customer, like, I know how to handle those in very enterprise level conversations that allows for me to facilitate that in a much more productive way in my hand.

John Garrett [00:25:18]:
Yeah. No. It’s just the right hand makes the left hand better and then vice versa, you know, and then everybody’s growing. That’s so cool to hear, man. So do you have any words of encouragement to anyone listening that maybe feels like they have an end that no one cares about because it has nothing to do with my job?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:25:33]:
I think the way you asked that question that no one else cares about like, I didn’t know anybody else would care about Austin Farm Sanctuary. This was it started off as Fullerwick Farms Animal Sanctuary. My wife and I with some 15 animals in our backyard. So it doesn’t matter what other people want or are grasping onto. Like, if you chase your passion, that’s enough. And 2, when people see you chasing your passion, whether they think your passion is cool or they think your passion about your passion is cool, they’re gonna be on board. And so it’s just follow your dream, chase that, utilize the stability and the grasp of your, you know, your typical job to be able to propel that other activity and, like, bring it into synchronicity with your life as opposed to feeling like it’s compartmentalized in another thing that you do as opposed to and an additional thing that you do and who you are.

John Garrett [00:26:20]:
Yeah. Oh, man. That’s so perfect. And and like you said, it’s the passion that you have for your passion. That’s so infectious. I mean, have I ever raised a pig? No. I haven’t. But holy crap.

John Garrett [00:26:31]:
That sounds awesome. You know, like, hearing you talk about it, it’s like, what? This is incredible. Like, you know, like, type of a thing. And I mean, just the amount of work and effort and I mean, you like, I can just feel it and and, you know, the care and and everything there, it it matters because, you know, who you are isn’t job title. You know, you’re Chris Fuller Wig, and job title is one of the subcategories. And then it’s so easy for us to get upside down on that where job title becomes our whole identity. And it’s like, no. No.

John Garrett [00:27:01]:
No. No. That’s just a part of who you are. And really, if you think about it, it’s a pretty small part. But we make it 100%, and it’s like or, you know, well, I’m a a dad and a spouse. You know? Like, no. No. Way more.

John Garrett [00:27:15]:
Keep going.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:27:16]:
Exactly. Like, what would you put on a job title or your business card versus, like, who would you create in Sims if you were building yourself in Sims all over again? It’s like, that’s actually you. Like, be that. You know? Yeah. Probably can’t wear a clown suit and, like, you know, have a 9 story house and whatever things you would kinda build in Sims, but, you know, within reason.

John Garrett [00:27:35]:
Right. Right. I mean, but don’t hold yourself back. Maybe one day. Exactly. Maybe one day.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:27:39]:
The sanctuary literally I reference this all the time. My inspiration for The Sanctuary, I spent a lot of time as a kid playing Zoo Tycoon on the PC. No joke. And then, you know, 30 years later, I’ve got the baseline for, like, well, I know how I can intermingle these 2 species and put the right grasslands in. So, like, yeah, lean in lean into your interest. It’ll pay off somewhere.

John Garrett [00:28:00]:
Like having a YouTube degree except for it’s just like, the 10000 hours of becoming an expert. That’s perfect, man. Like, I I love it. So yes. Well, I only feel like it’s right that since I peppered you with questions before we wrap this up, we turn the tables. We make this the Chris Fuller wig podcast. Thanks for having me on. Episode 1, I assume.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:28:20]:
Episode 1 of the Unfarmed podcast.

John Garrett [00:28:23]:
I like There you go.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:28:25]:
Yeah. Glad to have you on, John. Couple of quick questions here. Paperback, Kindle, or audiobook?

John Garrett [00:28:30]:
You know, that’s that’s a good question. I’m I’m kind of an old school on the original book, you know, maybe a hardcover paperback. Although I’ve gotten onto the audiobook train, I’m a late adopter. But driving and then you can double speed. Yeah. I’m able to burn through some books that way. But I don’t drive a whole lot, but on the way to the airport and back type of thing or on a flight. Yeah.

John Garrett [00:28:52]:
And then and on double speed, I’m a big fan. But definitely the old school book is is my preferred.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:28:58]:
When you started saying old school book, I was like, we’re going, like, Gutenberg, like, print press old school? Like, how where where we trying to where we trying to go with it?

John Garrett [00:29:05]:
You have to, like takes, like, about a week just to press it out. Like, it’s

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:29:09]:
Ink based paper.

John Garrett [00:29:10]:
The original original book, like, something you can hold.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:29:12]:
Needs to be on papyrus.

John Garrett [00:29:14]:
Right.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:29:15]:
NFL or NCAA football?

John Garrett [00:29:18]:
NCAA all day, every day. Like, I whenever I watch an NFL game, I just get distracted by where all the schools those guys went to. Like, it’s like, oh, this team should be really good, like, type of thing. And then they’re nodding. You’re like, what’s going on?

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:29:32]:
How is this work?

John Garrett [00:29:33]:
Right? This is like an all star team from 5 years ago. But, yeah, NCAA all day. Although, sadly, college football is dead. I mean, the college football that I grew up with is dead. So I mean or I I guess it exists, but it’s the FCS, you know, the the one double a, those schools. Like, so just find yourself a really awesome FCS school and just that’s college football. Everything else is, I don’t even know what, some bastardized ESPN money grubbing version.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:30:01]:
Yeah. The last, like, 2 weeks of transfer portal updates that I get and stuff. I’m like, wow. Wait. What? This isn’t how I thought that worked.

John Garrett [00:30:08]:
Insane. And I’m able to see a little bit behind the curtain on some things, and I’m just like I mean, it’s crazy. But it is what it is, and there we go. So why not? But as long as Notre Dame doesn’t have to join a conference, then we’re all good. And I think the way it’s going, I think no one’s gonna be in a conference soon, or it’s gonna be one big conference.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:30:26]:
Safer to be out of it almost. Be like, we’ll just curate our schedule based on other things, and you respect some other places that are involved, so great. We’ll just stay. Sounds good to us. There you go. It’s pretty much like we get to do what we wanna do. So, like, it’s,

John Garrett [00:30:41]:
yeah, why not? You know, that type of thing.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:30:44]:
On that thread, I just have a question of Brady Quinn. I just wanna see what your action was to hearing Brady Quinn’s name again, basically.

John Garrett [00:30:51]:
Oh, no. Brady Quinn’s awesome. Like, he’s a great guy, and I love him on the Fox Morning Show. Yeah. So no. Big fan.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:30:59]:
Gotta love when somebody can be so great in college that they can just stay relevant for their entire life. It’s like, oh, you don’t I mean, great. It’s a good, you know, NFL career, but not a Peyton Murray.

John Garrett [00:31:08]:
With the Browns. So what do you expect? But he’s a great guy, so that’s what makes it even easier. So, you know, if it was like Jimmy Clausen, it’d be like, like, you know, like but Bray Quinn’s a great guy and a great advocate for the school and a great ambassador for the school, and he’s the kinda guy where it’s like everything’s perfect. Like, you wanna hate him, but you can’t. You’re just like, oh, man. Like, you look amazing. Your wife’s amazing. Your family’s amazing.

John Garrett [00:31:35]:
Like, you were great. Like, just, you know, you just wanna, like, I don’t know. It’s just just not me. And so but you can’t. I don’t know. He’s he’s a good guy. But, yeah, I I do wish that his NFL career had played out better, but, you know, he’s doing alright. I I think he’ll be okay.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:31:52]:
As Vince Young’s biggest fan, I know how that goes. Like, I

John Garrett [00:31:55]:
know how

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:31:55]:
that goes.

John Garrett [00:31:56]:
Right. Yeah. Exactly. There you go. You had it. You could’ve done it,

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:31:59]:
but all I needed was 2,005. Doesn’t matter. Final question. Woody or Buzz?

John Garrett [00:32:06]:
Man, that’s a great question. I feel like probably Woody, he’s just a little more humble about things even though he is the quote unquote main character. But I feel like Buzz is looking for all the attention and trying to be the hero and, like, whatever. I feel like Woody’s more of, like, oh, shucks. Alright. I guess I’ll have to be the main character. It’d, like, help everything come together. So I’ll probably go Woody.

John Garrett [00:32:33]:
So awesome, man. Well, this has been so much fun having you be a part of What’s Your Ann, Chris. Thank you so much.

Chris Fuller-Wigg [00:32:38]:
Yeah. Thank you for having me on. I’m I’m honored to be able to talk about this, and it’s, yeah, it’s really exciting. I appreciate you, John.

John Garrett [00:32:46]:
Absolutely, man. And everybody listening, if you wanna see some really incredible pictures of Chris in the Austin Farm Sanctuary or maybe connect with him on social media or follow the website or donate, absolutely help the cause. Be sure to go to www.WhatsYourAnd.com. And while you’re on the page, please click that big button to the anonymous research survey about corporate culture, and don’t forget to check out the book. So thanks again for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or whatever app you use and for sharing this with your friends so they get the message that we’re all trying to spread, that who you are is so much more than what you do.