Episode 569- Troy Pepper

Troy is an Engineer & NBA PA Announcer

Troy Pepper shares his story of how he became the NBA PA announcer for the Indiana Pacers, how it has improved his networking skills in his career, the importance of people skills, and much more!

Episode Highlights
• Becoming an NBA PA announcer
• How being an NBA announcer translates to his career
• People skills is a lifetime value
• How it is both on the organization and the individual to create an open workplace culture

 

 

 

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Transcript

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    Welcome to Episode 569 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.

    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 at work. It’s the answering the question, who else are you besides the job title?

    And if you like what the show is about, be sure to check out the award-winning book. It’s on Amazon, Indigo, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, a few other websites. All the links are at whatsyourand.com. The book goes more in-depth with the research behind why these outside of work passions are so crucial to your corporate culture.

    And I can’t say how much it means that everyone is reading it and writing such nice reviews on Amazon and more importantly, changing the cultures where they work because of it.

    And if you want me to read it to you, that’s right, this voice reading the book, look for What’s Your “And”? on Audible or wherever you get your audiobooks.

    And please don’t forget to hit 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, Troy Pepper. He’s a People Operations Manager with Crowe. And now, he’s with me here today.

    Troy, thanks so much for taking time to be with me on What’s Your “And”?.

    Troy: What’s going on, John? Good to see you, man. Glad to be on the show.

    John: No, this is going to be so much fun. I’m so excited to get into this. It’s going to be a blast. But, I do have rapid-fire questions, get to know Troy out of the gate here. So, hope you’re buckled in. Here we go.

    This might be an easy one. How about a favorite color?

    Troy: Favorite color, I would say I like black.

    John: Black. Okay. Solid, it goes with everything, right?

    Troy: Yeah, everything.

    John: Everything. How about a least favorite color?

    Troy: Least favorite color, I would say – my daughter would hate me, but I hate pink. I can’t stand it.

    John: Right. Just being honest, man, just being honest.

    Troy: I guess little girls and – there’s a lot going on in the house of the Pepper household, man.

    John: I hear you, man. I can understand.

    How about a favorite season, summer, winter, spring, or fall?

    Troy: Summer time, man. I love the summer. Love it.

    John: How about when it comes to puzzles, Sudoku, crossword, jigsaw puzzle, or Wordle I guess is the new big one?

    Troy: Crossword. I’m old school.

    John: Okay. All right. There you go.

    Ooh, I’m not sure on this one, suit and tie or jeans and a t-shirt?

    Troy: Surprisingly, I like suit and tie, man.

    John: Yeah. That’s why – me too.

    Troy: Before this podcast call, I just ordered a new pinstripe blue one. So, yeah, I like suits, man.

    John: Well, especially now you can get that like made-to-measure look. You know, it’s not often like looks tight. Yeah. No, I hear you.

    How about a favorite actor or an actress?

    Troy: My favorite actor of all time would be Denzel Washington.

    John: Oh, yeah.

    Troy: He doesn’t miss, man, he doesn’t miss.
    John: No, he doesn’t. I bet he’s like student film like the days like he’s like very first audition it’s like, you’re the best, like it’s like…

    Troy: And he’s one of the legends, one of the goats, man, and…

    John: Oh, totally.

    Troy: You can’t go wrong with Denzel, man.

    John: No one can debate that, like nobody.

    Troy: Anytime you can go just by your first name, Denzel, you knew who I was talking about.

    John: Yeah, exactly. You’re on Oprah level.

    Troy: Yeah, Oprah level.

    John: Star Wars or Star Trek?

    Troy: Star Wars.

    John: Yeah, the same, same.

    For your computer, PC or a Mac?

    Troy: PC guy.

    John: PC? Yeah, me too.

    Oh, I’m a huge ice cream junkie. Ice cream in a cup or in a cone?

    Troy: I’m going to go cup. I like to put my Oreos and my, yeah, I got to go cup.

    John: Good point, man. You get more stuff in the cup.

    Troy: More stuff. It’s less mess, you know, it’s melting, but it turns into a milkshake afterwards, so, you know.

    John: You’re right. Solid answer.

    Sunrises or sunsets?

    Troy: I’m a morning person, so I like sunrises. I like sunrise.

    John: That’s early.

    This is an important one. Toilet paper roll, over or under?

    Troy: Over, everything else is just weird.

    John: Some people on here, they’re like, I change it when I’m at my friend’s house and they got it wrong, I flip it around. I’m like, wow, okay, that’s the next level of caring.

    Oh, this is a fun one. Favorite animal? Any animal at all?

    Troy: Oh, dog, man, dog.

    John: Dog, okay.

    Troy: I got a dog. I got one behind me right now. His name is Nike and I got another dog, his name is Reebok and I love them both.

    John: That’s so great.

    Troy: Yeah, Nike, Reebok, man. Because we’re outnumbered, man. I got two girls and I have no son, so these are my boys.

    John: There you go. All right. Solid. I like it, Nike and Reebok. That’s fantastic. Yeah. My dog’s name is Rocket after Rocket Ismael, so…

    Troy: There we go. All right, I can dig that name. I like it.

    John: It’s a cool name, like it’s like, yeah, you get to yell out, you know, like, “Reebok! Get over here.” It’s like, what?

    Troy: Yeah.

    John: It would be great if it was like when I was a kid, we had the all white Reeboks, like it’s all white dog, like school Reeboks, like it’s like…

    John: That’s why he is a Reebok. That’s funny.

    Ooh, it’s a good one. Now, you know, you’re in the people operations, more people or processes?
    Troy: People.

    John: People?

    Troy: It’s where it’s at, right?

    John: It’s more complicated and it’s a lot harder, but it’s…

    Troy: Yeah. It’s more complicated, but I think you can have a special patience for them for sure.

    John: Yeah. Yeah, you do. You really do.

    How about a least favorite vegetable?

    Troy: Asparagus is terrible.

    John: Solid answer. Yes, one hundred percent. You can’t even put bacon on it and make it good.

    Troy: Yeah, it’s just, nah, I can’t eat it.

    John: Amen.

    How about a favorite number?

    Troy: Favorite number? Man, I would say 7. You can’t go wrong with lucky number 7.

    John: Yeah, it’s lucky. It’s a popular number that’s for sure.

    Troy: It’s completion. It means a lot, right? It means a lot.

    John: Exactly. Amen. Two more.

    When it comes to books, audio version, ebook, or the real book?

    Troy: Man, so I transition, man. I used to be more of a hard copy, but I feel like audios are just more convenient for me. Driving at the airport, it’s just audiobooks, man, I like them.

    John: No, exactly. I’m not sure if I retain as much information, but I get enough information.

    Troy: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But, I do both. I do both.

    John: Yeah. Because the paperback is like, well, I might not finish, so, you know, like at least with the audio, I’m going to make it to the end probably.
    And the last one, the favorite thing you have or the favorite thing you own?

    Troy: Favorite thing I have I would say a picture of me with Tony Dungy and my dad.

    John: Oh, wow! That’s awesome.

    Troy: And the back story behind that is this was a picture I was taking in middle school, I was 12 or 13.

    John: Okay.

    Troy: He had a nonprofit called All Pro Dad. And, at that time he was the coach for the Colts, right? And they had an essay competition to write about your dad. So, they had three winners, elementary, middle school, and high school. And, I wrote about my dad, my brother wrote about the same guy, but I won.

    And, we won an all inclusive trip, a fishing trip in Tampa, Florida with Tony Dungy and his family. Three days, it was on a yacht, ate like kings. It was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had in my life.

    And one fun fact is we’re on a yacht and that morning, I ate a big breakfast. We get on a yacht, I’ve never been in the ocean just waiting for hours. I’m trying to reel my fish in, Tony Dungy is next to me and, man, I threw up and a little bit got on him. And he was like, “Troy, are you okay?” I was like, I’m just throwing up, Tony Dungy is right there. His family is looking at me like, this sick kid threw up on the yacht, but they will never forget me.

    I ran into him, man, because this was like 2001. And I ran into him in 2013 and he remembered me. And he was like…

    John: That’s incredible.

    Troy: We were on the — I said, “Yeah.” He said, “I remember you. You threw up.” I said, “Yes, I’m that guy who threw up.” So, at least he remembered and we had a good time.

    John: I’m glad that you didn’t lead with that as your “and”, I’m Troy Pepper and I like to vomit.

    John: But, it’s like…

    Troy: I like to vomit on a Hall of Fame coaches.

    John: Right, on Hall of Fame coaches. I actually used to live in Indianapolis and when I did Big Brothers Big Sisters and once my little brother, Jack, and I were in Dick’s Sporting Goods like in east side of Indianapolis and Tony Dungy was in there with his son, who’s probably your age. And we just went up and we’re like, “Hey, just want to say hi.” Like that was it, like we didn’t ge weird or anything. It was probably before cell phone pictures were a thing.

    Troy: Yeah. Yeah.

    John: But, super nice guy, man. That’s incredible, that’s very cool. Plus, there’s a story behind it. It’s not just a picture of you ran into him in a Dick’s and took a picture.

    Troy: Yeah. This was a whole picture, man and it was an awesome trip, awesome trip.

    John: That’s awesome. Plus, I mean, you got to be your dad’s favorite now, so it’s like clearly…

    Troy: I definitely am. I have two other brothers and I told them their lives are cool, but mine is great.

    John: Right. Right. There you go. That’s awesome, man.

    Well, let’s talk being an NBA PA announcer, like how do you get started in that, man, like that’s incredible?

    Troy: For as how I got started, let’s go back. So, further paces, I’ve been doing PA announcing for I’ve done it for years at local level, maybe high school, AU tournament. You know, there’s got to be there because originally I wanted to go to school to be a broadcaster and I saw how much money they didn’t make…

    John: Right.

    Troy: And changed my major and I said, let’s go to computer science, and that’s kind of what I stick to. But, I did broadcasting all through high school and stuff. I wanted to be an anchor. I’ve always had a voice, I’ve always wanted to be the sideline, “Hi. This is Troy Pepper. Channel 6 News.” Like, I’ve always wanted to do that.

    But, it’s crazy how life, you know, puts everything back in perspective as far as your passion. And I always just did it on the side and here’s the story how I got the Pacers gig. I was golfing with my best friend and we were in Eagle Creek area. You might remember that area.

    John: Oh, yeah, yeah.

    Troy: Where the golf course is. This is 2001 September. And he tells me, “Hey, the PA job for the Pacers is open.” I said, “Really? He said, “You should apply for it.” I was like, “All right. Send me the link.” He never sent me the link.

    And that Sunday, I just happen to say, “Let me just look it up.” The auditions were cut off that day within like four hours. I was like, I was in the bed like, “Should I do this now? There’s too many people, they’re not going to pick me.” Some told me this, “Let’s just do it.”

    So, I get up, go to my little office, get my stuff ready. It’s a video recording. You have to record yourself doing the intros and a script they prepared for you. I did all that. I submitted it. That next week, they said, “You’ll know who the finalist is by that next Friday.”

    I looked at my email and didn’t see nothing, so I go golfing again with the same guy, David Wales, my best friend. And he said, “Did they get back with you?” I said, “No, man.” I said, “Man, it’s probably a thousand people that submitted video. No one’s going to see Troy Pepper.”

    And we’re on the ninth hole – no, the sixth hole and I looked at my phone, something said, “Troy, check your spam folder, John.” I had five emails from VP of Operations, the President of Operations, “Troy, submit a finalist video. You’re at the top four.”

    And I said, “Yo!” And I said, “I got to go, brother.” Because I had to catch a flight the next morning because we’re going to Disney World, right? With my best friend and his family and my family are going to Disney World in about twelve hours.

    I was home, man, I’ve recorded the finalist video, I’m like, “I’m final four? What?” And they said that next Friday you’ll find out. Well, they said that next week you’ll find out who won. And we’re at Magic Kingdom, we’re at Animal Kingdom, I mean, we’re doing the Hollywood Studios, overpriced silver mirrors for my girls and I’m looking at my phone the whole time like, “Man, they say nothing, man.” Checking the spam folder and my wife is, “Just wait ‘til Friday, they’ll reach out.” I said, “Okay.”

    We’re leaving Magic Kingdom, man, I get a call, 317, and I’m thinking it’s what? And I’m like, “Hey, this is Troy Pepper.” “Hey, Troy. This is Dean with the Indiana Pacers.” I paused, sweated. I said, “Yes?” “I want to let you know that you have won the position, the PA announcer position. Is this something you’re interested in?” I thought I put the phone on mute, but I didn’t. I screamed so loud.

    John: That so great.

    Troy: Oh, my God!

    John: Right.

    Troy: I said, “I bet you heard all that.” He’s like, “Yeah.” I said, “Man, I’m so hype.” He told the position is mine. It was like I won the lottery because, man, it’s a prestigious position of I won of maybe 31 people in the world.

    John: Yeah, right.

    Troy: And get to announce this type of game. And that’s kind of the whole story, man, of how I got…

    John: That’s incredible. And you did the reverse, like you went to Disney World and then, got the position, I guess like…

    Troy: Exactly, man.

    John: If you want the stuff to happen in your life, everybody, go to Disney World because it will happen.

    Troy: Disney does it big. I mean, I spent so much money in Disney, but it was worth it, man.

    John: Right. I know, that’s incredible, man. What a great story and what a way to be like, you know what? Who cares? Like, why not? Like, what do you got to lose, right?

    Troy: Nothing to lose, man. It just shows you the power of a choice. I had a choice to say, nah, four hours, they’re not going to pick me, there’s no point of me submitting. But, just having that something gut feeling and going by your gut and just making that one choice can change your whole life.

    John: I love that, man. So, you’ve been doing that since then?

    Troy: Yeah. So, since – it was my second season with the Indiana Pacers, man.

    John: That’s incredible, man. That’s awesome. And do you have any like cooler like moments? Because I mean, this isn’t just the intro, I mean, this is – well, I mean I remember, so I’m back in the day when Jordan and, you know, the Bulls intro was legendary and doo doo roo do, you know what I mean, all that.

    And so, I mean, of course you’re that guy now, like that’s incredible, but also like during the game as well, you know, it’s heating up, you know, or whatever like type, you know, NBA jam style or whatever.

    Troy: No, it is, man. And I think the coolest thing about it is just I’m a fan period, I’m an NBA junkie. I love the game, I love the Pacers, I’m a die hard. And to get the position and being a fan first is the greatest day because every night, you know, I’m announcing for 15,000-plus, man. And I get to be a part of their experience.
    And, one cool thing I will say about I tell most people is is when I get to the arena early, I have a game tonight, I’m leaving in a few and there’s an empty arena and I go half court and I look up at the banners, I look around and I still get goose bumps almost every game.

    I always want a court side seat, but, you know, my parents weren’t rich, you know, we weren’t getting those and I love basketball, but I wasn’t that good at it. But, to be in the NBA, using my voice rather than my dribbles and my shot is one of the most amazing coolest things ever.

    And then, another rewarding part I will say is just to be the voice of the Pacers and help 15,000 people experience the game.

    And I think of it like this, John, out of 15,000-plus people there on games, it’s going to be somebody’s first time ever at an NBA game. And I’m responsible, you know, for them having a great experience because I’ll tell you this, my first NBA game I’ve ever went to, it was a Pacers game, I couldn’t even tell you who we are playing. I don’t remember the score, but I remember the smell of the popcorn. I remember eating a pretzel. I remember hearing and then I remember some deep voice announcing with excitement and I’m like I get to be a part of somebody’s first time experiencing that. I think it’s the coolest and the most rewarding thing about it.

    John: Yeah, man. I love all that so much. And now, you don’t take it for granted, like because you were the kid in the stands, like that was you, like – and you weren’t on court side like you weren’t like, you know, board on third base-kind of thing. I mean, I saying, wait, like every opportunity I get, I’m like, what? This is crazy, like this is nuts.

    But then, on the flipside, it’s like, you know what? I earned this and I’m good enough for this and I deserve this. So, like it’s a weird seesaw there that you have to balance. For sure, I can totally relate.

    And you’re right, I mean, you know, you’re a part of people’s lives. Like people you’ve never met and maybe will never meet. And like you’re impacting their life for the better and that’s so cool, man, like all because you got out of bed and threw in the video. I love it, man. That’s so fantastic. It’s so deep.

    And so, does any of these translate to work at all?

    Troy: Yeah. I believe so, man, because being in this position and the Pacers they’ve marketed me on their website and on their social media, so my face has been out there. And I met a lot of great people and I always tell people this, I think it’s helped my networking and my people skills because every game is a networking event for me.

    I get there early in courtside, I’m shaking hands with CEOs, the CFOs, owners of Arby’s and like I’m a social guy, I got to network events all the time trying to brush up my skills, the people skill the stuff and I think this definitely help me really showcase how important people skills are.

    And because, you know, I was an engineer for Crowe, my current company for two years and I just transitioned into management for people operations. And I believe PA job and being in that Pacers environment, it really helped me honing on my people skills, which kind of got me my position now because unlike technical skills that maybe relevant for, you know, a company or your industry or even just a period of time, people skills is a lifetime value I believe.

    And the ability to communicate well and then collaborate with others, you know, I believe will never lose its power of being relevant, because regardless of the industry, trends, you know, that trends come and go for industries, but I believe that having that personal level and those people skill is so universally useful and they help me transition from being a senior product engineer into now managing people operations and I believe it just – it really just help my transition a hundred percent.

    John: Yeah. Two parts of that. First of all, tax people are people? Like wait a minute.

    John: I’m an auditor back in the days, so that’s like, wait, there’s humans there? What? Like…

    Troy: Yeah. They’re not robots, man, they have lives and they have an “and”.

    John: But the second thing is like you’re so right and it’s so frustrating because no on teaches us that, like at no point in your education of getting an engineering degree did they teach you the people skills. They also didn’t tell you go be a PA announcer, it will make you better at your job. But these things always make you better, always.

    Troy: Always make you better. And the flipside is like, you know, most people computer science, they’re not really social. You know, most people just call and I love the tech side of, but I’m so social. People don’t believe that I’m like was a senior product engineer, like you’re in tech? You know, you’re like, I would say my team a very just kind introvert, honestly.

    John: Sure. But, there’s something to them that’s awesome. You know, there’s a human side to all of them. Like, no, the most introverted techy nerdy whatever you want to call it job description, there’s something that lights them up and part of it is coding, but maybe something else, you know. And it’s one hundred percent okay for it to be something else also, you know, like it does not all work all the time, it’s – there’s other things.

    And I love that, man. That’s so good because like you were saying like you get promoted within Crowe, you worked somewhere else before Crowe or after this. Like your PA announcing, your NBA passion is always there, but the technical skills that you use have totally changed. So, really the eye of the hurricane your source of confidence comes from like your “and” and that’s the first thing that we brush aside.

    And it’s like, no, no, no, like that should be front and center, that should be the lead, like don’t – I don’t care what your job is, what lights you up? Like, you know, type of thing.

    I love that, man. Just to hear that you’re experiencing that and living that, you know, everyday. It’s so cool, so cool.

    And how much do you feel like it’s on an organization to create that space for people being able to share their “ands” and shine a light on it or how much is it on the individual?

    Troy: I think for work environment, I think it’s both. I feel like every company should thrive for people to be comfortable in certain settings to showcase, you know, what they are really passionate about. And I believe it comes down, you know, I wouldn’t expect that from the CEO, but your direct management should be able to have chats about other stuff other than work.

    Some of the greatest leaders that I’ve been under, I’ve known them personally based on their interest outside of work. Even with clients, man, I was client facing as far as being a senior product engineer and they somehow Google my name, I’m working on a project and like, wait, hey, that’s right, this off the topic. Do you work for the Pacers? Like, that right there opens a whole another conversation.

    But, I believe it’s on the person as well and if the person feels comfortable in an environment, no, I believe they’ll show their personality, then when their personally show, they’ll show their interest and stuff they do outside of work.

    I think it goes hand-in-hand, making that employee feel comfortable, but it’s on their labor and their team to really produce that type of environment.

    John: I love it so much and you’re so right. I mean, you know, just lead by example, be a little bit vulnerable as the leader and then, magic, you know. And asking you is not off topic, that’s actually on topic finally.

    Troy: You’ll be shocked in like a lot of the conversation has really helped my I call social capital or it’s like people I know. Even in my company, my company is pretty big. I think we have like 6,000 employees globally. I get messages from CFOs that under different divisions in our company, I don’t know who they are at all, but they saw my LinkedIn, they’re like, wait a minute, I saw you on the news. You work for us? And then, I got a whole new relationship with somebody I would have never knew unless my “and” was displayed.

    John: So awesome. So awesome. Well, this has been so great, Troy, and so fantastic and I appreciate you taking time to be on.

    But, I feel like before we wrapped up since I so rudely fired questions at you, I feel like we should turn the tables and make this the Troy Pepper Podcast and I’ll be your first guest. Thanks for booking me. Actually, I booked myself, so anyway.
    Troy: Well, John, so, I’ll be taking over your podcast, you are now fired.

    Troy: It’s to go another level.

    John: That’s a people operations manager coming out right here. That’s what that is.

    Troy: Your severance package won’t be much, but you will get a coupon.

    John: I get a Pacers shirt and I’m out, like that’s it and Arby’s coupon.

    Troy: Oh, I got the rapid-fire. Okay. Texting or calling?

    John: Calling. Yeah, like I – I mean, if there’s like three back and forth on text, I’m calling you because it’s like this would take 30 seconds on the phone, like I don’t have time for this.

    Troy: If somebody replied with a whole email of text message, I’m like, dude, just call me back.

    John: Yeah. And it’s like I just imagine how long it took you to text this.

    Troy: I know, especially when it have emojis and like the punctuations are on point, I’m like, dude, this takes…

    Troy: You just wrote a book. Post this, you have a book, like, man.

    John: There you go. If you got a semicolon in your text, you better call me.

    Troy: You actually wrote out laugh out loud? Come on, man.

    John: Actually, a block number, block number, like it’s a —

    Troy: All right, favorite day of the week?

    John: Favorite day of the week? You know, I think I’m going to go Saturday. I’m a huge college football fan, Saturdays are my days growing up cartoons Saturdays like I just, yeah, I think Saturdays, they’re solid. Because there’s like nothing, it’s like your day, you can do whatever you want. You know, there’s not church on Sunday, there’s not work Monday through Friday, it’s like, you know what? Just for me Saturday, yeah.

    Troy: I got three more questions, I’m going to let you go.

    John: Okay. All right.

    Troy: Would you rather be able to speak every language in the world or be able to talk to animals?

    John: Oh, man. You know what? I think I’m going to talk to animals.

    John: Because, I mean, just like that Eddie Murphy Dr. Doolittle, like I just want to know, like I kind of don’t care what people are thinking, like I really don’t. Like I mean, even the ones that tell you it’s like I didn’t ask, I don’t care. But, animals, I kind of want to know. Like, what are you thinking?

    Troy: That’s a tough one. Man, I would – I’ll pick the language, man. I would love to speak and read every language, oh. And I can read like some of these ancient texts in the History channel…

    John: Oh, okay. All right. All right.

    Troy: Yeah, I think about this question a lot. I think about it.

    John: Yeah. But, I just feel like animals like they just have such a different perspective, like dolphins under the ocean, like birds, like…

    Troy: You know what? You could ask a whale, yo, is there anything deeper down there that I need to know?

    John: Right. Then, we don’t have to go.

    Troy: He’s like, yeah, Poseidon is real.

    John: What?

    Troy: Where is Atlantis? Oh, follow me. Okay. Cool.
    John: It’s that easy, you just got to ask.

    What else you got for me?

    Troy: Who was your first celebrity crush?

    John: First celebrity crush? Wow, that’s a good question. I feel like just in general, Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, like all of them.

    Troy: I was not expecting that, man, but that’s good.

    John: I feel like that would probably be – because I mean growing up, we move all the time, my dad was air force, so this was the old Cowboys like Danny White and Herschel Walker and Tony Dorsett and like Tom Landry was the coach and like way back.

    So, as a kid, I mean, I guess that would probably be probably that, I don’t know.

    Troy: You can’t go wrong with Cowboys, truly you can’t go wrong.

    John: Yeah. Yeah. It was like, I don’t know, like back in the day.

    Troy: That’s hilarious. Mine was Jennifer Lopez that I have a crush, still is. I can’t even lie, still is. She’s like 50 something and still looks I don’t understand. What is she – I don’t know what she’s drinking.

    John: That’s still your celebrity crush, like that hasn’t – that’s also your “and” like that’s not changed.

    Troy: My wife, hers is Michael B. Jordan and I can’t stand that, man.

    John: Yeah. Well, anytime you got to put the middle initial, come on.

    Troy: Yeah. Michael B. Jordan and you know the new Creed movie is coming up pretty soon and I don’t want her to go. I don’t want her.

    Troy: He will take his shirt off…

    John: You have to be chaperoned by Troy.

    Troy: Yeah, exactly.

    John: That’s the only way.
    Troy: Exactly, man.

    Last question for you, man. What age do you want to retire and then, what will you be doing?

    John: Oh, man. You know, I feel like I’m kind of lifelong learner and I feel like part of the work that I do is, so, yeah, I mean, I certainly in another phase of my career I guess. So, yeah, I don’t know like, I mean, to straight up retire like just stop doing this. Yeah, I don’t know, that’s going to be hard to do. But, I certainly want to at some point.

    I don’t know, let’s say, yeah, let’s be aggressive and let’s say 55 and then, that way then you’re able to like still live life. And I think traveling is high on the list, man. I mean, I love traveling anyway and learning how to talk to animals I think is also what I’m going to be doing.

    Troy: And that’s the comedian in your to bring that back. That’s skill, that’s skill right there.

    John: That’s a callback right there. That’s a call back right there.

    Troy: I like that.

    John: That’s what it is. That’s what it is.

    But, thank you so much, Troy. This has been so much fun. I appreciate you being a part of this.

    Troy: Yeah. It’s been a pleasure, man. Thank you for having me, man, and if you ever have a repeat customer, let me know and we’ll make it go to do, man.

    John: Yeah. Next time I’m in Indie, man, we’ll definitely hang out. That’s for sure.

    And everybody listening, if you want to see some pictures of Troy in action or maybe connect with him on social media, be sure to go to whatsyourand.com. All the links are there.

    And while you’re on the page, please click that big button, do the anonymous research survey about corporate culture. And don’t forget to read the book.

    So, thanks again for subscribing on Apple podcast 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


		

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