Oct. 8, 2025

Growth, Grit, And A Hard Truth About Respect

Growth, Grit, And A Hard Truth About Respect
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The season finale came with bigger stakes and sharper edges: we expanded our Fryeburg Fair booth by 10 feet, doubled down on Made in USA quality, and walked straight into the kind of attention that tests your backbone. We break down the real numbers—rent jumps, tent upgrades, inventory bets—and how an opening surge leveled into a week that finished a hair shy of our all-time record. Second best ever under tougher conditions isn’t a loss; it’s a louder floor and a clearer plan.

We dig into what the extra space actually unlocked: new eyes who’d never noticed us before, smarter product placement that turned slow movers into steady sellers, and a modular setup that will cut hours off future events. The flip side of visibility showed up too—hecklers at the doorway, a fake-email drive-by about flag code, and the constant test to keep your cool when you’re serving customers. We explain why criticism is a compass, how to convert noise into signal, and where brand integrity matters more than a photo op—like when the governor’s team asked for a picture and we stayed locked on the folks in front of us.

Behind the scenes, the bus failed us at the worst time—an ABS cascade that now means thousands in repairs and a hard pivot on road shows. We talk cash flow realities, rebuild timelines, and the digital moves we’re making to keep momentum between events, including our new QR-powered wall that turns fair traffic into year-round visits. And we share the moments that carried us through: loyal regulars who say we’re part of their fair tradition and two bald eagle sightings that felt like a message from my father—keep going, you’re on the right path.

If you care about small business resilience, American-made products, and the gritty middle between dream and result, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a push, and drop a review with your biggest takeaway—we read every word and it fuels the next leap.

If you found value in today's show please return the favor and leave a positive review and share it with someone important to you! https://www.sharethestrugglepodcast.com/reviews/new/
Find all you need to know about the show https://www.sharethestrugglepodcast.com/
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Thank you for Supporting My American Dream!

00:00 - Season Wrap And Fair Stakes

02:30 - The Bigger Booth Bet

06:00 - Sales Reality Check

10:00 - Lessons From Expansion

14:00 - Bus Breakdown And Costs

18:00 - Pivoting Under Pressure

20:00 - Youth Disrespect At The Booth

26:00 - Hate Mail And Accountability

30:00 - Turning Hate Into Fuel

33:00 - Becoming A Fair Tradition

36:00 - The Governor Photo Dilemma

40:00 - The Bald Eagle Signs And Resolve

WEBVTT

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Just like that, the fair season is over, there's no looking back.

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Our biggest event of the year is in the rear view mirror.

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Just how did it go?

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And a very disappointing trend about today's youth that you need to know.

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Let me tell you something.

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Everybody's struggled.

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The difference is some people choose to go through it and some choose to grow through it.

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The choice is completely yours.

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Which one you choose will have a very profound effect on the way you live your life.

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What it do, what it hot, did it, did it do.

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Loud almighty, am I so excited to be back with you?

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Oh, it's true.

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It is damn true.

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I miss you, Boo, and I hope you miss me too.

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Episode 274, and I hope y'all are ready for even more.

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Because I don't see an end in sight.

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No, I do not forecast an end in sight.

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This is 274 consecutive weeks of that podcast.

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Precisely, perfectly, beautifully named Share the Struggle.

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Because everybody struggles.

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But the truth is, boys and girls, chipmunks and squirrels, that that strength comes from the courage to share your struggle.

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This podcast, as always, is proudly brought to you by the fine folks over to Loud Proud American, aka myself and my wife and my mama and my baby, you know.

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So Yeah, that's what this is about.

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Loud Proud American Podcast.

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We are wrapping up our biggest event of the year.

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Or shall I say, we have wrapped up our biggest event of the year.

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We just returned home from the Freiburg Fair.

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That signals the end of our fair season.

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It does not signal the end of our season.

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It just checks off a box of difficulty for our season.

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And I'm gonna dig into all that on today's show.

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And I'm also gonna highlight a very disappointing trend that I noticed from today's youth that uh well it's disappointing.

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And makes you wanna makes you wanna slap somebody, okay?

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Just makes you wanna you know put the put the fear of accountability into some folks that deserve it.

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Because I mean clearly their parents aren't doing it for them.

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But I don't want to get too far off track here.

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Over the past couple weeks, you've been listening to the show.

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You know everything that's been going on, you know, leading into this, that we were on our way to our biggest event of the year, our greatest event, our biggest challenge.

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Setting ourselves up for the largest display we have ever done.

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All the you know, hoops, loops, and fruit loops you gotta jump through to make that possible.

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So, first and foremost, as we've been talking over the few weeks, just to kind of give a little recap of the scenario, we finally gained the ability to add 10 feet to our display.

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Okay, we've been pushing for this for a while.

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I've always felt this was going to be the end all be all to making the magical difference, to giving us the greatest results we've ever uh attained.

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So we've been pushing for that.

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We were granted that.

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With that comes um, you know, a third price increase in your rent because you're growing your display by a third.

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Go figure.

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Makes sense, right?

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And then you got to figure about all the other things that go into it.

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I needed to buy a tent for it.

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So a new tent frame, new tent shell, one new door.

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You start piecing those things together.

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I also decided that I wanted a new canopy on one of our existing tents to freshen it up to make things um look more professional and look more cohesive.

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So I went ahead and did that.

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That bill was$4,500 just for the tent and the upgrades.

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Add the thousand dollar rent increase.

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You're talking nearly$6,000 in just um the increase for our space, right?

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Then you factor in getting more grid wall, getting more product, doing more things, all those challenges.

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It adds up pretty quickly.

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If you listened to last week's episode, the bus won't start, but the dream won't stop.

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Y'all know we ran into some serious difficulties with the bus.

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We managed to overcome those difficulties with a lot of friendship, love, and support from all y'all listeners out there and uh all friends and family that pitched in, that uh really just jumped in and tried to make sure that this dream didn't quit, that we continue to press on and to force on and to make things happen.

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So, with all that, we were able to arrive at the fair.

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Y'all already know that.

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We were able to do that with the love and support and help of friends and family, and also adding some more finances to our bottom line.

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We rented a box truck, you know, we had a few different challenges along the way, all those things.

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We do them, we get there, bada bing, bada boom, coolest guy in the room, and all I'm saying, we he are ready to rock and roll.

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That's kind of where we left off last week.

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I mentioned to you that we started the fair off with the second largest day in our five-year history.

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That in itself was tremendous, and it left me feeling like we are about to absolutely crush this fair.

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Sunday we were down, but Monday at the time of the podcast, we were trending in the right direction to offset our Sunday, kind of flip-flop those days, and then get ourselves rock and rollin' the rest of the ways.

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You understand what I'm saying?

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We were dialed in, we were tuned in, we were set right, destination ahead.

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We thought we were going to seek and destroy.

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Okay.

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Well, unfortunately, I can say that didn't really happen.

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Okay?

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Now I don't want to wah Debbie down on this whole scenario.

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We're just gonna start with the factoids, the results, okay?

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We're just gonna put it out there playing this day today.

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I only had one day during the fair that we were up over the previous year.

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Now, Saturday was an extra bonus day that we never had before, but I only had one day during the week where we exceeded the sales of our previous year, and that was only by a few hundred dollars.

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So you figure at the time that I recorded, I already had a wrecking setting Saturday.

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My Sunday was down, and my Monday was trending in the right direction.

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Between Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, eight great days.

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I only had one day where we exceeded the year 2024.

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Now, our Saturday was so tremendous, that bonus day, that it helped to equal out, to average out, to uh kind of reset the field for us.

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Now, my theory going into this was I'm adding all this extra expense.

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I'm going to gain the extra expense with this tremendous Saturday, and then if I can just match or beat by a little bit last year's event, and then pow pow, sprinkle and drop and plop that bonus day on there, that would give us the greatest event in the history of our business.

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Well, as you can tell, when you don't exceed your previous year, other than one day out of eight, it's not gonna line up that way for you, right?

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But here's the thing it wasn't until nearly the weekend when I lost the cushion that I had gained for my Saturday.

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So, all things considered, what I'm gonna tell you is this we did not set the record, we did not have our greatest, most successful, highest net sale event of our history, but we had the second largest, greatest, most beautiful event in our history.

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The second greatest event we've ever done.

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We did not miss last year's record setting event by very much.

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We only missed out by about a thousand dollars between tying last year and this year.

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Now, some might look at it and say, Well, you had that extra day, that bonus day, so you really can't, you know, factor it out that way and look at it.

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Without that day, you'd be down a tremendous amount.

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But that's not the way the world works for me.

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I set up for an event from start to close.

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That's how I'm looking at my numbers.

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And the truth of the matter is that I absolutely wanted a heck of a lot more.

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I added all the expenses.

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Y'all know all the craziness that we ran into along the way.

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I needed a lot more, but I'm happy, I'm proud of where we ended up.

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And some other things go into that because as I'm there at the fair and I'm, you know, having conversations with other vendors that I know and trust and others that I meet along the way, nobody was exceeding last year.

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I don't know of one single business that beat 2024 if they were there in 2024.

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So, with that said, to only be down by the amount that we were down, and also having the second largest event in our history, I feel damn good about it.

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I also am an optimistic SOB, and I can tell you that the numbers that I put on paper this year, day by day, are numbers that I know I can beat next year.

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I also know that with the added space, I now have a year of experience with that additional space.

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I know different things and different ways to change things up.

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We are motivated by the results we we achieved, but the lessons we learned.

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I'm going to pivot some of our designs in another way.

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I'm going to use this opportunity to freshen some things up.

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There's a lot of positives that came out of this event.

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Number one, the accomplishment of having the largest display we've ever had.

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There was a multitude of times at the Freiburg Fair where I stood in my original, my original size booth, my original setup, 10 feet wide, 20 feet long, and I just stood there and I envisioned not having that additional space and just remembered my roots.

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I remembered where I came from.

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And then I would move over and I remembered last year in the year before.

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And then I would take it all in and I would look at myself and our display and how far we have come today.

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That in itself was a tremendous victory and one that has me feeling oh so proud.

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Some of the benefits of that additional footage is going to benefit me for years because first and foremost, curb appeal, twisted teal, sex appeal.

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You understand what I'm saying?

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When you are in real estate and you want to sell a house, you better have some curb appeal.

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When you're in the business that I'm in, when you're at fairs and festivals, you better have some curb appeal.

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It gets people's attention.

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What you're not going to believe about this is the fact that I had a multitude of people come into my tent and say, first year here?

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You know what that means?

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They didn't see me before, they walked past me before.

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I experienced this bump when we went from 10 feet to 20 feet.

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People saying, Wow, you're a new vendor here.

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I didn't think going from 20 to 30 would happen even more, but it did.

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I still had a bunch of people come in and tell me, Man, new vendor?

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I wow, huh?

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This is pretty cool.

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That in itself, I mean, I guess it shows consumers can be oblivious, but pretty damn cool, right?

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We're opening ourselves up to a new crowd, um, to a whole new audience, people that didn't even think we were there before.

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That's very cool.

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Okay.

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So there's a lot of things to be encouraged by.

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Just the locations of things in my tent.

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I could put certain items in certain locations and they would virtually sell out.

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I go into these things rather prepared.

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I have my spreadsheet that I do out by myself, like all hand drawn out about how many items I have in stock, how many I had in stock last year, what sizes and designs sold last year, the hard number of those that did sell, then my game plan for this year, what I actually was able to put on the shelf to kind of go play by play.

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And then by midweek, you're looking at things and saying, what were my hot sellers last year that aren't moving this year?

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Then I can take those things and move them to higher traffic areas.

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So doing a lot of these things, we really learned a lot this week.

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There was a lot gained by um what we what we did.

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So the experience in itself with the new footage, tremendous.

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We learned a lot.

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It's definitely gonna help us moving forward.

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I don't think we're gonna have this 30 by 20 display at very many events, but that's okay.

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I now have two tents that are 10 by 20.

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That's going to cut down my setup time at other events.

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I can now set up two tents as opposed to three tents.

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So there's a lot of different benefits that are gonna come from this, but we learned a lot.

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We really did.

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We learned an amazing amount by uh growing and doing this.

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There were so many times that I stepped back, went outside, looked at our tent, and just thought about how far we have come and how thankful I am for um this journey that we're on.

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Now, the unfortunate thing is after the fair, uh getting home, learning kind of the diagnosis on the bus.

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I think when we recorded last week, the bus wasn't running at all.

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We've now identified a possibility as to what the situation is.

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As random as this is, our ABS system is actually what's been causing all these electrical issues.

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Apparently, with GM, your ABS and uh your ECM and your transmission, all these things kind of go hand in hand.

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And our ABS had become so bad and affected, basically causing an electrical fire that the vehicle wouldn't run.

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When unplugging the ABS, it now runs.

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Okay.

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So we still have a few things to work through.

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But in doing this, the ABS module pump scenario, that's gonna be pricey.

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It kind of sounds like at this point, after meeting with my mechanic today, that a new one's gonna run us um$1,000 or so.

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Uh hopefully maybe we can find uh a used one somewhere that's in good shape.

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I'm going to need all new brake lines, I need new fuel lines, I am gonna need new uh calipers.

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The estimation, the early estimation on fixing the bus is four to five thousand dollars.

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That's on top of the thousands of dollars that we've spent on maintenance this year alone for our new family vehicle, the Denali, for all the thousands of dollars I've already put into the bus this year throughout the year.

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And that's not counting the bill from last week and all the troubleshooting and craziness that ensued.

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Uh, fuel pump, ignition switches, uh, grounding cables, all those things.

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So a lot has happened, and those expenses they feel rather crippling on myself and the business.

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But I'm an optimistic dude.

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I'm gonna find a way.

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There is a way.

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This too shall pass.

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I know I'm under stress.

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I know I'm under the gun.

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I do know that on the other end of this is great victory.

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We achieved great victory even over the course of last week.

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We grew to the greatest lengths we ever have as a business.

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We came damn near close to setting the record as the greatest event we've ever had as a business.

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Is a lot of that money gonna get flushed away into uh maintenance, restocking product, repaying loans and equity lines?

00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:19.839
Yes, it is.

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I'm probably not gonna have anything, but it is what it is.

00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:25.119
We accomplished it.

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We did it.

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Now the next thing is moving in the next direction.

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For me in Loud Proud American, traditionally, when I come out of the Freiburg Fair, I have time to recalibrate and take a break.

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I can do the farm chores, I can do the house chores, I can do those things, I can be more present as uh a husband, as a son, as now a father and a friend.

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I can be a little more grounded and do those things.

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Unfortunately, the way this season went, the way things are going, I can't stop.

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I must keep rolling.

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I need to find new things and new ways to grow the business and to make money.

00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:02.400
Greater challenges now exist.

00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:10.559
If I want to do some road shows, I'm without the bus at this moment until I start making some money to uh get the bus back on the road.

00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:12.319
So that's a whole new challenge.

00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:15.039
So we're pivoting, we're doing a lot of different things.

00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:21.279
There's a lot of brainstorming in the background to find a way around this, but this too shall pass.

00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:27.920
This is yet another obstacle, it is yet another opportunity to overcome the obstacle.

00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:39.519
It is another opportunity to prove to myself and everybody else that I am bound determined that this will succeed.

00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:41.359
This cannot defeat me.

00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:49.359
On the other end of this trying, difficult, suffering time is great success and reward.

00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:50.720
I feel it.

00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:57.599
I am encouraged by what we accomplished, and it has equipped me to overcome these challenges.

00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:03.519
Now I just gotta rewrite the game plan and start executing the plays.

00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:06.400
And before you know it, I'll get this behind me.

00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:16.799
I have a world of awesome things coming that I can't wait to share and to tackle, but I need to get through this heartache and despair that's right here.

00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:18.160
I just have to overcome it.

00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:20.559
And I will, I will find a way.

00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:26.640
I have not lost my hope, I have not lost my enthusiasm in any single way.

00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:28.160
You feel me?

00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:29.039
You got me?

00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:29.680
Good.

00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:30.640
I hope you do.

00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:34.640
Now, I have a few more things I want to share with y'all.

00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:41.359
I want to do the traditional thing, which the traditional thing for me is to end on positivity.

00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:42.799
Y'all already know me.

00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:55.119
So we're gonna uh cross over the bridge here of some disappointing trends that I've noticed among today's youths, and it's gonna go hand in hand with our new display.

00:19:55.279 --> 00:19:55.599
Okay?

00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:57.039
You ready for this?

00:19:57.359 --> 00:20:10.880
As I already mentioned, having the additional 30 or additional 10 feet to gain us 30 feet of curb appeal and sex appeal is um you're creating a greater opportunity for people to notice you as they walk by.

00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:17.680
So when you have 10 feet, you only have so many steps where you have to gain somebody's attention.

00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:24.000
When you triple the amount of steps, you triple the likelihood of gaining people's attention, right?

00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:33.440
It's just easier for them to uh to see you because when you have a small display, they could be looking the wrong direction and just walk by before they turn their head in your direction.

00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:37.759
30 feet, you're really raising the likelihood of being noticed.

00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:48.880
I realized we were definitely being more noticed by the amount of shit I heard people talking about our business on the way by.

00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:57.119
Now, a lot of people see the business, they love it, they come in, they celebrate it, they buy stuff, they talk stuff, all good stuff, right?

00:20:58.400 --> 00:21:06.720
Y'all won't believe the amount of ignorant bastards that walk by and talk shit about our business.

00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:11.599
Who's proud to be American?

00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:13.279
Look at these freaking people.

00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:14.640
Proud Americans?

00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:16.000
Who's that?

00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:19.519
That's that's the light stuff, right?

00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:22.720
Then it turns into nonsense stuff.

00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:26.640
Oh, look at this F and Charlie Kirk tent.

00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:28.240
How's that gonna work for you?

00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:30.400
Who let these assholes here?

00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:30.880
Okay?

00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:32.480
Well, just some of the topics.

00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:35.920
How about all the kids that go by and yell Kamala Harris?

00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:37.599
Whatever, okay?

00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:44.880
This week I've noticed the level of shit talking towards our business through the roof.

00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:51.359
I had these two young, um, how do I describe them?

00:21:51.759 --> 00:22:06.160
Young adolescent gay individuals holding hands, going by, they saw my tent, and then began to start yelling about uh Kamala Harris and some Trump slang, and they walk by.

00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:08.000
Now I have a tent full of people.

00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:16.559
While I have a tent full of people, they come back, they get in the doorway of my tent, and they start yelling in unison, free Palestine.

00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:20.799
While I'm trying to cash people out and answer questions.

00:22:21.039 --> 00:22:29.599
They leave, they come back later, holding hands, walking into my tent, asking me if I have any Pete Butiteg merchandise.

00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:34.079
You're just provoking me to to snap, right?

00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:38.079
But you're being an absolute douche.

00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:42.720
This is not the only experience I had throughout the week.

00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:46.400
My wife was out in front of the tent, and a whole group of kids came by.

00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:53.759
We're talking late teen to early 20s, saying, Oh, look, the Charlie Kirk tent, let's make some TikToks in front of the Charlie Kirk tent.

00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:57.279
Allie's getting heated, like, you're not gonna be doing this in front of our tent.

00:22:57.440 --> 00:23:01.279
And then I walk out and they sit down and they just talk shit from a distance.

00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:12.960
So many people wanted to single us out and criticize us and say absolute nonsense about us during the week.

00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:26.480
I also can't tell you how many people came in my tent, actually came in the tent and then picked up my products, laughed at them, and looked me in my face and laughed at them and said, Who would buy this?

00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:28.160
And they throw it back on the rack.

00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:31.759
How many people walked in and said, This is a joke?

00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:43.440
How many people walked in my tent, picked up a flag t-shirt, showed it to their friends outside the tent, made some smart ass comment, they all start laughing and they put it on the shelf and walk back.

00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:50.880
Or the amount of people that came in my tent and ripped my tags out that said made in USA and threw them on the floor.

00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:57.440
The amount of people that came in and picked things up and literally laughed at them.

00:23:57.680 --> 00:23:58.720
Who would wear this?

00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:01.200
This is stupid, this is dumb.

00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:02.960
Why would you make this?

00:24:03.359 --> 00:24:05.279
It was endless.

00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:07.279
And I realized a few things.

00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:12.240
First and foremost, we're doomed if this is the generation we're depending on.

00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:12.640
Okay?

00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:26.160
Secondly, these little shitbags have gone through their adolescent lives without any sense of accountability, without any ounce of respect.

00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:37.200
Because if I ever acted like this at somebody else's business at a fair, my mother or father would have put a boot up my ass.

00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:38.720
You understand what I'm saying?

00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:46.640
My dad would have made me buy something with my own ever-loving money and wear it around the fair and advertise for it.

00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:51.200
Where are the parents to hold these little shit suckers accountable?

00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:52.559
This is ridiculous.

00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:54.640
It is a complete lack of respect.

00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:58.640
I don't care if you think my product is absolute dog shit.

00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:15.359
The fact that you have the nuts to come into my tent and talk shit to my face because you know you can get away with it, because you know you can film something, you can complain about something, you know you can accuse me of something, you know you can start something.

00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:23.119
Boy, I can't tell you how many times I wanted to open face slap some of these punks.

00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:24.400
You understand what I'm saying?

00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:28.640
I just wanted to grab them and smack the accountability in it, a little son of a bitch.

00:25:29.359 --> 00:25:30.880
Damn, does it piss me off?

00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:32.960
But I kept myself calm and cool.

00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:40.160
I didn't tell anybody off, I didn't chase anybody off, and I didn't smack a bitch, but I'm telling you, there's a chance I might in the future.

00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:43.119
Because this generation is a joke.

00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:50.960
This population of people is part of or one of the biggest part of the problem.

00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:52.000
They don't have respect.

00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:54.000
They don't know how to treat other people with respect.

00:25:54.240 --> 00:26:03.839
Because here's the thing they feel it's okay to come into my house and talk shit about my living and my life and my beliefs and my dreams.

00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:10.079
But they also feel it's not okay for me to step foot in their house and tell them how I feel.

00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:11.279
You understand what I'm saying?

00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:15.519
This is a one-way road, and that toad needs to get splattered.

00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:17.039
I am over it.

00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:21.839
This is part of the reason why an assassin took out Charlie Kirk.

00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:22.880
You want to know why?

00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:31.759
Because he opened it up for debate, because he opened it up for dialogue, because he opened it up for conflicting opinions and voices of reason.

00:26:31.920 --> 00:26:36.880
These people ain't equipped to voice opinions and hear your opinions.

00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:40.960
No, they want to project their bullshit on you and then quit.

00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:47.440
You don't have the opportunity to stake the truth, to speak your mind, because they don't want to hear it.

00:26:47.599 --> 00:26:48.799
That's what's wrong with this.

00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:57.279
Because these little shitbags have been raised by deadbeat laxadaisical parents that told them you can have whatever the hell you want and you ain't gonna work for it.

00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:58.880
Just go on out there and take it.

00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:01.599
If you feel a certain way, tell somebody how you feel.

00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:02.640
You know what, bitch?

00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:12.400
If I took it upon myself to smack accountability in every one of these little suckbags that's out there that teach them a lesson, I might give through to a few of them before they put me in jail.

00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:13.359
Damn.

00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:16.160
The thought process has crossed my mind.

00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:20.559
These kids are running around with unchecked accountability.

00:27:20.720 --> 00:27:25.519
They are not being held accountable for nothing because their parents never held them accountable for nothing.

00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:28.240
They caused a shit fit and they were handed a tablet.

00:27:28.400 --> 00:27:31.680
They caused a shit fit and they were given a PlayStation.

00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:35.759
I am over these little bitches.

00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:47.279
If I wasn't so dependent on these events to support my family and to support my dreams, I would tell these little shits where to go and I would put them in their place.

00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:53.440
The amount of restraint that I have to use is incredible.

00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:56.559
This week was trying times.

00:27:57.119 --> 00:27:59.839
Picture yourselves as me, okay?

00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:09.599
Put yourselves in my big ass size 16s for a minute, if you would, and think about all the difficulties and all the challenges that I am facing.

00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:14.079
Think about all the mechanical breakdowns, all the failures and f ups in between.

00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:28.240
Think about me risking everything I have, betting on my dream to support my family, having every single thing I own on the line to be at this fair, to hopefully come out and put myself and my family in a safe position.

00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:46.160
Now envision all these little hooligans coming in, yelling free Palestine and telling me my product is shit, making fun of Charlie Kirk and the situation at hand, and ask yourself, could you hold back?

00:28:47.200 --> 00:28:51.279
And I will tell you, it was not easy.

00:28:51.519 --> 00:28:58.480
But it was eye-opening to me to realize we have lost a major generation of people.

00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:10.880
And it also really sprinkled on the emphasis of importance that Charlie Kirk placed on that generation because he knew that these folks were the ones we were losing.

00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:27.920
He knew that these young men needed leadership, he knew this generation needed accountability, so he went out headfirst and went after building leaders, challenging voices, and creating a new lane.

00:29:28.160 --> 00:29:33.200
And I certainly understand why he did that.

00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:39.119
I clearly see all the reasons for that because this week was eye-opening and disappointing.

00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:46.960
I've dealt with my fair share of people coming in and criticizing my product, but this week was overwhelming.

00:29:47.279 --> 00:29:55.039
And the amount of people that were provoking me to snap, I couldn't even tell you how many.

00:29:55.440 --> 00:29:57.039
I couldn't even put a number on it.

00:29:57.599 --> 00:30:05.119
I know these people who are coming in my Provoking me to snap so they can do something that cost me an opportunity.

00:30:05.359 --> 00:30:08.160
So they could do something to take away my dream.

00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:11.839
And I smiled and I let 'em be little idiots.

00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:14.720
But it doesn't mean I didn't want to smack a hoe.

00:30:14.960 --> 00:30:15.839
You understand?

00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:18.319
What a challenging time.

00:30:20.400 --> 00:30:27.279
But I did realize that extra 10 feet really made those little shitbags notice me.

00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:35.359
The other thing that was uh was fun is um the wife and I made a new design for a wall.

00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:38.319
You might have seen it if you follow our social medias.

00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:55.119
When we're closed, I have a wall that has our American flag logo and it has a part of our mission statement on it, and in the where the stars would be in the flag is a QR code, and you scan it, and it pulls you right to your way to our website, which I thought was a great idea.

00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:57.680
It was the wife's idea on the design.

00:30:57.839 --> 00:30:59.279
I think it looks fantastic.

00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:04.720
I'm pumped about it, and um, I just feel like it you know elevates us another level.

00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:10.240
And if we're not there and we're close, you can scan it, you can find us, you know, great things.

00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:22.000
Well, one morning, apparently, somebody went by and scanned it and found it, and I happened to be in the box truck grabbing inventory when this little ditty of an email came over to me.

00:31:22.960 --> 00:31:33.359
Now, the person in the email's name is Pat Heddeck, which if you just put the two together, they're trying to spell pathetic.

00:31:33.599 --> 00:31:33.920
Okay?

00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:43.680
They're creating a name, pathetic, and their email is actualamerican at freedom.com, which I later found out isn't even a real email.

00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:52.319
The email that I received was l-ol at the backwards flag, and in you know, quotes here, tribute to honor.

00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:55.440
Read the flag code if you actually respect it.

00:31:55.599 --> 00:32:01.359
It should never be on clothing, never discolored, never tattered, never written on.

00:32:01.599 --> 00:32:05.039
You do all of these yet act like you respect it.

00:32:05.279 --> 00:32:07.680
The hypocrisy is hilarious.

00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:11.839
Are you listening to yourself, you effing moron?

00:32:12.400 --> 00:32:15.759
The American flag should never be put on clothing.

00:32:16.559 --> 00:32:17.119
Wow.

00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:19.200
That's wow.

00:32:19.440 --> 00:32:24.720
I'm if you're such a patriot, you had nothing in your closet has an American flag on him.

00:32:24.960 --> 00:32:34.559
And when you want to talk to me about distressed or altered flags, but you're probably the same Jamoke that has a weed flag in your closet.

00:32:34.799 --> 00:32:42.799
Because I see all these American flags with freaking weed leaves and pot leaves and all this nonsense, all this ridiculousness.

00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:45.839
Don't tell me you don't own something altered.

00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:47.759
I don't want to hear it.

00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:49.839
You're a freaking moron.

00:32:51.519 --> 00:32:52.640
Oh my god.

00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:55.759
I've heard from other people, read the flag code.

00:32:55.920 --> 00:33:04.559
Listen, I am embracing patriotism, I am showcasing patriotism, and I'm doing it in ways to encourage other people to do so.

00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:09.359
And it is 1000% a tribute to our military, you suckbag.

00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:14.000
But I decided to send this polite little thank you email.

00:33:14.960 --> 00:33:16.960
Thank you for your kind words and support.

00:33:17.119 --> 00:33:22.559
I'm sure you spend a lot of time emailing all companies that put the American flag on clothing.

00:33:22.799 --> 00:33:32.880
Maybe reach out to all the major brands that do the same thing instead of wasting the time of a small business trying to support his family using all American made products.

00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:34.319
Thanks again for the advice.

00:33:34.559 --> 00:33:36.319
Have a blessed day.

00:33:36.880 --> 00:33:38.720
What a douche.

00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:43.119
And here's the thing to go on and prove my point from earlier.

00:33:43.359 --> 00:33:44.640
Return descender.

00:33:44.799 --> 00:33:52.480
And the words of Elvis Presley, a return descender, a return descender, and a sound known.

00:33:52.799 --> 00:33:53.680
Think about it.

00:33:53.920 --> 00:34:06.160
You want to stir up some shit, you want to use my QR code, you want to send me an email to talk your shit, and you don't want the accountability of reading a response email.

00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:09.760
You don't want the dialogue or conversation of my opinion.

00:34:09.920 --> 00:34:14.000
You didn't want to come back in my tent and have an adult civilized conversation with me.

00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:20.000
You wanted to scan my QR code and hide like a little bitch and send me an email about my company.

00:34:20.239 --> 00:34:24.880
You want to come in when I have a tent full of people and act like some kind of Tony tough guy.

00:34:25.199 --> 00:34:28.000
These little shit bags need accountability.

00:34:28.239 --> 00:34:35.440
If I was somewhere off the premise and some dude said this to me about my business, I'd smack the shit out of somebody.

00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:36.960
These people.

00:35:05.039 --> 00:35:07.199
That just means you're growing.

00:35:07.360 --> 00:35:09.360
That means you're getting bigger.

00:35:09.599 --> 00:35:12.320
That means you're making a difference.

00:35:12.559 --> 00:35:20.239
Because if you're agitating the situation and you're starting to build haters, then you're also building followers.

00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:22.320
You're also building supporters.

00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:30.239
You're also building a foundation of loyal, loving, amazing, loud, proud Americans.

00:35:30.480 --> 00:35:33.920
You are doing what you're doing for a reason.

00:35:34.239 --> 00:35:44.239
And the greater the reason, the greater the results, the greater the obstacles, the greater the lunatics that are going to talk, clap.

00:35:44.960 --> 00:35:56.960
I think when you set your mind and your heart towards doing something, if you don't find resistance, if you don't find people that disagree with you, then you're not doing the right things.

00:35:57.119 --> 00:35:59.199
And then it's not big enough of a goal.

00:35:59.360 --> 00:36:04.639
If you're not meeting resistance, then what's the point of shooting for it?

00:36:04.719 --> 00:36:05.840
Does that make sense to you guys?

00:36:06.000 --> 00:36:13.599
Like if you're not being um shot down, if you're not being criticized, then you're not disturbing the environment enough.

00:36:13.760 --> 00:36:20.239
You're not ruffling the feathers enough because you're just like everybody else living status quo.

00:36:20.320 --> 00:36:22.639
And we are not status quo.

00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:24.559
We are bucking the system.

00:36:24.719 --> 00:36:34.800
We might be agitating the hornet's nest, but that just means if you want to give us that level of hate, that means we've been doing that level of great.

00:36:34.960 --> 00:36:43.440
And that's what I'm gonna keep telling myself, and that's why I'm gonna continue to be thankful for all the attention, good, bad, or otherwise.

00:36:44.000 --> 00:36:48.079
It is all part of the cause and the cost.

00:36:48.800 --> 00:36:53.920
As many people come in and hate, there's a lot more that are coming in to love.

00:36:54.400 --> 00:37:09.360
And over the past week, I experienced an overwhelming amount of love, both from existing friends and family and relationships to new faces and places and relationships.

00:37:09.679 --> 00:37:19.760
So many of you, loyal listeners of the podcast, stopping in, lending your support, people following the social media page, people that have been coming in buying from us for years, coming in.

00:37:19.840 --> 00:37:22.159
Hey man, I'm so proud of you for being here.

00:37:22.320 --> 00:37:24.559
Hey man, I'm here to support you.

00:37:24.880 --> 00:37:30.880
I had so many success stories over the week, so many people coming in to show their support.

00:37:31.039 --> 00:37:36.719
There's been some some cool things that have happened that I've really realized this year in particular.

00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:46.000
I can't tell you how many people came into my tent and told me, you are a part of my Freiburg Fair tradition.

00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:51.440
I need to come in and buy something from you every single year.

00:37:51.760 --> 00:37:53.199
You guys understand this?

00:37:53.519 --> 00:37:57.280
Fryberg Fair is the largest fair in our state.

00:37:57.440 --> 00:38:01.280
It is a main tradition for locals to go to this fair.

00:38:01.440 --> 00:38:09.119
It is also a tradition for people that aren't even local from all around New England and outside of New England to come to this fair.

00:38:09.280 --> 00:38:11.920
It is tradition every year to go to this fair.

00:38:12.159 --> 00:38:19.360
Lau Proud American has now been around long enough to become part of people's tradition.

00:38:19.920 --> 00:38:23.440
I literally heard that word multiple times this week.

00:38:23.599 --> 00:38:24.559
Hey, it's tradition.

00:38:24.639 --> 00:38:25.920
I gotta come in and buy from you.

00:38:26.079 --> 00:38:28.079
Hey, you're part of the Fryberg tradition.

00:38:28.239 --> 00:38:31.440
You, my friend, are part of our fair tradition.

00:38:31.760 --> 00:38:36.239
I had a couple groups come in and say, There's a few things I do at the Fryberg Fair.

00:38:36.320 --> 00:38:43.360
I come in here and I buy the Christmas ornament for the tree, the new family Christmas ornament, and I come over here and I buy from you.

00:38:43.519 --> 00:38:45.039
Those are my traditions.

00:38:45.360 --> 00:38:55.840
And just like buying a sausage sandwich at the fair, getting, you know, the sunflower pizza at the fair, just because your family tradition is the go-to Woodsman's Day.

00:38:55.920 --> 00:39:02.320
It is now your family tradition to come see Loud, Proud American.

00:39:02.639 --> 00:39:08.239
We are becoming a tradition that gives me goosebumps.

00:39:08.639 --> 00:39:16.320
That overcomes the nonsense that I dealt with from all the lunatics that want to come in and run their mouths.

00:39:16.559 --> 00:39:19.519
For all the losers that want to hide behind an email.

00:39:20.079 --> 00:39:30.800
It all gets washed away from all the love and support from all the loud, proud Americans saying, You, my friend, are part of our tradition.

00:39:31.199 --> 00:39:34.880
I will take that any damn day.

00:39:36.960 --> 00:39:37.920
That's my rant.

00:39:38.320 --> 00:39:42.239
Now, with that aside, let's end on some funny and some heartwarming.

00:39:42.880 --> 00:39:44.480
First, the funny.

00:39:45.280 --> 00:39:46.320
I'm in the tent.

00:39:47.519 --> 00:39:51.280
Gotta setting some things out, cashing some people out.

00:39:52.559 --> 00:40:03.599
And uh a good friend of mine, Alan, is actually at the back of the tent talking with my wife and playing with Paisley, and I have my back turned toward the cash register, and Allie says, Here comes the governor.

00:40:03.760 --> 00:40:05.599
Oh god, here comes the governor.

00:40:05.760 --> 00:40:32.800
And I turn around, and Maine's governor, Janet Mills, who you've heard me talk about many times on the podcast, is walking towards our tent, and I look up and there's an entourage with her, there's a camera crew with her, and she's looking at my tent, and they're snapping photos, and she's reading my faith, family, freedom t-shirt, and she turns around and poses for a photo with my product.

00:40:33.199 --> 00:40:43.920
At this point, one of her PR people comes into my tent and says, The governor saw your tent and your Made in America mission, and she wants to take a photo with you.

00:40:44.559 --> 00:40:48.719
The governor is requesting a photo with you.

00:40:52.079 --> 00:40:53.119
Y'all getting this?

00:40:53.280 --> 00:40:54.000
You hearing this?

00:40:54.159 --> 00:40:55.199
You understanding this?

00:40:56.079 --> 00:40:57.199
What do you do?

00:40:57.679 --> 00:41:09.599
You have the opportunity to take a photo with the governor, which is gonna get plastered all over her, you know, social media outlets, gaining you exposure, right?

00:41:10.079 --> 00:41:11.679
You're doing the polite thing.

00:41:12.239 --> 00:41:13.760
Or do you stick to your guns?

00:41:14.079 --> 00:41:17.280
Do you stick to your traditions and your beliefs?

00:41:18.559 --> 00:41:21.760
Do you stand up and say, hell's to the no?

00:41:22.320 --> 00:41:28.639
Y'all can get to the packing and then receive a tax audit on Monday.

00:41:30.000 --> 00:41:30.880
What do you do?

00:41:31.039 --> 00:41:31.840
What do you do?

00:41:32.000 --> 00:41:40.960
Do you decline the photo and um risk, you know, audits, investigations, negative reviews, whatever.

00:41:41.280 --> 00:41:51.280
Or do you pose for the photo and then answer to your loyal base that knows how you feel when they all call you out for doing it?

00:41:51.679 --> 00:41:53.280
Tough spot, Bucky.

00:41:53.440 --> 00:41:54.320
You know what I did?

00:41:54.480 --> 00:41:56.719
I say to the guy, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll be right there.

00:41:56.880 --> 00:42:00.559
And then I proceeded to be as busy as a worker be.

00:42:00.800 --> 00:42:04.159
I was stalking things, I was moving things, I was talking to all things.

00:42:04.320 --> 00:42:11.440
Any customer that came in, I was right there attached to their hip, and I was trying to get myself into the longest conversation possible.

00:42:11.679 --> 00:42:16.400
Meanwhile, I can feel something peering down my back, staring through my spine.

00:42:16.559 --> 00:42:30.159
I turn around, s n not not full turnaround, just a side peripheral and see the governor leaning on one of my racks, looking at my stuff, but staring a hole through me, waiting for that little photo opportunity.

00:42:30.800 --> 00:42:32.880
I wasn't about to cave.

00:42:33.280 --> 00:42:42.559
I stayed so connected to the customers because the customer looking at the sweatshirt is far more important to me than the governor of Maine.

00:42:43.599 --> 00:42:46.079
Taking the hint, they moved on.

00:42:46.320 --> 00:42:50.559
Taking the polite, subtle hint, they moved on.

00:42:51.920 --> 00:42:53.679
Whew, sigh of relief.

00:42:53.840 --> 00:42:57.360
I didn't have to say anything negative, I didn't have to say anything rude.

00:42:58.880 --> 00:43:04.960
I just got busy and let them go along and upon their own way.

00:43:06.079 --> 00:43:12.000
Man, that was a difficult situation to be in.

00:43:12.719 --> 00:43:13.679
Oh my god.

00:43:13.920 --> 00:43:14.800
Y'all know me.

00:43:14.960 --> 00:43:20.719
You can imagine all the things I wanted to say, all the things I wanted to do, but I couldn't do them.

00:43:21.199 --> 00:43:23.599
This would be real bad for business.

00:43:24.480 --> 00:43:26.079
It was bad for business either way.

00:43:26.320 --> 00:43:27.679
It was a tough spot to be in.

00:43:28.320 --> 00:43:30.079
I was in a glass case of emotion.

00:43:30.320 --> 00:43:31.039
You understand?

00:43:33.280 --> 00:43:34.639
That was the funny story.

00:43:34.800 --> 00:43:36.559
Here's the heartwarming story.

00:43:36.800 --> 00:43:41.599
If you've been listening to the podcast, if you are a day one, get your ones up.

00:43:41.679 --> 00:43:43.039
I acknowledge you.

00:43:43.280 --> 00:43:44.559
I appreciate you.

00:43:44.719 --> 00:43:48.480
I thank you for being here listening every damn week.

00:43:48.639 --> 00:43:51.360
If you are a new one, I welcome you.

00:43:51.599 --> 00:44:06.639
If you've been around long enough to know the story of me and my dad and my father's passing, and the fact that we are firm, confirmed believers that my father comes back and checks on us as a bald eagle, then this story is for you.

00:44:06.960 --> 00:44:30.800
Because on Friday, as I'm racing to the fair to set up, I'm driving along, and I happen to look out my right side window, and there I see off in a swamp is a beautiful, large American eagle just staring down, watching traffic, almost watching me approach.

00:44:31.119 --> 00:44:43.360
It's as if this eagle was watching my wife and my child drive by and then waiting for me to be right behind him, and then watching me and guiding me and looking over me.

00:44:43.519 --> 00:44:50.079
This eagle watched me drive off to chase my dreams.

00:44:51.920 --> 00:44:55.119
I messaged the wife because we have radios and I'm like, Did you see that?

00:44:55.199 --> 00:44:56.320
Did you see that eagle?

00:44:56.559 --> 00:44:58.000
And she says, There you go, bud.

00:44:58.239 --> 00:44:59.039
That was your dad.

00:44:59.199 --> 00:45:01.519
He's with you, he's watching over you.

00:45:02.719 --> 00:45:09.840
So my wife goes up to the fair and she works with me Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday when I'm recording the podcast.

00:45:10.000 --> 00:45:15.519
You understand that she's by herself and my my mother's coming up, and then we're gonna do shift change.

00:45:15.599 --> 00:45:18.559
Allie's gonna go home, and my mom's gonna stay there with me.

00:45:18.800 --> 00:45:23.679
So my mom stays there with me, and um she begins to tell me.

00:45:23.840 --> 00:45:44.079
You know, the other day after I got off the phone with you, when I was home doing the chores, right after that, this big, beautiful, amazing bald eagle came over the house, and he circled over me, and he got so low to make sure that I could see him, and he just soared all around the farm.

00:45:44.239 --> 00:45:56.559
He soared around the horse and around the house, and I just stood there and I watched him, and he came close to me, close enough for me to see all the details and to get all the goosebumps.

00:45:57.199 --> 00:46:03.920
I really felt that when I was here by myself taking care of everything, that your father came to check in on me.

00:46:06.480 --> 00:46:08.480
Coincidence or fate?

00:46:10.159 --> 00:46:12.000
I can tell you which one I believe.

00:46:13.280 --> 00:46:19.119
My father told the entire family everything is gonna be alright.

00:46:20.239 --> 00:46:27.519
That is why that is how I know everything is gonna be alright.

00:46:28.079 --> 00:46:34.239
That's why I know I didn't make all the money I wanted to make, but I made enough.

00:46:34.480 --> 00:46:44.639
That's why I know that I have all these bills stacked up, these maintenance situations, these broken vehicles, these obstacles, these delays.

00:46:45.440 --> 00:46:49.039
But I know I will find a way.

00:46:49.360 --> 00:46:52.800
It's all going to be okay.

00:46:53.199 --> 00:46:57.599
My father is there to show me it's all gonna be okay.

00:46:57.920 --> 00:47:14.159
I'm gonna continue to take these struggles, and I'm gonna continue to give them to God, and I'm gonna continue to work as hard and fast as I can to chase my dreams and to encourage each and every person I meet along the way.

00:47:16.719 --> 00:47:19.920
Thank you for supporting my American dream.

00:47:20.079 --> 00:47:24.800
Now go wash, you filthy savage.

00:47:26.000 --> 00:47:28.719
That's it, and that's all, Biggie Smalls.

00:47:42.480 --> 00:47:57.519
If you're out of there, I mean you two read me on Facebook.

00:48:06.079 --> 00:48:22.400
Underscore, underscore, single things structure background.

00:48:25.920 --> 00:48:27.519
You are enjoying what you're doing.

00:48:57.679 --> 00:49:00.480
Now go wash your fucking hands, you filthy savage.