***DISCLAIMER***
Someone (who shall remain nameless) didn’t switch the mic again off of the laptop mic, so the quality of the recording is not up to Core4Life standards…our most humble apologies.
However, the content from Joe was still very high quality. So join us this week as we sat down with Joe Haddad and listen in on how he started up his own company, University Tees, almost 20 years ago, which has grown to 200 people at their headquarters and 700+ people working remotely from over 300 campuses across the country. Along with the craziness of running this company, he walked us through many other things he’s involved in, the challenges he’s faced and how they’ve helped shape who he is today. All while raising a family of 4 alongside his wife Ashley. Get ready to be motivated.
Resources mentioned by Joe:
Fit Soul by Ben Greenfield
Success is not an Accident by Tommy Newberry
Podcast Transcription:
Started his own business almost 20 years ago with his current business partner Nick on. Now, grown to over 200 people at their headquarters and seven hundred plus people working remotely from over 300K. Hes married to Ashley has four. Awesome kids Brooks whos 9lilas 6. Collins AKA coco has 4 and Hollis will be 2 in September podcast with his business partner, which is called, is I life iron, sharpens iron, very similar concept, start this and get everything going about the role. And then we started talking little bit. I was like, nachos podcast is pretty similar to what about Fitness faculty and finance. So looking forward to really diving into some more of this with you on that, I guess or welcome here. Joe had at it. Thanks for having me in your entire studio. So I will keep things off with season to hear guests drink of choice. Joe our first season. We did all burdens is kind of lots of different bourbons and Jen, Ive tried a few of them, so we got a special batch here for you is not a burden, but we put a scotch in our small Oak Barrel and raging right now and trying it out here for the first time is the first one we wanted to dive into a little bit. Was our be driven tiller, youre obviously is very driven individual and everything that you do. Starting with starting your own business, by 20 years ago. Can you just give us the overview on what that looks like, how it got started? Where its at today? Yeah. A c2003 of the junior Miami University in Oxford, Ohio for studying accounting, and finance and my roommate, the time, Nick studying under ship in marketing and we were selling T-shirts to make money for a fundraiser on campus, green, beer day, Thursday before Saint Patricks Day. The following year, we learned a ton about t-shirts, sold a bunch in the following. You said you cant sell t-shirts is too dark ization fundraiser. You really rock. Have fun happy with buying shirts. Start some T-shirts. The sororities returning student groups in Miami. And then our senior year, he said we can sell t-shirts. Miami. I better friends can sell t-shirts, their schools. Wesleyan. Started hiring other students in business card catalog, and they would sell t-shirts on their campus. And then we have a graphic design student 2006 make University Lakewood Ohio to suburb of Cleveland. We have just under 200 full-time people and around seven or eight hundred students. Sorority fraternity, t-shirts. Even sure its like score for like designer but where we got the shirts from, you know, Im at the time we have zero t-shirts. I was trying to tell Joe how the shirt would fit him, you wouldnt know. Appreciate you sharing a little bit about that. Now, you havent started from the beginning and it skipped ahead to where youre at today. Im sure that theres been some challenges that maybe didnt expect that time about just growing the business and get to where youre at. Others Nationwide on canvases. I mean, can you share a little bit about Whats going through today early on? When it was just Nick. And I are some of the early challenges were Learn what does it look like? Tire train somebody. We learned from by mistake. Most recent, biggest challenge, we had was in the pandemic in college campus is closed. Then all of a sudden, he went from Southeastern campus though, he nobodys at campus. and what I would say there would be the way that we grew up through the challenges was, we always want to know what was around. What whats the next channel is going to? So that thats really served as well. So early on, but together. Unpaid round here but people he looked up to it was really always try this around. Sex with people whove gone before us in the business world that he can help us. See whats whats around the corner. And thats thats really been helpful to know. when you are, You mentioned, you had like seven eight hundred campus brand managers, or something like that. Okay, cool. So they go to the various sorority fraternity, houses in and sell or did show up throughout the campus. Off campus. But each student is given like a customer list. That the unique, nothing, you can hang the house. Can I get the college students going in a in a sales path. Team members were past campus managers in our programs. Early, I really was cool opportunity. Complement. Much larger company and experience videos. Really cool opportunity. So we think we try to make the most of the opportunity. What great recruiting programs when you got 700, employees are part-time, employees at a religious College college kids, trying to make a little bit of extra money on the side too, but then you get to see whos got, who got a good work ethic whos doing well. And we always talk about our company building again. invest a lot in into those a program to like helping them steering them, and guiding them, making helping them succeed, as best you can absolutely The outside. Rosa Bella. So youre outside of universities, I know we mentioned the Iowa side podcast iron sharpens iron. Its a little bit about that. What its all about, why you got it started in the first place and what kind of things youre doing today? Yeah, how we got started in the first place in 2017? Professional training. Waiting on this, how blessed we were to have this circle of mentor. Faith, Family Fitness. Cool. Are friends and coworkers. January 2018. Be our first Retreat Via 45. N, in Cleveland. Women. Couples Retreat. Now is this invite-only how will people get know about this if they wanted to? late 90s, commercial HTTP colon slash three ways to check it out. The first Saturday in August, I like the home run. Workout. Recharge refocus in relay. Thats awesome. Where you guys do? People love the venue there. Workouts in the fire pit tonight. Directions to do a lot of this stuff with your best friend neck, right between nuisance College like best friends in college and now your business partners. And now youve gone through all kinds of stuff with him. Like how do you maintain that relationship? Cuz I mean Reef, weve had friendships you have before this and now were entering a podcast last visit together. So how do you keep that? Keep that healthy. we are like a lot of times people that were business partners and then weather today. Creative Marketing. Instantly. Overlap With Friends. Relationship. yeah, its cool to see especially Faith is a big part of your life. Everything to do with your business, with the podcast, your family. Everything then you talk about how that music or two ugly breakup specialist, At work driving towards, which is Gods purpose? Then I can bring you back to where you really had was I think why? So its cool to see that and you know we have for Binoo filler which is not like to hear from different people on what that really means to them. And then again I was he was facing a big part of that for you as it is for us. What does that really mean to you in your life? What does that look like? when you first told me about Beanos, We just finished the chapter, Im code of conduct. So you have I really use that often so I actually Googled it. Im like, okay, so I think for me and use my corn. And then, I wrote down. Me Like Jesus. What would Jesus do in situation and how do I be more like him? Corporate values is a business person. People see, people remember how they see me and how they feel around me more than they do. Listed on my personal core values. Character. I want to be loving serving, humble, faithful teachable Dependable intentional and hardest worker. And what Im doing those things. my Dads here he Were Young and we hit 80 and Eli gave us a sword. How to get a second charge is like part of that. I got you reading that looks like super packed like a lot of what you said that like, what your goals are for your life and thats how your face going to live that out with going forward. Since thats the way. So we did that like a ceremony at our house. I believe in like my brother. I think we got it at the same time. Actually my brother and I can both our swords like together. So I was like, super cool. And so now we all have a lot of boys who were kind of thinking through like what we want that to look like and stay till I can get all together and like a ceremony to like Christian manhood so to speak. If I can make that generational sort of a challenge to them. Yeah, dont mess it up. Speaking of the one who read modern-day Knight and race them to Mater. Dei Knights younger, brother Steven and older brother. Nathan are both here visiting in town this week so when I come check it out so youre not disappointing again. Talk is cheap, right? I mean, if youre not practicing What You Preach, then its all going to Workplace, what you do outside of that also. Encouraging to me in Korean. Youre trying to live off of like that. Thank you. So what does that? What does that really mean? In the workplace? Where youre at? Now weve had plenty of cops Haitians about that aspect of it. And you know, we talked about all the time, we bring we bring friends into the workplace in the best way possible to not be the Christian guy but to be the loving, I got it and show him what Christian means in their life and its all had our struggles. There, you got your own business and been able to do some of your Youre only things within that. So what was that look like for University? Regency 7 glass. That makes a Christian. Its really cool. Were all equally. Wasnt. Brothers that theres a couple things. we try to think about one of these various stages going for, Free Christian. How do we support those? For The Seekers that want to know more. when you get a free lunch or breakfast, if we do it in the morning 1, Golf outings different speaker. that was a fun event, but will bring What is that saying for Christian business? Mens And then, lastly. Summer from a company. Bible study. They have all those different programs for each stage. Another one of our guests talked about any was Jamie for check. He talks about end of the spectrum of where somebody is like on their Journey with Chrysler there to -5 another not believers. They dont want to be Believers as you get to the zero, thats when you commit your life to Christ, and then, as you going through a relationship, so each each end of the spectrum. Have you been able to see like growth in that area? Like somebody going from a a negative to a positive yet? Size of a thief in action so they might be might be somewhere. First one that comes to mind. Probably at 6. Treats for a couple years. Its the first design. So now we took something super passionate about design and Son of God. Coming out, but curious. Baptized. Probably one of my favorites. so curious, I make it as an awesome story and you might not have the answer to this, but he said hes Text manager, when you come to work for you as a video. And thats all the records there since I was doing very well. I guess you still, you still searching for something else. Do you have to know that what what was it that made him? You dont continue to search there that Builder. What was it in his life? Can speak for him. But I would say where he was at with somewhere or something, I was feeling myself, maybe about 15 years ago, And I think, I dont know, the author, this is not my quote. You can reach 6s. Those things are awful at all. And like many of us. Youre not going to. Its like he was obviously a driven to and liked and wanted to get the sales records and breaking all those things. But then taking that drive and turning it towards God, no toward his kingdom. Like thats such a cool thing to see in such a powerful thing when it happens, thats an awesome story. Andrea, probably answer to a a reason for God book club the other day. in this world and draw Cherian that dream of a Superbowl, thousands goal, and then one that first one and a confetti came rolling down. He was like Empty still feel bad. I got you tool at the peak of whatever you were chasing going to end at some point. Why dont you leave your family out of that you bought at weekends are driven in a lot of different ways, and Ive done a lot of different things. What about I mean within your family, like what, what kind of thing keeps you going there to be the husband and father, Got it. Are my personal mission statements are so loving and serve. Im not a perfect husband. Love dancer. Sunday for me. Just trying to get by right now. Before I came here tonight. You just getting into it? Swim, and we love. My daughter is a Safety Town. So, we played yesterday for an hour. Search the fun fun stuff to do. Being there for them, like being at be interested in the stuff that theyre interested in and being there for them, like, it makes such a difference. I cant. I also four kids also like some of the coolest stuff to that. Im there during the day and we can have lunch together. Like I think thats a skill. Other games. Just Dance. The same song. Yeah. Do it again. We got transition to my, my last part, there was how you find time for the head back out of cell real. We like to talk about balance. You got a lot going on. I mean, after building a company up from the ground up and having this podcast going on having this Christian business, mens connection that you guys do these different Bible studies that you got going on with your work the one that you do separate from that family life with four kids and a lot going on and then youre still put in the time and effort to find fun things to do with your kids, you know? So its encouraging to hear that no matter what you got going on. I mean, you can find. This was that look like for you, by the way. Gym right now. Ideally, Im working. 45 days a week, mostly at home. Call Tiny. In one day. Workouts. Some days, I try. That sounds like a good day. Im getting discouraged. Now, you do a lot more like we do? I like weights or like mixing some swimming and like, stuff. Is it good for your joints? Good cardio. And like, just stretching and some yoga, and he can get all use that. I like seeing myself, pretty flexible, but I did work out. Looking Murphy every Friday. The Murph is a mile run. 100, pull-ups, 200, push-ups 300, 300, She do Murph every Friday. I never thought I would enjoy that, but I sent you guys a Seventh Day, Slumber, have you heard their worship album to look up Seventh Day Slumber worship on Spotify. Theyve got up. Have a heavy Ronica Rock worship album and we might be interviewing her later. Blossom jail. Preciate you being here? Sharing everything that you got going on. We love to finish things up and gave us a resource earlier. Anything else. If youve got to give our listeners, I think that youre reading listening to show notes to websites to apps. The other is master plan coach.com. So if youre a business owner, Christian based business coaching. Pictures of books at 1. Thats just the current read. Im halfway. And thats one of the most. My most recommended book for the book by Tommy Newberry called six. message after 3, And then the two apps are the YouVersion Bible app. Running working out. Bible studies through it. Free basic app. Busy this year. Super Bowl. Scripture, Memory younger open. COC, we did. We have not been reviewing them as much as yesterday. back to you, if you Were going to have you back on 3 years from now and were just going to be fat and just have Joe recital. Call you again, thanks for all the inside. So obviously youre sharing with us tonight. Glad you could join us for another core for Life podcast. If you like what youre hearing, please share this with a friend and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter at core for life or check out our website core for life.com that score four life.com to the next Thursday for another brand new episode. Google for Life For Life.