Laying the Foundation for Knoxville's Growth with John Ewart

1
00:00:05,290 --> 00:00:06,820
Julia: Hey everybody, welcome to

2
00:00:07,069 --> 00:00:09,649
another episode of Connect the Knox.

3
00:00:10,030 --> 00:00:11,960
I'm Julia Hurley, your host,

4
00:00:12,370 --> 00:00:15,149
connecting Knoxville to the nation.

5
00:00:15,430 --> 00:00:17,039
Today's guest is John Ewert.

6
00:00:18,270 --> 00:00:20,840
He is the Knoxville Chapter President

7
00:00:20,860 --> 00:00:22,610
in all things, honestly, he could

8
00:00:22,610 --> 00:00:23,890
probably run the whole country if

9
00:00:23,890 --> 00:00:25,050
we would just let him do it, of AGC,

10
00:00:26,050 --> 00:00:28,440
Knoxville Chapter, and one of the

11
00:00:28,500 --> 00:00:30,970
best volunteers you will ever meet.

12
00:00:31,299 --> 00:00:32,929
It is very important that everybody

13
00:00:32,929 --> 00:00:34,749
moving here gets to know John, because

14
00:00:34,759 --> 00:00:37,089
he houses one of the most prolific

15
00:00:37,089 --> 00:00:38,670
groups of people you will ever meet.

16
00:00:39,335 --> 00:00:41,565
Please introduce yourself to the nation

17
00:00:41,705 --> 00:00:43,815
and start from the beginning, how you

18
00:00:43,815 --> 00:00:45,655
ended up here in Knoxville and how you

19
00:00:45,655 --> 00:00:47,794
got to AGC and then tell us what it is.

20
00:00:48,135 --> 00:00:48,535
John Ewart: Well, thank

21
00:00:48,535 --> 00:00:49,734
you so much for having me.

22
00:00:49,734 --> 00:00:51,185
I truly do appreciate it.

23
00:00:51,214 --> 00:00:52,144
My stories.

24
00:00:52,470 --> 00:00:54,650
Pretty simple, uh, come from a small

25
00:00:54,650 --> 00:00:58,319
town, Fayetteville, Tennessee, uh, 1991,

26
00:00:58,419 --> 00:01:00,469
uh, United States goes into war with the

27
00:01:00,469 --> 00:01:02,769
Persian Gulf area, enlisted in the United

28
00:01:02,769 --> 00:01:05,089
States Navy, had a four year career in

29
00:01:05,089 --> 00:01:07,150
the Navy, that was absolutely incredible,

30
00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:09,299
got a chance to be stationed in Pearl

31
00:01:09,299 --> 00:01:11,229
Harbor, Hawaii, got a chance to go to

32
00:01:11,230 --> 00:01:14,550
the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Cairo, Egypt,

33
00:01:14,619 --> 00:01:16,800
just had an amazing four year career.

34
00:01:17,220 --> 00:01:18,690
During that time, I decided I

35
00:01:18,750 --> 00:01:20,259
wanted to go play football at the

36
00:01:20,259 --> 00:01:22,170
University of Tennessee as a walk on.

37
00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,640
Got over to UT in 96, graduated in 99.

38
00:01:26,900 --> 00:01:28,720
And what an incredible two year

39
00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,740
journey from 1997 and 1998.

40
00:01:32,219 --> 00:01:34,999
Playing on the, uh, 97 SEC

41
00:01:34,999 --> 00:01:36,710
Championship team with Peyton Manning.

42
00:01:37,020 --> 00:01:39,040
Playing on the 1998 National

43
00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:40,640
Championship team with a host

44
00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:42,800
of Vols, Al Wilson, Jamal Lewis.

45
00:01:43,350 --> 00:01:46,250
And, uh, uh, just a host of others.

46
00:01:46,610 --> 00:01:48,520
From there, uh, started

47
00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:49,740
my business career.

48
00:01:50,050 --> 00:01:51,610
Got a chance to work four years

49
00:01:51,610 --> 00:01:53,050
at Gettysview Country Club.

50
00:01:53,199 --> 00:01:54,809
That was absolutely incredible.

51
00:01:55,089 --> 00:01:57,020
Incredible opportunity to network,

52
00:01:57,330 --> 00:01:58,939
meet a lot of people moving to the

53
00:01:58,939 --> 00:02:00,550
Knoxville area during that time.

54
00:02:00,940 --> 00:02:02,440
From there, I went to St.

55
00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:03,300
Mary's Healthcare.

56
00:02:03,710 --> 00:02:05,430
Got a chance to run a health and fitness

57
00:02:05,430 --> 00:02:08,060
center, uh, off the Emory Road exit.

58
00:02:08,459 --> 00:02:10,350
I got a chance to run a daycare,

59
00:02:10,350 --> 00:02:12,450
do director of marketing and, uh,

60
00:02:12,450 --> 00:02:15,029
facilities manager, uh, COO for

61
00:02:15,029 --> 00:02:17,579
the hospital after 13 years there.

62
00:02:17,790 --> 00:02:19,739
Uh, a GC hired me six years

63
00:02:19,739 --> 00:02:21,890
ago to run this market.

64
00:02:22,220 --> 00:02:24,170
Running the construction community

65
00:02:24,170 --> 00:02:25,640
is absolutely incredible.

66
00:02:25,640 --> 00:02:27,170
There's so many amazing people

67
00:02:27,174 --> 00:02:28,670
in Knoxville to connect with.

68
00:02:28,990 --> 00:02:31,030
Julia: So what does a GC stand for, john?

69
00:02:31,510 --> 00:02:32,109
John Ewart: Associated

70
00:02:32,109 --> 00:02:33,250
General contractors.

71
00:02:33,535 --> 00:02:36,234
So, we are a nationwide organization.

72
00:02:36,234 --> 00:02:38,255
The headquarters of AGC is on Capitol

73
00:02:38,255 --> 00:02:40,405
Hill, literally on Capitol Hill.

74
00:02:40,734 --> 00:02:42,904
They, of course, want favorable

75
00:02:42,904 --> 00:02:45,474
outcomes in legislation, so construction

76
00:02:45,474 --> 00:02:47,834
continue to happen and grow.

77
00:02:48,144 --> 00:02:49,924
Obviously, the infrastructure of

78
00:02:49,924 --> 00:02:51,834
America as a whole is very old.

79
00:02:52,239 --> 00:02:53,679
Between roads and bridges and

80
00:02:53,679 --> 00:02:55,400
dams and everything in between.

81
00:02:55,709 --> 00:02:57,130
And then, of course, in the Knoxville

82
00:02:57,130 --> 00:02:59,579
market, we really are looking at

83
00:02:59,579 --> 00:03:01,399
your vertical GCE individuals.

84
00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:02,509
The people that are building the

85
00:03:02,509 --> 00:03:04,949
large buildings, Smith Wesson, Neyland

86
00:03:04,950 --> 00:03:07,290
Stadium, College of Nursing on campus.

87
00:03:07,935 --> 00:03:09,925
So that's really who we serve

88
00:03:09,925 --> 00:03:10,945
here in the Knoxville market.

89
00:03:11,215 --> 00:03:11,745
Julia: So it's a pretty

90
00:03:11,745 --> 00:03:13,055
big market to think about.

91
00:03:13,404 --> 00:03:15,445
Uh, anybody that can get a collegiate

92
00:03:15,605 --> 00:03:17,885
contract usually has a national

93
00:03:17,885 --> 00:03:19,885
contract for large construction.

94
00:03:19,885 --> 00:03:20,684
It's not something that's

95
00:03:20,684 --> 00:03:22,015
really easy to understand.

96
00:03:22,015 --> 00:03:22,605
It's not something

97
00:03:22,605 --> 00:03:23,864
that's easy to get into.

98
00:03:24,104 --> 00:03:25,934
It takes years to develop the

99
00:03:25,934 --> 00:03:28,504
relationships to pull contracts like that.

100
00:03:28,504 --> 00:03:30,434
You need subcontractors, you need all

101
00:03:30,434 --> 00:03:32,024
kinds of different vendors, and you

102
00:03:32,134 --> 00:03:34,754
manage relationships with all of those.

103
00:03:35,024 --> 00:03:37,154
Uh, what does that membership look like?

104
00:03:37,629 --> 00:03:38,429
What is it made up of?

105
00:03:38,980 --> 00:03:41,459
John Ewart: So right now we have roughly

106
00:03:41,500 --> 00:03:44,700
200 members here in the Knoxville Market.

107
00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:47,850
Everything from the largest GCs,

108
00:03:47,870 --> 00:03:49,690
you've got subcontractors, you've got

109
00:03:49,690 --> 00:03:52,160
suppliers, you have service providers.

110
00:03:52,460 --> 00:03:54,150
And the way I look at it, it is,

111
00:03:54,210 --> 00:03:55,870
what does our community look like?

112
00:03:55,900 --> 00:03:57,929
And we want to be a makeup of all

113
00:03:57,930 --> 00:03:59,699
of those levels in our community.

114
00:03:59,949 --> 00:04:01,729
So a lot of people look at this and just

115
00:04:01,729 --> 00:04:03,349
say, well, you're just construction.

116
00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:05,189
We are not just construction.

117
00:04:05,189 --> 00:04:07,559
You have financial investors here,

118
00:04:07,690 --> 00:04:10,260
you've got real estate, You have

119
00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:13,160
Insurance, but then you have all the

120
00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,050
large subs, you've got all the large

121
00:04:15,060 --> 00:04:18,149
GCs, but ultimately the Knoxville

122
00:04:18,159 --> 00:04:20,070
market is built around a community.

123
00:04:20,534 --> 00:04:22,164
And I think that's where we have

124
00:04:22,164 --> 00:04:24,355
had so many levels of success here,

125
00:04:24,525 --> 00:04:26,545
is because we are community driven,

126
00:04:26,785 --> 00:04:28,234
uh, which includes construction.

127
00:04:28,235 --> 00:04:28,885
Construction

128
00:04:29,494 --> 00:04:31,595
Julia: industry as a whole, especially

129
00:04:31,595 --> 00:04:32,695
in the East Tennessee market right

130
00:04:32,824 --> 00:04:34,634
now, especially in East Tennessee,

131
00:04:34,805 --> 00:04:36,704
we, national blew up, right?

132
00:04:36,705 --> 00:04:38,674
And it's just absolutely, you can't find

133
00:04:38,675 --> 00:04:40,595
space, yet they continue to find space.

134
00:04:40,955 --> 00:04:42,875
And they're coming this way, and there's

135
00:04:42,915 --> 00:04:44,775
more and more opportunity every day.

136
00:04:44,775 --> 00:04:46,205
But as you said, construction's

137
00:04:46,215 --> 00:04:47,504
not just put on the hard

138
00:04:47,534 --> 00:04:48,775
hat and go build something.

139
00:04:48,775 --> 00:04:51,015
Construction is Supply.

140
00:04:51,164 --> 00:04:52,685
Construction is employment.

141
00:04:52,685 --> 00:04:54,044
Construction is management.

142
00:04:54,044 --> 00:04:55,315
Construction is healthcare.

143
00:04:55,315 --> 00:04:56,775
Construction is base.

144
00:04:57,185 --> 00:04:57,544
What?

145
00:04:57,765 --> 00:04:59,474
There are so many different facets to

146
00:04:59,474 --> 00:05:01,654
the word construction and especially

147
00:05:01,655 --> 00:05:03,224
the major amounts of construction

148
00:05:03,224 --> 00:05:05,044
industries that you were helping manage.

149
00:05:05,445 --> 00:05:07,604
What converse, what are conversations

150
00:05:07,625 --> 00:05:09,404
like with all of those people in one room?

151
00:05:09,445 --> 00:05:11,025
Like what is the benefit here?

152
00:05:11,374 --> 00:05:12,775
John Ewart: So the biggest thing

153
00:05:12,775 --> 00:05:14,414
that you look at when we talk about

154
00:05:14,414 --> 00:05:16,564
construction is you've got two major

155
00:05:16,604 --> 00:05:18,294
things that you've got obstacles with.

156
00:05:18,655 --> 00:05:19,655
The first one's going to be

157
00:05:19,655 --> 00:05:22,405
Employment, um, Workforce Development.

158
00:05:22,424 --> 00:05:24,034
Second one's going to be Supply Chain.

159
00:05:24,484 --> 00:05:27,234
So, with AGC, one of the greatest benefits

160
00:05:27,234 --> 00:05:29,554
that we offer Knox County, not only

161
00:05:29,554 --> 00:05:31,275
the school system, but the employers,

162
00:05:31,275 --> 00:05:32,974
is we have an Apprenticeship Program.

163
00:05:33,264 --> 00:05:34,805
This Apprenticeship Program is

164
00:05:34,805 --> 00:05:37,169
Electricians, Carpenters, and Masons.

165
00:05:37,590 --> 00:05:39,950
This year was our largest group of

166
00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,400
students we've had with 270 students

167
00:05:43,410 --> 00:05:45,560
starting the 2023 school year.

168
00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:47,530
It's a four year program

169
00:05:47,750 --> 00:05:49,060
through the Department of Labor.

170
00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:50,679
After four years in this program,

171
00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:52,480
you get your journeyman's license

172
00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,300
and workforce development in every

173
00:05:55,309 --> 00:05:58,370
industry is vital to the growth and

174
00:05:58,370 --> 00:06:01,540
continuing education, uh, for employers.

175
00:06:01,830 --> 00:06:03,670
Julia: Now, what's a journeyman?

176
00:06:04,100 --> 00:06:06,090
John Ewart: A journeyman is, uh, basically

177
00:06:06,090 --> 00:06:07,510
when you get your real estate license.

178
00:06:07,835 --> 00:06:09,085
You have to go through class, you've

179
00:06:09,095 --> 00:06:10,295
got to go through the seminars,

180
00:06:10,295 --> 00:06:11,195
you've got to go through all the

181
00:06:11,195 --> 00:06:13,915
process to receive your license.

182
00:06:14,215 --> 00:06:17,745
Well, a journeyman is a four year degree

183
00:06:18,044 --> 00:06:20,125
as an electrician or as a carpenter.

184
00:06:20,465 --> 00:06:21,994
So you go four years to school, you

185
00:06:21,994 --> 00:06:24,014
do all the testing, you get all the

186
00:06:24,014 --> 00:06:26,275
apprenticeship hours, which you have

187
00:06:26,275 --> 00:06:27,925
to have 2, 000 work hours a year,

188
00:06:27,925 --> 00:06:29,725
so basically a full time employee.

189
00:06:30,190 --> 00:06:32,050
And after you test out after four

190
00:06:32,050 --> 00:06:34,630
years, you are, you are a licensed

191
00:06:34,630 --> 00:06:36,790
electrician or a licensed carpenter

192
00:06:36,970 --> 00:06:38,379
that can practice throughout the U.

193
00:06:38,380 --> 00:06:38,760
S.

194
00:06:38,870 --> 00:06:39,740
Julia: I have friends of mine that

195
00:06:39,809 --> 00:06:41,850
own large scale businesses, like

196
00:06:42,099 --> 00:06:43,289
the ones that belong to AT& T.

197
00:06:43,290 --> 00:06:45,709
And we are told constantly that that is

198
00:06:45,710 --> 00:06:47,539
a dying industry, that there are just not

199
00:06:47,539 --> 00:06:50,060
enough people that, one, are interested

200
00:06:50,060 --> 00:06:51,750
in it or understand why it's valuable.

201
00:06:52,420 --> 00:06:54,620
I do want to go through that long of a

202
00:06:54,620 --> 00:06:58,255
process to Gain that type of knowledge,

203
00:06:58,265 --> 00:07:00,485
yet it is one of the most sought after.

204
00:07:00,775 --> 00:07:02,865
Claymore, why that's relevant and what you

205
00:07:02,865 --> 00:07:04,655
all are doing to partner with like Key,

206
00:07:04,665 --> 00:07:07,305
Rhode State, uh, Walter State, and, and

207
00:07:07,315 --> 00:07:09,505
how you're providing that to industry.

208
00:07:09,874 --> 00:07:11,525
John Ewart: So from what I understand,

209
00:07:11,525 --> 00:07:13,684
the latest study that I saw when we had

210
00:07:13,684 --> 00:07:15,554
an apprenticeship roundtable with Knox

211
00:07:15,575 --> 00:07:18,775
County is it's about a five to one loss.

212
00:07:18,854 --> 00:07:20,085
We're losing five people for

213
00:07:20,085 --> 00:07:22,854
every one entering in, in these,

214
00:07:22,875 --> 00:07:24,614
uh, journeyman type positions.

215
00:07:25,060 --> 00:07:27,700
So for us, it comes down to education.

216
00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:30,950
People just don't realize a starting wage

217
00:07:31,140 --> 00:07:33,909
for a lot of these 18, 19, 20 year old

218
00:07:33,909 --> 00:07:37,580
individuals could be 15 plus an hour.

219
00:07:37,830 --> 00:07:39,870
Now a lot of places are paying 15 plus an

220
00:07:39,870 --> 00:07:42,009
hour just to, you know, survive business.

221
00:07:42,999 --> 00:07:45,059
But once you enter as your journeyman

222
00:07:45,059 --> 00:07:47,309
after four years, you can make 25, 30,

223
00:07:47,359 --> 00:07:50,370
35 an hour with that four year degree.

224
00:07:50,679 --> 00:07:52,090
A lot of the college degrees that

225
00:07:52,090 --> 00:07:53,950
people are receiving right now on

226
00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:56,030
different campuses can't pay that much.

227
00:07:56,030 --> 00:07:57,849
I know I didn't make that coming out.

228
00:07:57,849 --> 00:07:59,089
No, I came out of college

229
00:07:59,100 --> 00:08:00,479
25 plus years ago.

230
00:08:00,770 --> 00:08:02,970
But we really want to, through the

231
00:08:03,010 --> 00:08:05,360
865 Academy here in Knox County,

232
00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:07,460
with Builders Exchange, with other

233
00:08:07,910 --> 00:08:09,900
entities, we really want that.

234
00:08:10,305 --> 00:08:13,305
education piece to say if you're not ready

235
00:08:13,305 --> 00:08:16,465
for a four year degree at post, post high

236
00:08:16,465 --> 00:08:19,685
school, if you want a job opportunity

237
00:08:19,685 --> 00:08:21,375
where you're hired, you're employed,

238
00:08:21,565 --> 00:08:23,605
and you're still doing education, uh,

239
00:08:23,635 --> 00:08:25,694
becoming an electrician, carpenter,

240
00:08:25,695 --> 00:08:27,754
mason is an incredible way to go.

241
00:08:27,994 --> 00:08:29,965
Of course, my way, as soon as I've left

242
00:08:29,965 --> 00:08:31,835
high school, I'm straight into boot camp.

243
00:08:32,025 --> 00:08:33,585
You know, I'm four years military.

244
00:08:34,010 --> 00:08:35,280
Then I go back to college

245
00:08:35,290 --> 00:08:36,320
and get my degree.

246
00:08:36,680 --> 00:08:38,539
I think the value of degrees

247
00:08:38,539 --> 00:08:40,070
right now with the cost of them,

248
00:08:40,450 --> 00:08:42,700
you can join the apprenticeship

249
00:08:42,710 --> 00:08:45,590
program and a four year program.

250
00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:47,449
I did a study for Knox County

251
00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,720
last week and our average student

252
00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:54,080
after four years graduating will

253
00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:56,940
pay less than 1, 500 in tuition.

254
00:08:57,270 --> 00:08:59,200
So again, we want to provide

255
00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:00,840
that value back to our members.

256
00:09:01,190 --> 00:09:03,600
Because they employ individuals, they send

257
00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:06,120
them to our school, but it's also a great

258
00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,870
value for each of those students who isn't

259
00:09:08,870 --> 00:09:10,720
getting in a lifetime of debt to get a

260
00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:13,170
four year, you know, journeyman's license.

261
00:09:13,300 --> 00:09:14,760
Julia: I know that there's

262
00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:16,850
a show, uh, does something

263
00:09:16,850 --> 00:09:18,589
called the Man Show every year.

264
00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:21,980
And the IEBW, am I saying that properly?

265
00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:24,660
The local IEBW is always there.

266
00:09:25,030 --> 00:09:26,670
Really and truly, every person walks

267
00:09:26,670 --> 00:09:27,510
through the door, they're like, Please

268
00:09:27,540 --> 00:09:29,009
go and get your electrician's license.

269
00:09:29,010 --> 00:09:30,249
Please, we need more electricians.

270
00:09:30,249 --> 00:09:30,900
Please help us.

271
00:09:30,910 --> 00:09:31,759
We need this.

272
00:09:32,020 --> 00:09:34,829
This is a need that is being talked

273
00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:36,140
about more and more and more.

274
00:09:36,359 --> 00:09:38,690
How do you see this program bringing

275
00:09:38,740 --> 00:09:42,060
these kids into this faster to be able

276
00:09:42,060 --> 00:09:43,810
to that 5 to 1 ratio is a big loss.

277
00:09:43,810 --> 00:09:46,800
Like, how are we How can we work as a, as

278
00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:49,260
a community to bring more of that to you?

279
00:09:49,550 --> 00:09:50,480
John Ewart: I think with Knox

280
00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:51,820
County School System starting the

281
00:09:51,820 --> 00:09:54,829
865 Academy, getting their juniors

282
00:09:54,829 --> 00:09:56,920
and seniors exposed into different

283
00:09:56,930 --> 00:10:00,090
trades and different styles of work.

284
00:10:00,340 --> 00:10:02,630
I think a lot of times it's people,

285
00:10:02,710 --> 00:10:04,020
you know, have grown up and they

286
00:10:04,020 --> 00:10:05,470
haven't had to work with their hands.

287
00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:07,600
Uh, they haven't had to do manual

288
00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,560
labor, yet when they get into the, uh,

289
00:10:10,560 --> 00:10:12,560
workforce, I mean, that's the majority

290
00:10:12,560 --> 00:10:14,060
of the jobs that's going to be out there.

291
00:10:14,390 --> 00:10:15,449
And then the second thing is

292
00:10:15,450 --> 00:10:16,970
you've got to educate them on pay.

293
00:10:17,270 --> 00:10:19,919
The hourly wage for a journeyman or

294
00:10:19,919 --> 00:10:21,800
the hourly wage for an apprentice.

295
00:10:22,370 --> 00:10:23,620
is going to be greater than

296
00:10:23,620 --> 00:10:25,080
a lot of the other jobs that

297
00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:26,190
they're going to be seeking.

298
00:10:26,460 --> 00:10:27,480
And the on the job

299
00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:28,940
training is so important.

300
00:10:28,970 --> 00:10:31,000
That's why being an apprentice and having

301
00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,230
a mentor and having somebody who is

302
00:10:33,260 --> 00:10:36,460
guiding you along the way is so important.

303
00:10:36,550 --> 00:10:39,929
But I just don't think in today's Twitter

304
00:10:39,929 --> 00:10:42,640
universe, you know, everything is built

305
00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:45,340
on social media and clicks and likes.

306
00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:47,720
I think a lot of people just miss it.

307
00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,000
This is a great area to go into

308
00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,105
business And you can start your

309
00:10:52,105 --> 00:10:54,185
own business after four years.

310
00:10:54,275 --> 00:10:55,195
It's incredible.

311
00:10:56,045 --> 00:10:57,605
Julia: AGC, you said there's 200

312
00:10:57,635 --> 00:10:59,345
members in just the Knoxville chapter?

313
00:10:59,655 --> 00:11:00,245
John Ewart: Correct.

314
00:11:00,504 --> 00:11:01,834
Julia: I know that we've met, I've met a

315
00:11:01,834 --> 00:11:05,095
few, um, the new female CEO, which is huge

316
00:11:05,124 --> 00:11:07,025
of, and I'm going to mess it up, OYSK3.

317
00:11:08,635 --> 00:11:10,365
John Ewart: Kara, she's incredible.

318
00:11:14,265 --> 00:11:14,824
Julia: They're doing the

319
00:11:14,824 --> 00:11:16,324
blueprints for Neyland Stadium.

320
00:11:16,324 --> 00:11:17,415
They're a, they're a massive

321
00:11:17,415 --> 00:11:18,494
blueprint company, right?

322
00:11:18,525 --> 00:11:21,005
That's, that is a skill that takes

323
00:11:21,064 --> 00:11:23,535
years of practice to be part, and that's

324
00:11:23,535 --> 00:11:26,285
just one portion of what it takes to

325
00:11:26,285 --> 00:11:28,764
put together construction as a, the

326
00:11:28,765 --> 00:11:30,565
word construction means so much more.

327
00:11:30,714 --> 00:11:32,195
What are some of the pieces?

328
00:11:32,615 --> 00:11:34,985
Like, you have the women in construction.

329
00:11:34,985 --> 00:11:36,215
Tell us about that offshoot

330
00:11:36,455 --> 00:11:37,725
of the AGC specifically.

331
00:11:38,234 --> 00:11:40,665
John Ewart: So, I had a conversation with

332
00:11:40,675 --> 00:11:43,334
my, at that time, 15 year old daughter.

333
00:11:43,625 --> 00:11:45,954
And she was telling me all of this

334
00:11:45,954 --> 00:11:48,385
stuff that she is growing up learning,

335
00:11:48,704 --> 00:11:51,054
saying how women are at a disadvantage

336
00:11:51,054 --> 00:11:52,755
in the workforce, whether it's through

337
00:11:52,814 --> 00:11:54,785
pay, whether it's through promotions,

338
00:11:55,104 --> 00:11:56,824
whether it's through opportunities.

339
00:11:57,219 --> 00:11:58,589
And I don't want her

340
00:11:58,650 --> 00:12:00,120
growing up believing that.

341
00:12:00,410 --> 00:12:01,540
If it's true or not,

342
00:12:01,590 --> 00:12:03,300
again, I, I don't know.

343
00:12:03,580 --> 00:12:05,040
But that's what she already at

344
00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:06,840
15 believes is she is already

345
00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:08,380
taking a backseat to a man.

346
00:12:08,710 --> 00:12:10,350
So two years ago, I created this

347
00:12:10,350 --> 00:12:12,850
women and constructed show Megan that

348
00:12:12,850 --> 00:12:15,250
at, you create your own self worth.

349
00:12:15,709 --> 00:12:17,380
If somebody doesn't offer you what

350
00:12:17,380 --> 00:12:18,860
you're worth, don't accept the job.

351
00:12:19,210 --> 00:12:22,420
If you don't like the environment

352
00:12:22,470 --> 00:12:24,640
of a workplace, create your own.

353
00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:25,900
Create your own.

354
00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:26,939
We got capital.

355
00:12:26,949 --> 00:12:28,609
We can, we can do something.

356
00:12:28,610 --> 00:12:30,849
You know, again, you gotta be creative

357
00:12:31,179 --> 00:12:33,219
and you gotta have your own standards.

358
00:12:33,549 --> 00:12:36,040
So, um, I wanted to show my daughter

359
00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:38,790
powerful women at any level of

360
00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:40,390
business, whether you're the admin

361
00:12:40,390 --> 00:12:42,760
assistant or the CEO president.

362
00:12:43,140 --> 00:12:45,310
Women create so much value.

363
00:12:45,350 --> 00:12:47,230
The buying power for women, the

364
00:12:47,230 --> 00:12:49,220
decision making ability, the

365
00:12:49,220 --> 00:12:50,980
ability to create companies, and the

366
00:12:50,990 --> 00:12:53,020
ability to mentor other young women.

367
00:12:53,369 --> 00:12:55,270
So we created Women in Construction in

368
00:12:55,340 --> 00:12:59,090
early 2023, and our goal for 2023 was

369
00:12:59,099 --> 00:13:01,580
to average about 25 people at events.

370
00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:05,270
2023, we averaged 87 people,

371
00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:07,910
87 women, at these events.

372
00:13:08,550 --> 00:13:11,530
So, this year, 2024, every six weeks,

373
00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:14,020
we are hosting a free Lunch Learn.

374
00:13:14,170 --> 00:13:15,590
Uh, we've got some incredible

375
00:13:15,590 --> 00:13:16,719
speakers coming in.

376
00:13:17,060 --> 00:13:19,120
And, again, it was a way to show my

377
00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:22,380
daughter, who is now 16, what decision

378
00:13:22,380 --> 00:13:24,899
making, what leadership, what mentoring,

379
00:13:24,930 --> 00:13:27,869
but the buying power that women really do.

380
00:13:28,425 --> 00:13:29,435
Run the world.

381
00:13:29,645 --> 00:13:30,855
It is true.

382
00:13:31,265 --> 00:13:33,314
You know, you just have to seek it out.

383
00:13:33,425 --> 00:13:34,594
And I want, and I wanted

384
00:13:34,594 --> 00:13:35,574
to show that to people.

385
00:13:36,165 --> 00:13:37,795
Julia: We all know that real estate

386
00:13:37,875 --> 00:13:40,314
is location, location, location.

387
00:13:40,515 --> 00:13:42,534
Our team at Just Homes Group

388
00:13:42,675 --> 00:13:44,744
Realty Executives has the true

389
00:13:44,804 --> 00:13:47,515
expertise pairing buyers and sellers

390
00:13:47,574 --> 00:13:49,155
with the right opportunities.

391
00:13:49,515 --> 00:13:51,145
Whether you're looking to buy or

392
00:13:51,145 --> 00:13:53,415
sell a home right here in Knoxville,

393
00:13:54,204 --> 00:13:57,844
Lenore City, Clinton, or Farragut.

394
00:13:58,175 --> 00:13:59,725
We have the expertise throughout

395
00:13:59,905 --> 00:14:01,805
every Knoxville surrounding area.

396
00:14:02,145 --> 00:14:03,555
Call Just Homes Group

397
00:14:03,595 --> 00:14:05,175
Realty Executives today.

398
00:14:05,905 --> 00:14:07,385
We have all girls as well,

399
00:14:07,385 --> 00:14:09,155
three girls in our home as well.

400
00:14:09,465 --> 00:14:12,725
And as a female business owner who is

401
00:14:12,965 --> 00:14:16,795
constantly prejudiced, towing that line

402
00:14:16,795 --> 00:14:19,254
of, I know what people say and I know

403
00:14:19,265 --> 00:14:20,724
exactly what you just said is true.

404
00:14:20,725 --> 00:14:23,014
And both of those things have got to find,

405
00:14:23,380 --> 00:14:25,430
The middle ground, there's always some,

406
00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:27,480
you can turn on social media, no matter

407
00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:30,010
what social media it is, and find 500

408
00:14:30,020 --> 00:14:31,890
negative things and find the one positive

409
00:14:31,890 --> 00:14:33,209
thing, you have to find it, you have to

410
00:14:33,219 --> 00:14:34,889
look for it, you have to want to be part

411
00:14:34,890 --> 00:14:37,180
of it, you have to create it, and you have

412
00:14:37,180 --> 00:14:40,389
to work at it, and Reiterating that on a

413
00:14:40,389 --> 00:14:42,530
consistent basis to our children, because

414
00:14:42,530 --> 00:14:44,189
that's the next generation of leadership.

415
00:14:44,229 --> 00:14:45,800
We're, I mean, that's another 20

416
00:14:45,810 --> 00:14:47,219
years and I'm out of the game, right?

417
00:14:47,219 --> 00:14:48,249
I'll be, well, I mean, hopefully

418
00:14:48,249 --> 00:14:49,469
not, but I mean, 20 years,

419
00:14:49,499 --> 00:14:50,609
technically I should be out of this

420
00:14:50,609 --> 00:14:52,849
game and those kids are, are it.

421
00:14:52,930 --> 00:14:54,379
That's the next conversation.

422
00:14:54,379 --> 00:14:55,559
And if they're already going into

423
00:14:55,559 --> 00:14:57,489
the conversation saying I can't do

424
00:14:57,489 --> 00:14:59,319
something, there's a good chance that

425
00:14:59,319 --> 00:15:01,540
they won't even try something to at

426
00:15:01,540 --> 00:15:03,199
least show that if you try and make

427
00:15:03,199 --> 00:15:05,570
this initiative, people will respond.

428
00:15:05,710 --> 00:15:08,410
You've had eight, seven women per meeting.

429
00:15:08,839 --> 00:15:10,380
in attendance and you're on waiting

430
00:15:10,380 --> 00:15:11,729
lists for some of these things.

431
00:15:12,079 --> 00:15:13,689
John Ewart: Yes, we've got, we've

432
00:15:13,689 --> 00:15:15,219
got some incredible, we had Karen

433
00:15:15,219 --> 00:15:17,430
Weakley come out and speak, the head

434
00:15:17,430 --> 00:15:19,040
coach of the Lady Ball Softball.

435
00:15:19,050 --> 00:15:22,080
We've got Claudia with Centro

436
00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:23,020
Hispano coming out to talk about

437
00:15:23,020 --> 00:15:24,540
the Hispanic speaking community.

438
00:15:24,779 --> 00:15:27,289
Our next one is Dana Hart, the CEO of

439
00:15:27,289 --> 00:15:28,990
the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

440
00:15:29,495 --> 00:15:31,505
You know, we just had the WNBA draft

441
00:15:31,505 --> 00:15:33,225
last night, which was celebrated.

442
00:15:33,495 --> 00:15:34,995
Uh, the Women's Hall of Fame has

443
00:15:34,995 --> 00:15:36,815
their induction ceremony next week.

444
00:15:37,035 --> 00:15:38,385
And then she's coming to talk to our

445
00:15:38,385 --> 00:15:41,274
women's event, uh, women's group about

446
00:15:41,294 --> 00:15:42,735
why it's so important to have the

447
00:15:42,735 --> 00:15:44,305
Women's Hall of Fame here in Knoxville.

448
00:15:44,315 --> 00:15:45,494
Why is it here?

449
00:15:45,805 --> 00:15:47,065
Who does it serve?

450
00:15:47,405 --> 00:15:49,505
The empowerment of women, and our

451
00:15:49,505 --> 00:15:51,285
women's group was just a perfect

452
00:15:51,295 --> 00:15:53,124
connector for our next speaker.

453
00:15:53,454 --> 00:15:54,415
Julia: My doubles tennis

454
00:15:54,574 --> 00:15:55,655
partner's parents.

455
00:15:56,375 --> 00:15:58,305
Um, her brother, we were all at their

456
00:15:58,315 --> 00:16:00,594
beach house for vacation one spring

457
00:16:00,594 --> 00:16:02,385
break, and her brother had said something.

458
00:16:02,625 --> 00:16:04,694
He was a, he was a huge baseball player.

459
00:16:04,694 --> 00:16:05,875
He was being recruited.

460
00:16:06,155 --> 00:16:07,464
And, uh, he said, well, what if

461
00:16:07,485 --> 00:16:08,525
something happened to me and all

462
00:16:08,525 --> 00:16:09,794
I could be was a ditch digger?

463
00:16:10,064 --> 00:16:11,714
And I remember, I mean,

464
00:16:11,805 --> 00:16:13,054
it wasn't even a thought.

465
00:16:13,094 --> 00:16:14,964
It came right out of his mom's mouth.

466
00:16:14,964 --> 00:16:16,464
And she said, well, you better be the best

467
00:16:16,475 --> 00:16:18,785
damn ditch digger this world's ever seen.

468
00:16:18,785 --> 00:16:19,824
Because if you're not going to be the

469
00:16:19,834 --> 00:16:21,755
best at your position, don't do it at all.

470
00:16:21,995 --> 00:16:23,375
And that applies to everybody.

471
00:16:23,594 --> 00:16:25,094
That applies to the person who has

472
00:16:25,094 --> 00:16:26,405
to order the pencils, because if you

473
00:16:26,405 --> 00:16:28,145
order the bad pencils, then nobody can

474
00:16:28,145 --> 00:16:29,665
do the drawings, and then the drawings

475
00:16:29,665 --> 00:16:30,805
don't get to be where they need to be.

476
00:16:31,305 --> 00:16:32,255
It doesn't matter what your

477
00:16:32,255 --> 00:16:34,185
position is, creating your value,

478
00:16:34,484 --> 00:16:36,394
creating that opportunity for value

479
00:16:36,394 --> 00:16:37,615
is important, and you're getting

480
00:16:37,615 --> 00:16:39,665
that in one place for people.

481
00:16:39,974 --> 00:16:42,014
Tell us about how, what, why

482
00:16:42,015 --> 00:16:43,385
is that so heavy on your heart?

483
00:16:43,425 --> 00:16:45,115
Like, what is this, you're very passionate

484
00:16:45,125 --> 00:16:46,265
about it, you're really bringing it.

485
00:16:46,625 --> 00:16:49,464
John Ewart: I think, so, Going to St.

486
00:16:49,474 --> 00:16:50,734
Mary's, which is now, it's

487
00:16:50,734 --> 00:16:52,114
called Tenova Healthcare, but

488
00:16:52,134 --> 00:16:53,964
when I started, the Sisters of

489
00:16:53,964 --> 00:16:55,915
Mercy taught me a couple things.

490
00:16:55,915 --> 00:16:57,764
I was 32, just taking over the

491
00:16:57,764 --> 00:16:59,104
Health and Fitness Center, had

492
00:16:59,114 --> 00:17:03,105
150 employees, had 6, 000 members.

493
00:17:03,454 --> 00:17:06,135
And, you know, they really preach

494
00:17:06,154 --> 00:17:08,185
being a servant leader, you know, as

495
00:17:08,185 --> 00:17:10,005
we are here to serve the community.

496
00:17:10,305 --> 00:17:12,675
But we're also here for business, and

497
00:17:12,675 --> 00:17:15,194
one of the greatest business quotes

498
00:17:15,214 --> 00:17:17,504
that I've heard from the sisters is you

499
00:17:17,504 --> 00:17:20,145
can't feed the poor if you are the poor.

500
00:17:20,464 --> 00:17:23,835
And to truly be a servant leader is yes,

501
00:17:23,835 --> 00:17:25,255
you've got to have business principles

502
00:17:25,255 --> 00:17:26,744
and business practices, and you do

503
00:17:26,744 --> 00:17:28,225
have to watch out for your bottom line.

504
00:17:28,605 --> 00:17:29,895
But at the end of the day, once

505
00:17:29,895 --> 00:17:31,185
you get your bottom line right,

506
00:17:31,635 --> 00:17:33,605
it's time to serve your community.

507
00:17:33,834 --> 00:17:36,695
And, uh, that's really, before

508
00:17:36,695 --> 00:17:38,495
then I hadn't really been part,

509
00:17:38,534 --> 00:17:40,074
you know, Gettysburg Country Club.

510
00:17:40,245 --> 00:17:41,524
I was working with lots of business

511
00:17:41,524 --> 00:17:43,144
leaders, a lot of decision makers.

512
00:17:43,504 --> 00:17:44,945
And, you know, we were bringing

513
00:17:44,945 --> 00:17:46,594
people in and we were networking

514
00:17:46,594 --> 00:17:47,744
and doing a great job.

515
00:17:48,095 --> 00:17:49,085
But when I got to St.

516
00:17:49,095 --> 00:17:50,665
Mary's and working for the Sisters of

517
00:17:50,665 --> 00:17:53,535
Mercy, it just changed my perspective on

518
00:17:53,545 --> 00:17:55,995
what, you know, My personal outlook on

519
00:17:55,995 --> 00:17:57,815
life was going to be, and instead of just

520
00:17:57,815 --> 00:18:00,014
chasing revenue, I was chasing quality.

521
00:18:00,315 --> 00:18:01,935
And not just chasing quality,

522
00:18:01,935 --> 00:18:03,705
but trying to serve a community,

523
00:18:04,014 --> 00:18:06,715
and it just continues to

524
00:18:06,715 --> 00:18:08,254
translate into what I do today.

525
00:18:08,415 --> 00:18:09,764
Julia: You're constantly working

526
00:18:09,764 --> 00:18:12,674
on your ability to connect people.

527
00:18:12,675 --> 00:18:15,475
You always make the connection.

528
00:18:16,024 --> 00:18:17,814
And that is something that's super rare

529
00:18:17,814 --> 00:18:19,834
and super relevant because connectors

530
00:18:19,854 --> 00:18:21,675
are few and far between when you really

531
00:18:21,675 --> 00:18:23,375
can just speak with someone and get

532
00:18:23,375 --> 00:18:24,995
their vibe and be like, I know somebody

533
00:18:24,995 --> 00:18:27,175
you need to know and know who they are.

534
00:18:27,195 --> 00:18:28,094
They'll take your call.

535
00:18:28,094 --> 00:18:29,304
You've built that relationship.

536
00:18:29,644 --> 00:18:31,374
You have that ability and you

537
00:18:31,374 --> 00:18:34,054
are using that to empower all the

538
00:18:34,054 --> 00:18:36,225
people in the Knoxville market.

539
00:18:36,225 --> 00:18:37,484
Tell us about.

540
00:18:37,865 --> 00:18:39,575
What you're doing, maybe like in D.

541
00:18:39,585 --> 00:18:39,975
C.

542
00:18:39,985 --> 00:18:41,205
or Nashville, because you

543
00:18:41,205 --> 00:18:42,705
have to be part of all of it.

544
00:18:42,705 --> 00:18:43,385
You're national.

545
00:18:43,385 --> 00:18:44,695
You're just, you're a part of that.

546
00:18:45,245 --> 00:18:46,534
John Ewart: Well, with legislation,

547
00:18:46,534 --> 00:18:48,314
I really do sit on the sidelines

548
00:18:48,324 --> 00:18:49,494
for the legislation part.

549
00:18:49,494 --> 00:18:51,535
We've got a CEO out of Nashville.

550
00:18:51,875 --> 00:18:54,385
We go to Nashville once a year at

551
00:18:54,385 --> 00:18:56,364
an event called Day on the Hill, and

552
00:18:56,364 --> 00:18:58,274
we go meet with local legislators.

553
00:18:58,675 --> 00:19:00,495
And that's great to get a chance

554
00:19:00,495 --> 00:19:02,134
to connect with our decision

555
00:19:02,134 --> 00:19:04,415
makers in Nashville, extremely

556
00:19:04,415 --> 00:19:05,605
important in all of that.

557
00:19:05,605 --> 00:19:07,435
But I really do sit on the sidelines

558
00:19:07,485 --> 00:19:09,865
because there's so many varying

559
00:19:09,865 --> 00:19:12,634
opinions on the way the world

560
00:19:12,634 --> 00:19:13,884
should work and the way the U.

561
00:19:13,884 --> 00:19:14,004
S.

562
00:19:14,014 --> 00:19:14,864
should work and the way the

563
00:19:14,865 --> 00:19:16,335
state of Tennessee should work.

564
00:19:16,794 --> 00:19:18,314
It's really hard for me to

565
00:19:18,654 --> 00:19:20,284
be on one side or the other.

566
00:19:20,695 --> 00:19:23,105
So I really just, really do remove

567
00:19:23,135 --> 00:19:25,745
myself from that aspect because

568
00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:29,050
Everybody's passionate about it, and

569
00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,370
nobody's opinion is necessarily wrong.

570
00:19:31,380 --> 00:19:32,030
There's just different

571
00:19:32,030 --> 00:19:33,050
ways of getting there.

572
00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:35,909
So, um, in that aspect, now that's

573
00:19:35,910 --> 00:19:37,850
one thing I've done really well since

574
00:19:37,850 --> 00:19:40,060
my time in the military, is when

575
00:19:40,060 --> 00:19:41,600
people say, don't talk politics at

576
00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:43,730
dinner, I don't talk politics ever.

577
00:19:43,910 --> 00:19:44,719
I really don't.

578
00:19:44,770 --> 00:19:47,180
I really just tell people, be passionate

579
00:19:47,180 --> 00:19:49,880
about, I, I, I don't like indifference.

580
00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:51,450
Like, be passionate one way or

581
00:19:51,450 --> 00:19:54,215
the other, whether it Agrees with

582
00:19:54,215 --> 00:19:55,925
the majority or the minority.

583
00:19:56,185 --> 00:19:57,125
It really doesn't matter.

584
00:19:57,125 --> 00:19:58,655
Just be passionate about it.

585
00:19:58,765 --> 00:20:00,925
You know, as you know, I'm passionate

586
00:20:00,925 --> 00:20:02,275
about the University of Tennessee.

587
00:20:02,565 --> 00:20:03,635
You know, I'm passionate about it.

588
00:20:03,815 --> 00:20:04,735
I'm an alumni.

589
00:20:05,015 --> 00:20:08,114
I was a, you know, on the football team as

590
00:20:08,114 --> 00:20:11,115
a walk on, which we have a specific role.

591
00:20:11,465 --> 00:20:14,225
But I knew my role when I was a walk on.

592
00:20:14,284 --> 00:20:17,004
I knew exactly why I was there with GPA.

593
00:20:17,315 --> 00:20:18,105
I knew I wasn't going

594
00:20:18,105 --> 00:20:19,074
to hurt other players.

595
00:20:19,074 --> 00:20:19,864
I knew that I was going

596
00:20:19,864 --> 00:20:21,034
to have a clean drug test.

597
00:20:21,405 --> 00:20:22,675
I knew I was going to do all the

598
00:20:22,675 --> 00:20:24,275
right things that you're supposed to

599
00:20:24,275 --> 00:20:26,575
do, and that's one reason I stayed on

600
00:20:26,575 --> 00:20:28,015
the football team as long as I did,

601
00:20:28,025 --> 00:20:29,625
because a lot of walk ons would get cut.

602
00:20:30,165 --> 00:20:31,335
You know, you just don't have the

603
00:20:31,335 --> 00:20:33,055
right skill set to be a walk on.

604
00:20:33,345 --> 00:20:35,975
When politics, I know my role, and my

605
00:20:35,975 --> 00:20:37,894
role is, if you're passionate about

606
00:20:37,895 --> 00:20:39,295
it and want to hear about it, it

607
00:20:39,295 --> 00:20:41,474
doesn't necessarily have to agree or

608
00:20:41,474 --> 00:20:42,945
disagree, I just want to hear about it.

609
00:20:43,265 --> 00:20:44,715
Julia: I think what I'm going to

610
00:20:44,745 --> 00:20:46,435
sum this whole conversation up

611
00:20:46,455 --> 00:20:48,315
with is one servant leadership.

612
00:20:49,125 --> 00:20:50,865
I genuinely feel like that

613
00:20:50,865 --> 00:20:52,855
is your passionate thing.

614
00:20:53,075 --> 00:20:53,975
I feel it.

615
00:20:53,975 --> 00:20:54,595
I see it.

616
00:20:54,615 --> 00:20:55,804
Everybody knows it.

617
00:20:56,035 --> 00:20:57,044
Anybody that meets you

618
00:20:57,044 --> 00:20:58,154
can feel that from you.

619
00:20:58,164 --> 00:20:59,435
You definitely want to give back.

620
00:20:59,454 --> 00:21:01,095
You want to make sure everybody wins.

621
00:21:01,605 --> 00:21:04,005
Everybody gets something from the benefit.

622
00:21:04,055 --> 00:21:05,335
Everybody gets a connection.

623
00:21:05,335 --> 00:21:06,535
Everybody has something that

624
00:21:06,535 --> 00:21:08,215
they can offer and take.

625
00:21:08,485 --> 00:21:09,935
It is win win or no deal with you.

626
00:21:09,935 --> 00:21:11,025
And I love that.

627
00:21:11,325 --> 00:21:12,975
Second thing that I already forgot

628
00:21:12,995 --> 00:21:14,325
because I was super excited to talk

629
00:21:14,325 --> 00:21:15,995
about the first one because I will,

630
00:21:16,155 --> 00:21:17,274
I'll remember in a minute, but it

631
00:21:17,275 --> 00:21:18,595
was what you literally just said.

632
00:21:18,605 --> 00:21:20,384
And to sum that up is making sure

633
00:21:20,384 --> 00:21:22,385
that you have a place to belong and

634
00:21:22,505 --> 00:21:24,615
stay passionate about something.

635
00:21:24,850 --> 00:21:26,470
And I think that you bring that out

636
00:21:26,500 --> 00:21:29,010
in other people, just surround them

637
00:21:29,010 --> 00:21:30,490
with your energy and your passion.

638
00:21:30,500 --> 00:21:32,850
And you're so focused on doing what

639
00:21:32,860 --> 00:21:35,359
you need to do to grow other people.

640
00:21:35,490 --> 00:21:37,409
And as Knox will continue to grow and we

641
00:21:37,409 --> 00:21:39,430
see more and more and more construction

642
00:21:39,430 --> 00:21:41,269
in the commercial real estate industry.

643
00:21:41,649 --> 00:21:43,420
We haven't, we don't have 300 cranes

644
00:21:43,420 --> 00:21:44,660
in the air, but we're getting gosh

645
00:21:44,660 --> 00:21:47,000
darn close to a few, you know, a few

646
00:21:47,070 --> 00:21:48,360
more than we've ever seen before.

647
00:21:48,730 --> 00:21:50,240
And as we can grow, your role

648
00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:51,860
in that will be so important.

649
00:21:52,245 --> 00:21:55,334
I think one thing that I have taken away

650
00:21:55,354 --> 00:21:57,445
from just being around you in the short

651
00:21:57,445 --> 00:22:00,254
amount of time that I've known you is

652
00:22:00,254 --> 00:22:01,834
watching the way you work and network.

653
00:22:02,114 --> 00:22:03,725
I had said something to our young

654
00:22:04,014 --> 00:22:05,794
daughter over the weekend about

655
00:22:05,894 --> 00:22:07,324
connecting to the community.

656
00:22:07,624 --> 00:22:08,534
I'm part of this group.

657
00:22:09,104 --> 00:22:10,104
You've got to know this guy.

658
00:22:10,104 --> 00:22:11,424
You matter at the game.

659
00:22:11,885 --> 00:22:13,365
And I said, there's a day that this

660
00:22:13,365 --> 00:22:15,415
person is going to look to you like he

661
00:22:15,415 --> 00:22:17,445
just became super popular in Knoxville.

662
00:22:17,675 --> 00:22:19,135
Oh my gosh, he's so connected.

663
00:22:19,245 --> 00:22:20,365
He's got all these things.

664
00:22:20,565 --> 00:22:21,605
This guy's everywhere.

665
00:22:21,835 --> 00:22:24,424
And you're not going to see the 30 years

666
00:22:24,795 --> 00:22:27,724
of dedication, and passion, and work, and

667
00:22:27,724 --> 00:22:30,205
relationship, and effort, and failure,

668
00:22:30,235 --> 00:22:33,155
and success, and effort that went into

669
00:22:33,155 --> 00:22:35,165
that, what you're going to see overnight.

670
00:22:35,665 --> 00:22:37,135
John, you were to AGCS

671
00:22:37,135 --> 00:22:38,155
taking over Knoxville.

672
00:22:38,155 --> 00:22:39,865
You're just not gonna see that part.

673
00:22:40,185 --> 00:22:41,534
And you share that story with

674
00:22:41,534 --> 00:22:43,245
people and you make sure they know.

675
00:22:43,635 --> 00:22:45,375
How could, how long it has been

676
00:22:45,375 --> 00:22:47,585
of a journey for you to get here.

677
00:22:47,855 --> 00:22:50,014
What advice would you give younger

678
00:22:50,014 --> 00:22:51,725
people in Knoxville who want to start

679
00:22:51,725 --> 00:22:53,075
building those relationships today?

680
00:22:53,544 --> 00:22:54,715
John Ewart: So we're about to start

681
00:22:54,715 --> 00:22:57,324
a VFL Micro internship program.

682
00:22:57,564 --> 00:23:00,925
We've got 25 current student athletes that

683
00:23:00,925 --> 00:23:03,354
are gonna go work for 25 of our members.

684
00:23:03,909 --> 00:23:05,330
And it's a three week program.

685
00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:08,249
And this is what I will be, uh,

686
00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:10,670
sitting on my soapbox, preaching,

687
00:23:10,670 --> 00:23:11,700
whatever you want to call it.

688
00:23:11,940 --> 00:23:14,859
Is, first off, in today's social

689
00:23:14,859 --> 00:23:17,050
media world, you know everybody.

690
00:23:17,070 --> 00:23:18,229
You're connected to everybody.

691
00:23:18,239 --> 00:23:19,919
So it used to be, who do you know?

692
00:23:20,239 --> 00:23:21,729
I don't really believe that anymore.

693
00:23:21,870 --> 00:23:23,379
I believe, based on social

694
00:23:23,380 --> 00:23:25,169
media, and LinkedIn, and uh,

695
00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:27,000
everybody knows everybody.

696
00:23:27,439 --> 00:23:29,469
So it's, now, who's gonna extend

697
00:23:29,479 --> 00:23:32,320
goodwill to you, when you need something?

698
00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:32,460
Thank you.

699
00:23:33,110 --> 00:23:35,460
Because who you know really isn't going

700
00:23:35,460 --> 00:23:38,360
to get you the needle moved anymore.

701
00:23:38,510 --> 00:23:40,000
But who's going to extend goodwill when

702
00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:41,620
you call on somebody and say, I need

703
00:23:41,629 --> 00:23:44,270
help, I need something, I need advice.

704
00:23:44,609 --> 00:23:46,230
The connectors of the world

705
00:23:46,230 --> 00:23:47,899
compared to the users.

706
00:23:48,295 --> 00:23:50,005
You know, it's vast different.

707
00:23:50,025 --> 00:23:51,965
You might have 10 people in your

708
00:23:52,295 --> 00:23:54,885
world that are true connectors and

709
00:23:54,885 --> 00:23:57,085
the other hundred are users, you know?

710
00:23:57,085 --> 00:23:59,265
So you've got to build up goodwill.

711
00:23:59,304 --> 00:24:00,255
And that's where that sense

712
00:24:00,255 --> 00:24:01,405
of community comes in.

713
00:24:01,405 --> 00:24:03,294
I want everybody to know you can

714
00:24:03,304 --> 00:24:05,215
ask me for anything and I literally

715
00:24:05,215 --> 00:24:06,465
don't need anything in return.

716
00:24:06,815 --> 00:24:08,645
So you want to build up that goodwill.

717
00:24:09,125 --> 00:24:11,295
You need to find good mentors.

718
00:24:11,515 --> 00:24:14,345
Again, in today's world, who's going to

719
00:24:14,345 --> 00:24:17,215
give you the tough love, the tough advice?

720
00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:19,360
The information you really don't

721
00:24:19,360 --> 00:24:20,480
want to hear about yourself,

722
00:24:20,490 --> 00:24:21,550
but you need to hear it.

723
00:24:21,879 --> 00:24:23,449
And the people that's going

724
00:24:23,449 --> 00:24:25,370
to pray over you and love on

725
00:24:25,370 --> 00:24:27,099
you when you need it the most.

726
00:24:27,379 --> 00:24:29,939
And so to find good mentors.

727
00:24:30,524 --> 00:24:32,615
You know, one, two, three mentors

728
00:24:32,905 --> 00:24:35,355
of people that will be there for you

729
00:24:35,395 --> 00:24:38,384
to do the praying and the kicking.

730
00:24:38,434 --> 00:24:39,644
And you need, you need both.

731
00:24:39,975 --> 00:24:41,384
You need the praying and the kicking.

732
00:24:41,694 --> 00:24:44,074
And if you find mentors, and then

733
00:24:44,074 --> 00:24:45,134
the last thing we're going to

734
00:24:45,144 --> 00:24:47,094
preach to this career development

735
00:24:47,094 --> 00:24:49,394
program with these 20 is networking.

736
00:24:49,864 --> 00:24:52,985
You have got to extend your network out.

737
00:24:53,365 --> 00:24:55,335
So when you need something, your

738
00:24:55,335 --> 00:24:57,565
network can make connections for you.

739
00:24:57,565 --> 00:24:59,035
That's spiderweb effect.

740
00:24:59,465 --> 00:25:01,495
Yes, that one on one relationship's

741
00:25:01,495 --> 00:25:03,575
important, but it's more important when

742
00:25:03,575 --> 00:25:05,665
you create that one on one relationship

743
00:25:05,865 --> 00:25:08,525
that they help feather you out there

744
00:25:08,645 --> 00:25:10,945
and really help get you connected.

745
00:25:11,154 --> 00:25:12,975
And if these young people, whether in

746
00:25:12,975 --> 00:25:15,875
high school, college, post college, if

747
00:25:15,875 --> 00:25:18,165
they don't have mentors, if they don't

748
00:25:18,165 --> 00:25:20,979
have true connectors in their life, It's

749
00:25:20,979 --> 00:25:23,100
an uphill battle because you just don't

750
00:25:23,110 --> 00:25:24,479
know where you're supposed to reach.

751
00:25:24,489 --> 00:25:25,779
Where's that next foothold?

752
00:25:25,789 --> 00:25:26,659
Where's that next?

753
00:25:27,169 --> 00:25:29,149
You don't have it because you don't have

754
00:25:29,149 --> 00:25:31,590
somebody that's been there guiding you.

755
00:25:31,979 --> 00:25:33,529
And so that's what I would say that,

756
00:25:33,549 --> 00:25:36,399
you know, as people get into any

757
00:25:36,409 --> 00:25:38,769
industry is if they don't have those

758
00:25:38,809 --> 00:25:41,800
people, it's hard to build them,

759
00:25:42,010 --> 00:25:43,070
you know, and you got to start off

760
00:25:43,070 --> 00:25:45,370
young and you got to be invested.

761
00:25:45,780 --> 00:25:47,420
You know, when I went and talked to

762
00:25:47,420 --> 00:25:49,320
the football team, I was like, just

763
00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:51,760
be engaged, be invested, you know, if

764
00:25:51,770 --> 00:25:52,790
you're sitting there playing on your

765
00:25:52,790 --> 00:25:54,390
phone, if you're sitting there, you

766
00:25:54,390 --> 00:25:56,229
know, just half listening to this three

767
00:25:56,229 --> 00:25:57,879
week period, you're going to miss some

768
00:25:57,879 --> 00:25:59,530
of the greatest opportunities that

769
00:25:59,530 --> 00:26:01,280
could ever present themselves to you,

770
00:26:01,460 --> 00:26:03,159
because they're going to love you,

771
00:26:03,309 --> 00:26:04,820
not because of the tea on the helmet.

772
00:26:05,505 --> 00:26:07,175
But the quality of your character.

773
00:26:07,425 --> 00:26:08,915
Julia: It is, it is truly a rare

774
00:26:08,915 --> 00:26:10,635
opportunity to have a good mentor.

775
00:26:10,815 --> 00:26:12,885
My mentor passed away and I had him

776
00:26:12,885 --> 00:26:14,134
for a very short amount of time.

777
00:26:14,135 --> 00:26:16,485
It was not until very late in life

778
00:26:16,744 --> 00:26:18,494
that I found someone who I could

779
00:26:18,494 --> 00:26:20,154
really connect with and that could

780
00:26:20,154 --> 00:26:21,625
do the praying and the kicking.

781
00:26:21,654 --> 00:26:25,384
And he did both very well, very well.

782
00:26:25,385 --> 00:26:27,295
And then I learned what I was

783
00:26:27,295 --> 00:26:28,485
missing and what I needed.

784
00:26:28,685 --> 00:26:29,935
And until that light bulb came

785
00:26:29,935 --> 00:26:31,145
on, I couldn't pass that on.

786
00:26:31,485 --> 00:26:32,335
Had to fill my cup.

787
00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:33,700
Had to learn how to fill it

788
00:26:33,700 --> 00:26:34,889
properly so that everybody

789
00:26:34,889 --> 00:26:36,000
else could have the overflow.

790
00:26:36,190 --> 00:26:37,270
And until someone shows you how

791
00:26:37,270 --> 00:26:39,010
to do that, you can't do that.

792
00:26:39,130 --> 00:26:40,200
Part of it, I'm excited

793
00:26:40,370 --> 00:26:41,140
to show who you are.

794
00:26:41,140 --> 00:26:43,169
I need to share you as a person

795
00:26:43,169 --> 00:26:45,399
to the world because it is, again,

796
00:26:45,530 --> 00:26:47,690
very rare true connectors exist.

797
00:26:47,980 --> 00:26:49,350
And you are one of them.

798
00:26:49,570 --> 00:26:50,730
So I want to say thank you very

799
00:26:50,730 --> 00:26:52,240
much for taking time for us today.

800
00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:52,880
We're out of time.

801
00:26:52,910 --> 00:26:54,250
We've literally got 30 minutes

802
00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:55,460
and that was like the fastest

803
00:26:55,500 --> 00:26:56,710
interview we've done all year.

804
00:26:56,890 --> 00:26:59,010
So, everybody, I'm Julia Hurley.

805
00:26:59,039 --> 00:27:01,400
This was our guest John Ewart with AGC.

806
00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:02,659
Please look it up.

807
00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:03,410
Please like it.

808
00:27:03,420 --> 00:27:04,750
Connect with him on LinkedIn.

809
00:27:04,750 --> 00:27:05,299
You can find him

810
00:27:05,300 --> 00:27:06,609
everywhere on social media.

811
00:27:06,849 --> 00:27:08,000
And if you would like to be part

812
00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:10,720
of his program in 2025, go ahead

813
00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:11,930
and send him a message because I

814
00:27:11,930 --> 00:27:13,680
believe you're booked out for 2024.

815
00:27:13,690 --> 00:27:14,140
Correct?

816
00:27:14,590 --> 00:27:15,570
John Ewart: We have been blessed.

817
00:27:15,570 --> 00:27:17,310
Membership growth has been incredible.

818
00:27:17,659 --> 00:27:18,249
Julia: Wonderful.

819
00:27:19,629 --> 00:27:21,430
Everybody, thank you so much for tuning

820
00:27:21,430 --> 00:27:23,020
in to this episode of Connect the Knox.

821
00:27:23,770 --> 00:27:25,840
I'm your host, Julia Hurley,

822
00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:27,190
Connecting Knoxville.

823
00:27:27,210 --> 00:27:28,610
To the nation.

824
00:27:28,610 --> 00:27:30,009
Until next time.

825
00:27:30,009 --> 00:27:31,910
for tuning into the show.

826
00:27:32,190 --> 00:27:34,280
Make sure to like and subscribe.

827
00:27:34,380 --> 00:27:35,750
Leave a five star review on

828
00:27:35,750 --> 00:27:37,370
your podcast player of choice.

829
00:27:37,639 --> 00:27:39,079
And if you would like information

830
00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:40,600
on moving to Knoxville,

831
00:27:40,940 --> 00:27:42,309
send me a private message.

832
00:27:42,549 --> 00:27:44,349
As always, this is Julia Hurley

833
00:27:44,349 --> 00:27:46,610
connecting Knoxville to the nation.