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Feeling overwhelmed by your family's daily grind and looking for a way out? Welcome to "Dig the Well," the podcast that empowers you to build the life you deserve. Your hosts Vikki and John are top earners at Neora. Vikki is a # 1 best-selling author and John is a retired Los Angeles Police Officer. Together they’ve navigated family challenges, raised successful kids, and achieved financial freedom.
In each episode of "Dig the Well," they dive deep into the strategies and mindsets that can help you break free from the constraints of the traditional 9-5 lifestyle. They understand the unique challenges faced by stay-at-home moms and families who are juggling multiple responsibilities and struggling to find balance. Their mission is to provide you with the tools and inspiration you need to create additional income, gain more family time, and ultimately, transform your life.
Throughout their journey, they’ve had the privilege of working with renowned figures like Jack Canfield and Jeff Olson, whose wisdom and insights have greatly influenced their path to success. They’ve also celebrated significant milestones, such as raising two valedictorian children and supporting their son, an Olympic weightlifter on Team USA. These experiences have equipped them with valuable knowledge and practical tips that they’re eager to share with you.
"Dig the Well" is more than just a podcast; it's a community of like-minded individuals who are committed to personal growth and financial independence. Whether you're worried about your family's financial security, longing for more quality time with your spouse, or simply seeking a way to reignite your passions, this podcast offers actionable insights and real-life stories that can help you achieve your goals.
Our mission is to inspire you with the belief that if we can do it, so can you. We want you to feel empowered, educated, and ready to take control of your future. By tuning in to "Dig the Well," you'll gain the confidence and knowledge needed to break free from the daily grind and create a life full of possibilities.
So, if you're ready to transform your family's future and discover the greatness within you, join us on this journey. Subscribe to "Dig the Well" and start building the life you deserve today!
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John Downey:Ever wondered how you could turn your side hustle into a full time gig and spend more time together?
Vikki Downey:Hi. I'm Vikki, a number one best selling author.
John Downey:And I'm John, a retired Los Angeles police officer. Welcome to Dig the Well, where we help couples navigate the world of business.
Vikki Downey:We've been married for 30 5 years and because we built a successful side business, John retired 9 years earlier than he originally planned from the Los Angeles Police Department after 25 years on the job. Now we spend more time together, and we want to help couples like you do the same.
John Downey:Join us as we help you overcome common obstacles, and we show you how to make extra income without sacrificing family time.
Vikki Downey:Ready to dig deep and build your well? Let's get started. Hello. Hello. Hello, and welcome to Dig the Well.
Vikki Downey:And if you're listening to this when our podcast drops on every Thursday, And it is Thanksgiving, so Yeah. Happy Thanksgiving.
John Downey:Happy Thanksgiving.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. We're really, thrilled to be here with you. I'm trying to use a different word outside of excited because you know me. I'm always so excited. But we have done some research on Thanksgiving and, wanted to relate it to entrepreneurship.
Vikki Downey:And we were chatting about the pilgrims and how when they came to and established, their colony here in America that, you know actually, my question to John was, were they entrepreneurs before they came? Did they become entrepreneurs when they got here? So we've done some research, and we're gonna dive into
John Downey:Yeah. I think I think maybe the the common I I don't know. At least, I I was always taught that they were escaping religious persecution, and that was more of a religious thing that they were traveling for. And and that was a part of it. Right.
John Downey:But it was economic. Right. Big driver of them coming over here to settle.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. And, honestly, this is kind of funny for all the Gen Xers out there. I always remembered, escaping taxation that we that the colonists were leaving, Europe, specifically at the time, I thought just England to come here, to escape, the taxation or to at least have less taxation, and that was part of it. But John reminded me that it's without representation. They didn't mind necessarily taxation and knew there's a need for some of it, but they wanna be represented.
Vikki Downey:But and where I got that from for the Gen Xers is Schoolhouse Rock. How many of you, if you're listening to this, definitely put this in the comments somewhere. I'd love to hear if you were a fan growing up watching all the Schoolhouse Rock. They weren't commercials, but they were during the commercial time. And, honestly, it helped cement what we were learning in school.
Vikki Downey:It was a cartoon for those of you that not not gen x, a cartoon. And, honestly, we just watched it before we came on. And super intelligent writers, and illustrators of that cartoon. Really good, and but they didn't talk about religious, persecution in there. So I think maybe that's why my brain was not remembering that even though I know from school.
Vikki Downey:So, anyway, just kinda funny. We'd love to hear your feedback, if you're a schoolhouse rock. And you know what? Let real quick before we dive in for some fun other fun, I'll tell you the name of the episode if you wanna Google it and watch it. It's called No More Kings, But, also, if you type in Schoolhouse Rock with anywhere Mayflower in the search, you'll find it.
Vikki Downey:So No More Kings. Sorry. Not plural. Yeah. Funny.
Vikki Downey:Okay. So, John, I know we're die dying to dive into this content on the pilgrims and and their original their lives here in the beginning. So I'm gonna ask you. Were they entrepreneurs? Let's just start out with that.
Vikki Downey:Were they entrepreneurs?
John Downey:Right. They were. They were business businessmen and businesswomen from, that were English, and they had moved England had had kinda run run out most of their most of their, entrepreneurs, so to speak. So a lot of them had moved to, Holland because the laws in Holland were very accepting of the English coming over and running their businesses there. But many of them felt that they were going to lose the English language and the English cultures to the Dutch language and the Dutch cultures.
John Downey:So they were really interested in moving to the New World, which as you know, they weren't the first. The Mayflower wasn't the first of the settlers that came over to the New World. The Spanish and the French had been here, had already, I think, landed here a 100 years before the the pilgrims did.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. Yeah. So they
John Downey:were looking to escape so many different things, but one of it was, they wanted they wanted their economic freedom, and they wanted to preserve the English language and their English culture.
Vikki Downey:That is so interesting because I don't remember learning that in school. Maybe I did, but as we were doing the research Yeah.
John Downey:And I don't honestly think that the the early settlers wanted they didn't it wasn't like they wanted to be apart from England so much. They didn't want to sever everything with English. Like, they loved the language. They loved their culture. They just needed some land and able to operate their businesses.
John Downey:Well, I think they were in a lot of fabric businesses.
Vikki Downey:Right. Right.
John Downey:Anyways, they wanted to operate their businesses in with more freedom And, it was finally when the English government pushed it too far and the English king pushed it too far with the taxation without representation, just taking their money from them, that the American Revolution finally came about.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. Exactly. And so, also, you know, when they first came here, I know we were reading that, they were farmers, you know, most of them too, outside of the fur trade. Right? Were they also discovering that beaver?
Vikki Downey:Right? We read about that too. Yeah.
John Downey:Some of the some of the biggest, I guess, fur was a was a huge industry for the new world because the English women wanted to wear beaver hats. So they needed to they needed the fur, and they were able to trade the fur for other supplies for the settlers here in the New World.
Vikki Downey:Right. Right. Yeah. And
John Downey:then lumber, the the forest, there was so much forest in in, you know, in the especially over on the eastern half of the US, there's a lot of forests. And, the English had already pretty much clear cut their entire land, and from what I was reading that the only the only pine that could be found to build was, up in Scotland, and even that was being depleted pretty quickly.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. Yeah. Kinda sad if you think about it. Yeah. Really, really sad.
Vikki Downey:And, you know, tell me about the you were kinda chatting before they kinda really, privatized, if you will, the land over here. At first, they split it up, didn't they? And it was kind of communal. Right?
John Downey:So the the this is really interesting. And then this is I'm gonna put my spec specs on here because I wanna get this
Vikki Downey:I'm gonna have some coffee.
John Downey:Because this is written by doctor Paul Adams, who is, who's a professor Emeritus Business and, and a historian. So basically what he was writing was that when they when they first arrived here in the United States in 16/20, they arrived, I think it was November 16/20, and they weren't prepared for the really harsh winter, and more than half of the settlers died that first winter. So, what was left were they wanted to fight and continue living here, so they didn't run and turn tail and go back to England. So they started farming and luckily for them, the Indians that were already here were already good farmers and especially farmers of corn. So they taught them how to farm corn and plant corn.
John Downey:Well, they did so and what they decided they were going to do was do kind of a Karl Marx rendition of, of their colony. So they built these communal farms and so there was no private private ownership of any of it and, everyone had to take their turn in the field to work the farm and and work the fields and and they would all share in in the harvest. Well, it didn't work out so well because what they were finding, and this is from what, doctor Adams was writing, they organized the 1st collective farm. Land was held in common, and all and all land tilled for crops was owned by all and farmed by the collective efforts of the community. As they were building a religious community, free enterprise and self interest were secondary to the interest of the group or state, but they found that that wasn't working.
John Downey:The collective cornfield suffered from a meager crop year after year. The men of the community worked in the fields out of necessity, but with little enthusiasm. Isn't that true though, if you don't actually own something Right.
Vikki Downey:For
John Downey:pride of ownership?
Vikki Downey:We talk about that a lot. Absolutely. Yeah.
John Downey:It was a common excuse to be away hunting, fishing, or building a dwelling. The foundations excuse to be away hunting, fishing, or building a dwelling. The foundations of capitalism with its rights of ownership and the powerful motivating force of economic incentive did not exist. The Hebrew work ethic, one of the building blocks of the Protestant reformation, disappeared when it came to working in common in the cornfields. All this changed the day entrepreneurship was born, on New England soil.
John Downey:The ruling elders, after a debate over the usual lack of cornmeal for winter storage and the lack of interest in working the fields. How could you not be interested in working the fields when you're already lacking?
Vikki Downey:Right. You're starving. Some of them. Work harder. Anyways I don't get it.
John Downey:The the lack of, cornmeal and the lack of interest in working in the fields relented to the idea of privatization. Out of disgust, it was suggested that land be divided and each family raise its own corn. Thus, the lazy pilgrims would go hungry, and it would be their own fault.
Vikki Downey:Wow. But we kinda talk about that a lot. You don't work. You don't eat.
John Downey:Yeah. And and that reminds me of when we were in Africa. We were driving or the our guide was driving us from the airport to where we were staying, and it was in, Nairobi.
Vikki Downey:Right.
John Downey:And I remember we saw lining the highways just hundreds of people, hundreds of locals, entire families, and there were little shacks set up selling everything you could think of, every kind of sustenance, everything. And we were asking the guide, do they not have markets? Do they not have anywhere centralized where they go? And he said, no. These people have to sell whatever they can whatever they can make, whatever they can produce on their farm.
John Downey:Otherwise, they'll die. That's it. There he said there is no such thing as welfare in this country. If you want to live, you need to provide, you need to earn something that you can either trade or get earn it in in money. And that was interesting because that was the first time we had ever seen that, something like that where it's like either you do or your entire family is just would just die.
Vikki Downey:Right. And we respected that. Yeah.
John Downey:Yeah. And they worked hard. Yeah. Everybody worked hard.
Vikki Downey:And we bought we bought so many trinkets and things because we wanted to support them because that's how we believe deep down.
John Downey:Yeah. And and, you know, what was interesting was never once were we did we encounter someone with their hand out just asking or begging for just money for anything. When they asked us for money, it was always they were gonna give us something that they had made with their hands. They had made a necklace. They had made a bracelet.
John Downey:They had made something, carved something out of wood. There was something of value that we were trading our money for as tourists. Yeah. You come to the United States here and you walk down any any major city, and you'll be accosted by hundreds of people that just have their hand out just begging for money. You can't even exit the freeway in your car without people at the bottom of the off ramp asking for money.
John Downey:And we never saw that in Africa.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. Not at all.
John Downey:Okay. So anyways, let's get back to this thing. Lazy pilgrims go hungry, and it would be their own fault, but the ambitious but the ambitious would eat. The idea met with opposition as it was felt to be a harsh and selfish measure, not Christian in its approach to sharing and the group welfare. Luckily, the opposition lost and private ownership of the factors of produce became a reality.
John Downey:And they said, you know what happened? Corn production soared. Within 2 years, they had a surplus and began trading it with the Indians and other small settlements for first to export to England in exchange for supplies. Corn became the currency. The whole family worked in their own patch of New England soil to better their lives.
John Downey:They were oh, they were America's first entrepreneurs.
Vikki Downey:Love it. Love it.
John Downey:And that I think those same principles hold true today. You know, I think if we keep giving everything away and and provide things for free to families and people that they're just not going to, find any anything within in themselves to work.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. And, you know, we there is a time and a need for some people that fall on hard times. Like, we're not totally against some help, but this staying on it forever when you can do other things
John Downey:Yeah.
Vikki Downey:Especially this day and age from home. You so many you can do and make things from home if you're
John Downey:You can find something.
Vikki Downey:For something to work for. Yeah.
John Downey:And the whole idea of welfare, that should be temporary. It shouldn't be a permanent welfare. It's like it's like our politicians. Our politicians should be temporary. They should have term limits.
John Downey:They shouldn't have a entire lifetime career in politics.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. I 100% we 100% agree. That's our philosophy, and we're sticking to it.
John Downey:Joe Rogan here in a moment. I know. Right?
Vikki Downey:Yeah. So, yeah, so that was super interesting to learn. And, and you know what else? We as we're digging around, you know, I think over the years, I've forgotten that we weren't the first civilization here. Yes.
Vikki Downey:I know Indians are here for sure, but there were, settlers that came that we were chatting about before the colonists. So tell us about that.
John Downey:Well, the Indians, I think, were here for like 10000 years. They predated any Europeans coming over here. And, you know, and of course, like typical, right, the Europeans came over here and just wanted to take everything from everyone. But, anyways, I think the Spanish and the French were some of the first Europeans to try and set or just set up colonies here or set up settlements here.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. Yeah. But we did it. We did it with our
John Downey:Yeah. We did it. I I think and and this, I I could be totally wrong on, but, we did it with the revolutionary war finally. When we drove back the red coats and drove England out of the out of the new world, then we became the and then we formed our own government.
Vikki Downey:Right. Exactly. Exactly.
John Downey:And then we took from the Indians.
Vikki Downey:I know. Right? Sorry, Indians. I know. I know.
Vikki Downey:But it you know, I do feel like we've made strides to really, in a sense, pay them back. I'm sure
John Downey:I don't know how you can.
Vikki Downey:I know. Yeah.
John Downey:That's a whole another episode.
Vikki Downey:That's all yeah. That's definitely another episode. But, you know, also, we found some really great quotes from from successful people, that are that talk about the entrepreneurship here in the United States and the as it relates to the pilgrims, and I was I thought it'd be kind of fun to read those quotes. I was gonna read Buzz Aldrin because, you know, I have that connection.
John Downey:You go ahead with Buzz there.
Vikki Downey:You know, I don't know. On a previous episode, we really quickly talked about the fact that my parents and I, when I was really itty bitty, like 0 to 4 years old, were neighbors of Buzz Aldrin. Yes. The very famous astronaut. We lived in Texas in, an area kind of a subdivision of this community, and who knew it was all astronauts.
Vikki Downey:And so I have an affinity for anything, that has to do with the the men that walked on the moon. So anyway, Buzz Aldrin says the pilgrims on the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock. To my knowledge, they didn't wait around for a return ship to Europe. You settle someplace with a purpose. If you don't wanna do that, stay home.
Vikki Downey:That sounds like and something an astronaut would say. You avoid an awful lot of risks by not venturing outward. Oh, before we move on to the next quote, that's huge because that's what entrepreneurship is all about, taking risks. It's not for the faint of heart. Right, everybody?
Vikki Downey:That's listening or maybe you're thinking about becoming an entrepreneur. You know, taking risks is a good thing. You know? You you're never gonna find out if you could do it. You're never gonna find out if all the things all the dreams you plan to make come true can happen if you don't take that risk.
Vikki Downey:So, you might as well stay home. I love that.
John Downey:Yeah. Think think about it. If there were no risks, there would be no reward. Yeah. Right?
John Downey:Because the other thing too is everyone would do it, and there would be no opportunity.
Vikki Downey:Right.
John Downey:The opportunity is there because so few people take the opportunity because so few people are willing to take the risk. Yeah. And if you're a person that's willing to take a risk and willing to put in some hard work, the opportunity is there and you will you will prosper from it. Yeah. Definitely.
John Downey:So the next one that I wanted to read here was, this is from, Doctor. Paul Jehle, j e h l e. So I don't wanna mispronounce his name. Sorry, Paul. And he says, in modern terminology within the 1st century of our nation's existence, the pilgrims followed by the Puritans experimented with the forced common ownership of property, price controls, and minimum wage laws.
John Downey:The result was a documented dismal failure of such practices, and he means all of them, common ownership of property, price controls, and minimum wage laws. He goes on to say the pilgrims and their larger Puritan neighbors discovered by experience that the free market taught in the scriptures was the best system, only to have it threatened again by the mercantile trade laws of George the third beginning in 17/60, the result of which was our war for independence, which we kinda talked about a little bit. Yeah. Because he pushed it too far.
Vikki Downey:I really love that. Let's spend some time on that. You know, you can get an argument with different friends, but you know what? What's what's wrong with a healthy argument, right, about wages and minimum wage and all of that? But there's something to be said about that.
Vikki Downey:Yep. That some of the things you he just was quoted about can fail miserably. Right? And yeah. Did you If
John Downey:you think about what what's happened in California with, with Gavin Newsom continuing to raise the minimum wage in California, and it's had some unintended consequences, I think. Or maybe he knew that that was going to happen and didn't really care because he nor any of his family are probably on minimum wage. So it doesn't really matter if those jobs dry up or if their hours get cut, but that's what's happened. The reason go around with the minimum wage increase for fast food workers $20, That sounded great for fast food workers and they were really welcoming it. And I've talked to many who work in that industry and they said it was the worst thing that could have happened because their hours got drastically cut.
John Downey:Some of them got laid off and there are no job openings pretty much in that in that, in that segment because, these fast food companies just won't pay that pay that money. And it's not I don't know. It's not that they're making profit because I know McDonald's makes a massive amount of profit and so do most all of the other ones, but they don't wanna give up that profit. So they try and they end up passing it on to the consumer or they just, cut the cut the hours or lay off their their minimum wage workforce, which isn't fair to for the people who are working those minimum wage jobs either. So like I said, I don't think Newsom cares because he's not making minimum wage and neither is any party buddy in his family, so I don't think it really matters to him.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. It's been tough. It's definitely been tough. Yeah. And, it's kinda proving.
Vikki Downey:And what about price controls too? That's never been a good thing, and yet so many people believe in it, yet it's never been a good thing at all. That's why privatization is so important and you know, having healthy competition.
John Downey:Less government. You know? Just a free market. And I remember back in the day when you went to I'll use McDonald's again for an example because they're everywhere. And you walk into a McDonald's, and there were more employees in that McDonald's than customers.
John Downey:The behind the counter was
Vikki Downey:That is so true.
John Downey:Fact. And they were all working hard, rushing around, taking orders, filling orders, going running back and forth to the drive through window. Going to a McDonald's today, and it's barren back there. There's 3 or 4 people back there. Out front, it's just a bunch of self-service kiosks.
John Downey:Yeah. And it was not this last go around of minimum wage for fast food workers, but the one before that that pushed McDonald's and some of these other fast food companies into exploring, laying off hundreds of workers and replacing them with machines with with kiosks that you order from. Right. And it's a shame again. Right?
John Downey:Because now you're you're you're taking all these people that were that had jobs, and now they don't have them, and they're not gonna get them because you're not gonna take those kiosks out and replace them with human labor again.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. Yeah. It's it's really sad. And I think for me, it's always been my philosophy that having a job at McDonald's outside of the the upper level management that, you know, you could definitely make a living on. But, you know, these jobs were meant for teenagers.
Vikki Downey:You know, it wasn't meant for you to, have 4 kid 4 and 5 kids and be the sole provider working at McDonald's, you know, in the hourly positions. You know, that's not the type of job it was meant for, and it's really just a shame that they're just hurting that whole Yeah.
John Downey:It was always it was always my idea that those fast food jobs at at a McDonald's, at these fast food places, all that, these minimum wage jobs were for, like, high school kids to go and work and to learn to work hard and maybe sometimes to learn that they don't want to work for someone else. Maybe they want to have their own business. Maybe that's the best thing for them is to work hard and scrub floors and clean the toilets and pick up cigarette butts in the parking lot back when people were smoking cigarettes. Doing all the all those hard work, all that hard labor sets them up for their future because then when they do have other jobs that were paying more than minimum wage, they know they had to work hard. Yeah.
John Downey:But they don't like, when you worked, there there was never a a time where you could just sit idle. If there wasn't anything to do, you're cleaning something.
Vikki Downey:Right. Right? Exactly. Yeah. I've talked talked about that a lot with you, not on the podcast.
Vikki Downey:But, yeah, I worked at a salad a fast food salad place.
John Downey:Is that ahead of its time.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. Really, way ahead of its time in the eighties. I was 15 and a half, got my permit because I wanted my own money. And, I was telling John that there, you did not stand around. It was the best training ground for me for life for entrepreneurship, exactly what you're saying, because the the owner of the place was like, what are you doing?
Vikki Downey:Not just to me, but to everybody. Wipe that down. What I don't wanna see anybody standing. You're mopping. You're cleaning.
Vikki Downey:You're wiping. You're asking customers if they need anything else. You're you know, it was the best, and so I really drives me crazy. It's like nails on a chalkboard. When I see employees at different places standing around not being productive, it kills me.
Vikki Downey:But
John Downey:Yeah. I remember my my first job, I was, like, same same thing. You already get your work permit at 15 and a half or whatever it was, and it was at a Chinese restaurant, busing table. Yeah. And there were 3 owners.
John Downey:All 3 were Chinese guys.
Vikki Downey:And your mom was Japanese. Your mom worked there too. Yeah. The little Japanese lady.
John Downey:I'm gonna tell you. There is a silent owner. Thank goodness. So I we didn't have to see him. I saw him maybe once or twice is all, and then the other 2.
John Downey:1 was front of house, one took care of back of house. One of them was super cool. Nice guy. Unfortunately, that's not the one I really dealt with very
Vikki Downey:most of
John Downey:the time. The one I dealt with was the other one at the front of house because I was at front of house bussing tables. And my goodness, what a nightmare. And that actually taught me a lesson. It it not only taught me that, yeah, I have to work harder.
John Downey:I'm gonna get yelled at by this Chinese guy in broken English, but and not there's anything wrong with that. It was kinda funny. Yeah. But the other thing it taught me was that I don't wanna work for another man. I don't wanna work for someone else like that.
John Downey:I wanna have my own thing. And that's why I started my own business when I was in high school out of my mom and dad's garage because I thought, hey. This maybe has something to do here. Yeah. But I remember, like you're saying, there was no there was no idle time.
John Downey:If there was nothing to do, then I was supposed to go into the back and help the dishwasher, which there was nothing fun about that.
Vikki Downey:Right.
John Downey:It was steamy and hot, and I it was a disaster.
Vikki Downey:That's funny you bring the dishwasher up because at that I think it was called salads plus. Anyway, I one time, I was sent to do the dishes, and they had the big machine, and I was moving quickly, because I didn't wanna get yelled at. And I turned with a glass of my hand and hit the dishwasher arm, and it cut my hand. And so the owner had to race me to the hospital. But, you know, yeah, it's part of it, and I still kinda talk about that.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. But,
John Downey:you know, and I knew it back then when I was working. I'm sure you did too that this wasn't a forever job.
Vikki Downey:Right.
John Downey:This wasn't a career. I'm not gonna be a career bus boy. You weren't gonna be a career what did they call you?
Vikki Downey:I don't even know what we were Salad person? Yeah.
John Downey:Okay. You're a true salad person. And in no way would I ever consider raising a family on the income as a bus boy or a career salad person. I knew that that was just a stepping stone, and there would be something else. So I don't know why they have to feel that if you're working in fast food, that if you're if you're mopping the floor, that you need to earn a wage that is sustainable for an entire family, that you need to earn 40 to 50,000 a year.
John Downey:I I don't get that.
Vikki Downey:Just not that's not what it was meant to be. That's not the kind of job.
John Downey:There are lots of jobs where you can make that kind of money and should make that kind of money. Right. There's probably a lot of job that you can make that kind of money without all of the the hard work Right. Of having to mop and clean and do all those things that you have to do at a fast food restaurant.
Vikki Downey:Right. And you could have a side business like we've talked about many times, you know, too. So, yeah, it's it's crazy that we keep, in our opinion, raising minimum wage to a ridiculous amount that it's hurting the entrepreneurs who are providing the jobs. That's the last thing you wanna do, guys. You you don't wanna hurt the entrepreneurs that are trying to provide jobs for the community.
Vikki Downey:It just yeah. That's a little I think it's
John Downey:so far. I think it's people are understanding that because in this past election I don't like it. We've talked too much about this stuff. In the past election, I think, even in California, surprisingly, that it was the they had another minimum wage proposition on there, and it was soundly defeated. So I think I think even People are starting to get wise.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. I
John Downey:think people are figuring it out.
Vikki Downey:They're starting to educate themselves on what it does to the economy. Yeah. For sure. Alright. We should we read another one?
Vikki Downey:There were a couple other good quotes on here, and I think my page dropped to the floor.
John Downey:Yeah. Okay. So this one is from the Hoover Institution DC Programs director, Michael Frunk, who explains the pilgrims embrace of the free markets, recalling and he says, quote, recalling the story of the pilgrims is a Thanksgiving tradition. But do you know the real story behind their triumph over hunger and poverty at Plymouth Colony nearly 4 4 centuries ago, which actually is now more than 4 centuries ago? Their salvation stemmed not only from not only so much from the charitable gestures of local Indians, but from their courageous decision to embrace the free market principle of private property ownership.
John Downey:And that was a half that was century and a half before Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations.
Vikki Downey:I love that private property ownership. Yeah. That is really cool. Yeah. Really, really cool.
Vikki Downey:Oh, go ahead.
John Downey:Here's a piece of trivia. Did you know that there was another ship that was accompanying the, Mayflower when it left England to come to and actually, they weren't actually trying to make it. They weren't actually going to where what we consider Massachusetts or Cape Cod or where they landed in Plymouth, which is in in in, Cape Cod, Plymouth Harbor. They were actually, headed for Virginia.
Vikki Downey:You know what? I didn't read that part and didn't remember. I did know there was another boat with the Mayflower, and I can't remember. So you're gonna have to tell us. So
John Downey:the other one was called the Speedwell. Oh. And that was proven to be unseaworthy. So Speedwell had to turn around and head back to England with several of the other settlers on board that that that ship. So that was unfortunate for them because they didn't become part of the
Vikki Downey:It didn't really speed well, did it?
John Downey:Yeah. Well, it it was a good thing because, you may have died on the journey because the, Mayflower hit some really bad weather, which is why they diverted to, Massachusetts instead of landing in Virginia, which is the plan. They wanted to they wanted to colonize in Virginia, but they had rough seas and storms. So you can imagine, you know, and that voyage took 65 days. So over 2 months on that ship crossing the Atlantic, you know, getting through all the storms, and then right at the very end of the joy the voyage, it wasn't as though it was sunny and pleasant Yeah.
John Downey:And rainbows. It was, it was rough seas and storms which forced them to land somewhere where they didn't want to land, somewhere where they weren't planning the land and then having to start there. So these people are really resilient.
Vikki Downey:Wow. Are they ever?
John Downey:And then have more than half of them die in the first few months.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. That's so, so sad.
John Downey:So And they still stayed and still farmed and still made it work.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. Kind of survival of the fittest, if you will.
John Downey:Yeah. No. No. I kind of wonder what what our country would look like if they didn't.
Vikki Downey:If they didn't survive?
John Downey:Yeah. If they didn't if they keep
Vikki Downey:up. Yeah.
John Downey:If they said, hey. I I ran into some problems. We're going back.
Vikki Downey:Right.
John Downey:Right now, which is what happens with most people who start their own business.
Vikki Downey:Right.
John Downey:1st time they run into some some struggles, some issues, the first time they run into a hurdle, instead of jumping over that hurdle or running through it, they just turn around and say, it was wasn't wasn't for me.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. How sad is that? That's a really good analogy for all of this. Yeah. And we we're thinking I'm thinking we've given you a couple fun tidbits to share at the family dinner table today Yeah.
Vikki Downey:About Speedwell. That would be the perfect one. Hey. Did you guys know, that there was another ship? Yeah.
Vikki Downey:Amazing. And the fact that was 404 years ago, that's just Yeah. Crazy. Absolutely crazy. Yeah.
John Downey:You think how young our country is? Yeah. We're we're, you know, 250 years old, 200 whatever.
Vikki Downey:A little more than that. Right? Yeah.
John Downey:Right. Shows that we're getting old. I
Vikki Downey:know. Because Crazy.
John Downey:I was I remember this the bicentennial.
Vikki Downey:I know. Right. Me too. I was really little. Another fun factoid, not that anybody cares, but I was born in Massachusetts.
Vikki Downey:So that's kind of funny
John Downey:that these ones I bet you no one at your table tonight is gonna know that one.
Vikki Downey:Yeah. Because they don't know who I am. I'm sure. And they don't even if you did, you don't really care. But, yeah.
Vikki Downey:So this has been fun. A whole lot of fun being with you all. We really wanted to kinda bring something different to the table today about our country and how we should all be grateful and thankful, for living in America. If you're listening somewhere else on the planet, hello. But we really focused on America and how our country was founded, really, on entrepreneurship
John Downey:Right.
Vikki Downey:And and escaping taxation without representation and all that comes with that. Right? So definitely, every time there's an election, vote. Educate yourself first on everything, and please vote. But we were excited to have brought that to you today.
Vikki Downey:We hope you give your friends and family an extra hug today as you're with them all. And wanted to alert you to next week, December 5th is going to be our 11th episode. This is number 10. Hey. High five.
Vikki Downey:We
John Downey:are no.
Vikki Downey:We don't high 5 anymore. Okay. What are we I
John Downey:don't do any of this.
Vikki Downey:You don't do that either.
John Downey:I don't do that either.
Vikki Downey:This would be better. K. Can we do that?
John Downey:No. We cannot do we're definitely not doing that.
Vikki Downey:Hey. You left me hanging. Right.
John Downey:I'm not turning those little doing
Vikki Downey:them. Okay.
John Downey:The jazz fingers.
Vikki Downey:We're celebrating our 10th episode, guys, today. Pretty good. I'm proud of us every week. If you've been listening, you've been with us every week, so we're so excited. And please share this with a friend, but join us next week, December 5th.
Vikki Downey:We are gonna do some giveaways all through December. So December 5th, we're gonna have some giveaways. You gotta listen in and comment and, to maybe win something, December 12th December 19th. So all 3 Thursdays before Christmas in December, we're doing some giveaways, so look forward to having you back on the podcast. Please share this with somebody that you might find.
Vikki Downey:It's that they might find it interesting or interested in entrepreneurship. And follow us, subscribe, give us a like, leave a comment for us. You know, we love that. So happy thanksgiving. Sending you all the blessings.
Vikki Downey:Have a great day.
John Downey:Yeah. Happy thanksgiving.
Vikki Downey:Thanks for joining us on Dig the Well.
John Downey:We hope you feel empowered and ready to take on new challenges. Remember,
Vikki Downey:if we can do it, so can you. Keep learning, keep believing, and going after your dreams.
John Downey:And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone who needs a little inspiration or maybe a nudge in the right direction.
Vikki Downey:Help us grow this community of go getters. Together, we can achieve greatness and get back to family.
John Downey:Thanks for listening, and let's keep digging the way.