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Leading is Serving seeks to provide resources and connection for leadership and business development. Particularly focused on the south-side and Indy in general. Tune in as we share the stories of people and companies, not just doing good work, but also having a positive impact on the community.
Chris Wood: [00:00:00] Well, Dave, thanks for joining us today.
David Maurer: Thanks for having me. I'm looking forward to the time together.
Chris Wood: I am too. I'm looking forward to diving deeper into your, um, some
of your history and where you're at now. So Okay. Let's jump right into it. Tell us
a little bit about your backstory.
David Maurer: Well, I tell people I'm a Buckeye by birth and Hoosier by
circumstance.
I was born in Dayton, Ohio and we moved here when I was. Uh, from Cincinnati
and into Indianapolis area toward the end of a Biddle part of the sixties, right
when Greenwood Park was actually there breaking ground on Greenwood Park.
Really? So I've seen a major transformation on the south side of, uh, Indianapolis
Johnson County since those days when we first arrived on the scene, right?
So, yeah,
Chris Wood: that, yeah, you have seen a lot,
David Maurer: unfortunately, so much that you wouldn't even recognize our
communities today that wants to exist compared to then. So, yeah. But it's been
good. It's been great.
Chris Wood: So, so did you, and you moved your family here at that point?
David Maurer: Actually, my, I was still living at home because I was such a
young, uh, okay.
Young [00:01:00] youngster and all that. And then we, we grew up in a typical
American home. Mm-hmm. And I started home and started a neighborhood and
such. But as we moved. Forward, we continued to grow and, and we kind of
found ourselves, if I may, you know, say we've became the typical family that
started going to church and getting involved in the community and our local
church on the south side of Indianapolis as well.
So things just happened and organically our family grew in many, many ways.
And, uh, yeah. So finally, next thing you know, Of age and of, uh, yeah. Voting
and, and getting ready to go to college. So, yes. Yeah. Where'd you do college?
Uh, actually that's an interesting story. I really wanted to go to West Point Okay.
And such, but, you know, I was a first, basically a first generation college student.
Okay. And those doors closed on me. So my father, uh, said, well, we gotta get
you in school. Once he. I wasn't going to be heading up to New York for a, for the
upcoming fall. Right. And so we actually, my dad drove down and, and
approached the people at Franklin [00:02:00] College and said, can you take my
son, the, the admissions, uh, folk?
And then, and so next thing you know, I'm going to be, uh, doing my first college
visit during, uh, during the enrollment, uh, the morning, uh, that weekend of
Labor Day weekend in 19. Wow.
Chris Wood: So how so? Yes. What, did you stay for the four years or?
David Maurer: I did. Okay. Yeah. My dream and my goal was to be a airline pilot
ultimately.
Really? And so my, the pathway to get into that was, would be to get your, uh,
college degree and then maybe go fly in the military. Mm-hmm. And, and such.
So, uh, that all played out, but I never got in the military. And being a young,
hungry college graduate, I started into the insurance world really.
Chris Wood: And so did, did anything take you to the insurance world or does
that just Circumstances were right.
And you walked in and,
David Maurer: well, in many eyes, circumstances are what they are. I looked at
it as God's hand guiding me. Mm-hmm. And I actually, uh, graduated in 84. Okay.
And, uh, I went to work for a [00:03:00] company called Banker's Life, and I
actually connected with the right company, the right time with the right product.
Mm-hmm. And in that world, uh, I. It was young green, young green, uh, horn
kind of kid and, and all that. But I had an opportunity and I really, with the
blessings of God and the hand of God, I really thrived in what I did. Mm-hmm.
And I basically had a career there for almost 30 years, so. Wow.
Chris Wood: Yeah. That's awesome.
That's good. So you've probably seen a couple things in the insurance world. I
mean, it's. Probably changed a
David Maurer: lot in 30 years. A lot of change. A lot did change. And, and still
changing to this day, even though I'm no longer in it, my license is, is a distant
memory. Mm-hmm. But yeah, you know, the major thing happened there was,
this was the day of caller ID and, and no call, I mean, people were on no call list.
So that really impacted a lot with the industry. Mm-hmm. And to even to this day,
it's really, uh, there's some pros and cons with any new regulation, but it really
worked out for. I was able to have my season and, uh, in 19, I mean, correction
[00:04:00] 2012, um, my door shut there in the insurance industry, as with many
others within the company.
And I moved on and mm-hmm. In, uh, at age 50 and. I've been blessed ever
since. That's awesome. Or I was always blessed, but you know, it's just a
different type of blessing and different type of opportunities came about. Yeah.
Chris Wood: So transition there, I mean, were you in management or were you
just selling insurance there at the time when you were doing that?
Or how did that work for you?
David Maurer: The doors of management were there, but I learned quickly.
Management, well, a great opportunity and such. I just did not want to get into
that management paper, shuffling and overseeing other individuals really. So I
really just said, I'm going, I want to control my destiny to the best that I can.
Mm-hmm. And so I stayed in the world of, uh, salesmanship, if you will, and, uh,
okay. And, uh, the rest is history. Wow. That's awesome.
Jason Kempf: So, yeah. So I'm curious how, how you go. Fighter pilot in the
military to [00:05:00] insurance. Well, what, what, what woke you up in that
industry of going, uh, this, what, what kind of fueled you through those years?
David Maurer: Well, basically I'll, I'll just say hunger. Uh, okay. You know, I
wanted to be an air, uh, ultimately an airline pilot, but. The military was the, was
the conduit to allow me to build the hours without paying for the hours. Right?
Mm-hmm. Okay. But those doors really did not open. I had some, I'll say minor
health issues.
Uh, I did not have 2020 vision. Oh, okay. And I had a, a slight elevated high
blood pressure so I could see, you know, read the t leaves and realize there was
not gonna be a future for me in the military. Right, right. And there was still a glut
of pilots coming out of Vietnam, and the industry was much different back in 1980.
Than it is now. Right, that's true. Now they're trying to just recruit pilots right and
left, but it was a pretty competitive world. Mm-hmm. So again, being hungry,
insurance door opened up and it was really the best career for me at the time.
And even looking back, still the best career for me. So, yeah.
That's, [00:06:00] that's
Chris Wood: cool. Yeah. Well, and correct me if I'm wrong, you still have a
passion for aviation?
David Maurer: Oh, in a big way. Yeah. My wife and I are both, uh, uh, pilots. We
have our instrument ratings and such. Mm-hmm. And, but we haven't flown now
for. Because, you know, you get to the point where you either fly or you raise
children and we just decided to raise children Right.
And such. And it was for the good. I mean, and, but we, I still have a passion. My,
you know, my sister-in-law's a pilot, my father-in-law flew for US air, it was a
captain. So we have this long aviation history within our family, but, so the
compassion is still there. It just has a little different paradigm to, so
Jason Kempf: I'm curious, yeah.
If you had the opportunity to fly, Plane out there. What, what would be your
dream flight if you had the chance to control it?
David Maurer: Boy, that's a great question. I would dare say growing up in my,
mm-hmm. In the days of my youth, when I knew what kind of, what was going on,
I'd dare say the F 14 Tom Cap Navy Tomcat, the famous Top gun.
Yeah, I was gonna say, yeah. That, [00:07:00] that just had so much romance to
it and so much power and, and, and such, you know, taken off a carrier, but, It's
just, uh, but that would be my dream aircraft if I had to pick one off of an off of a
carrier. Oh, of course. Oh yeah. Yeah. You might as well put a little spice on that.
Yeah. Yeah. They're going to be flying inside, so Yes. That's incredible.
Chris Wood: So 2012. Did a shift. Yeah. Then what did you decide to do at that
point?
David Maurer: Well, I was blessed, uh, given a variety of factors. Uh, I, once I
got the letter of termination, my company had every right to do what they did, and
they were doing it to a few other veteran agents for a variety of reasons.
But as a result of that, I called my financial broker and he said, you know, kind of
retire and, and then come back and do what you really want to do, the passion of
your life. Mm-hmm. What you, what you really feel that God has put you. In, in,
you know, here for, and he didn't quite use the spiritual dimension as I, I just
applied.
But I thought, you know, this is an opportunity to be able to make a difference in
the remaining days that I have on [00:08:00] this earth.
Chris Wood: That's awesome. Yeah. So did you, I mean, did you take a break
and try to assess what that looked like at that point? Because I mean, this is, yep.
For many people, if they'd have hit this road mm-hmm.
I mean, it would've been. Uh, maybe even more upsetting for some, less
upsetting for others. But I don't think, what I love about your story is the fact that
it's like you realized so many things about yourself, right? You've realized in the
midst that you wanted to be in control of your own destiny, so you stayed in sales.
Then when you got done with that, yeah, you also realized that, you know, hey,
we're gonna figure out. What my gifts are and what I need to focus on. Yep. And
so did you take some time to focus on that?
David Maurer: And Actually, I had a friend at the moment. Uh, at the time I, he
needed some help with some marketing, so I helped him.
Mm-hmm. And actually, Yeah, it lasted about a year or so, and I was actually
doing some mission trips and I was in Bangkok, Thailand, uh, getting ready to
come back home from going to, uh, Burma and then and such, so a friend of
mine emailed me, [00:09:00] said, you just gotta check out this job at Franklin
College. This is you.
So I went, I applied for it and next thing I know I got the job. And, and so I was
the Franklin Fund. Uh, officer. So I, uh, actually was able to help bring forth an
element of, of money raising money, if you will, for this, for Franklin College,
because Franklin College has a very high percentage of, uh, first generations
freshmen.
So these. Young people, these young families are really not aware of how to
navigate the financial aid to they got degree. And so all the money's raised for
the, for the Franklin Fund went toward helping scholarships for these. Oh wow.
And then it hit me, and this is one of the major things that maybe is the focus of
why I continued to develop in the world that I did or I have, is the fact of the
matter is that I realized, and I shared this with my potential donors, that when you
give a.
And I'll just hypothetically say a thousand dollars gift for the Franklin [00:10:00]
Fund. You're not only helping a student, but you're helping the generations to
come. Mm-hmm. Because it just conc create and not that college is the, you
know, end all of everything. Right, right. But it's just helped. And so, you know, I
can say that in my own life, my and the rest of my family's life, that, you know,
having that opportunity, our kids, our nieces and nephews are also then reaping
that kind.
Mm-hmm. So, yeah, so it changes generations and that just, that's awesome
really, when you look at life in that way and what we do and how we. It really
gives you a little bit more of a purpose and definement on how to pursue
whatever your calling is. Hmm.
Chris Wood: So you found probably some of your strengths in that process, and
that was awesome that a friend introduced you to that job.
Yep. What did you see about that job that you really excited you? That it, I mean,
was it to you to a t or was there just, you just found that you were. Enjoyed that.
David Maurer: Great question. And uh, I will say working in the world of
development [00:11:00] versus the world of insurance, two different worlds.
Mm-hmm. But yet not really too many different worlds because in both insurance
and in the world of development, quite often I looked at myself not as a
fundraiser, not as an insurance agent, but rather an educator.
Yeah. Because when you go in and you sit down at a table with someone, To
help them educate, whether it be what kind of insurance needs they have and
how to address those needs. Or a donor. Cuz a lot of individuals in the, in the
not-for-profit world, they give money to not really realizing why they give it.
Mm-hmm. Right. But if you can give with intention trying to help not only for the
moment to possibly your own legacy, it really creates a lot of great convers. Hmm.
Oh wow. And so I took that full advantage. So there was a lot of cross pollination
between insurance sales and, and the development world and raising money.
Chris Wood: That's interesting. So you probably had a lot of neat conversations,
didn't you?
David Maurer: Really? Yes. We really,
Chris Wood: I bet you met some really neat people through that process
David Maurer: in, in a big way. [00:12:00] Yes. And I, you know, you hear many
stories, especially in the insurance world, uh, again, Pete men and women that
served in the war.
Mm-hmm. You know, I actually had one client, he had a young, you know, being
a young, uh, young guy, I never really realized, but this one client, she had a
tattoo on her hand, and it's not your typical tattoo you see today. It was a number.
Mm-hmm. Well, she was at Auschwitz. Oh my. And so, you know, so she ended
up here in green.
You know, so you got to hear that story. Oh my goodness. Mm-hmm. So, and
then with the Franklin College world, at my first real step into working in
development, you know, you hear a lot of individual stories of little mistakes that
were made mm-hmm. During Vietnam War with some of our, of our graduates.
That one gentleman, he was a, I think a, a, a PE.
Graduate from Franklin College, but he ended up, they put him down as a phys
instead of phys ed. They put him down as physical therapy and they sent him
down to Austin, I mean, down to San Antonio on his working in a hospital, a
[00:13:00] burn unit doing physical therapy. Oh, wow. And so he knew enough
about, I mean, so just these neat little twist of fate that really changed that
individual's life.
So, yeah. Yeah.
Chris Wood: That's a, that's a big difference.
David Maurer: Yeah, it really is. But he, but he was able to do it and, and do it
well, so, right.
Chris Wood: That's awesome. That's awesome that he was able to excel
through that process.
David Maurer: Exactly. But it, it was a vivid reminder to see that we all have a
place in life and sometimes what we would look at blind luck or circumstances, or
just an opportunity really, is more of our path of life and the direction we're going
to go down without even knowing it at the moment.
Chris Wood: So I gotta, I gotta ask you a personal question Please. Cause,
Yeah. I know you have kids as well. Yes. And so, in all your understanding of life,
have you been able to empower your kids through this process of helping them
understand more so of themselves as well in a big way?
David Maurer: And, uh, I'm gonna say this in kind of a little bit of a proud way.
Uh, we're a big Purdue family. Mm-hmm. At least I'm proud to, you know,
[00:14:00] right. In this, uh, with basketball being, I was gonna say, they're doing
really. So we have about 20 Purdue family members in our, and both of our kids
and their spouses are Purdue. My wife is a Purdue grad. But it really allowed me
to look at life in a, in a, in through the prism of opportunity.
Mm-hmm. Uh, we were blessed because of my engagement in missions and
various other organizations. We did quite a bit of traveling mm-hmm.
Internationally, and our kids went on many of those trips. So our kids got to see a
worldview that many children have not had. The, the, the opportu. And so when
you're, when you and our, my wife and the two kids are going on a trip and we're
in.
You learn a lot about life. Mm-hmm. And you realize what we have here in
America and what they actually, they have in India. Mm-hmm. And that's not all
bad. There's some great things internationally Right. In the different cultures that
Right. We need to learn from. So Yes. Right. Our kids developed a, a, a
worldview that really have served them well in life.
Mm-hmm.
Chris Wood: So that's, that's awesome. Yeah.
Jason Kempf: That's [00:15:00] talking about those twists and turns, the
opportunities that you maybe didn't see coming down the road. Yeah. How would
you, Say coach one of your kids or another young person in helping them identify
those opportunities. Cuz it's something that we're not necessarily looking for.
It's not something we're trying to identify, but all of a sudden, here's an open door.
Do I walk through it or not? How would you, what would you say to somebody
like that, trying to make that decision?
David Maurer: Just having a perspective and, and an awareness of what can
and potentially can happen, number one. Second thing is always be.
Mm. I mean, a lot of individuals, even adults sit back and they, they, they slumber
and they, you know, look at life and they go through it one day at a time realizing
that what is coming to their feet is, is a gift. Mm-hmm. And so That's good. Yeah.
Jason Kempf: So I'm curious, as we are looking at these opportunities, right,
and kind of what I'm hearing in your story is not being so tied to your plan
[00:16:00] because Right.
You know, if your plan is becoming a pilot, well that's not, oh, here's insurance,
here's a. And then all of a sudden the door of insurance closes, and now you're
in development at Franklin, right? Mm-hmm. College. Mm-hmm. You know, right.
That we've gotta be willing to kind of lay our plan down.
David Maurer: We have to. Yeah.
And you have to be nimble. Mm-hmm. And you also want to have the skill sets
that if something does change, that you could easily shift right into another career,
into another industry. And a lot of people put more thought into a vacation than
they do their life.
Chris Wood: This is true. I a good thought. I hadn't thought about that.
Yeah, that's so true.
David Maurer: And you gotta realize, I always kind of looked up my life and I've
taught this to our kids. My wife has done the same with our children. Mm-hmm.
You not, you need to know where you're starting from. Mm-hmm. And where you
want to. Mm-hmm. And if you want to go down a general path that that's the first
step that needs to happen.
Second step, and I'm gonna probably quote Socrates, but I'm sure others have
said this, but in a young career [00:17:00] or in a person's life, there are three
stages in a career. The first stages getting, getting in there maybe the first 10
years and learning. What to do and how to form yourself. Right. The second
element is where the, I'd call it the world of abundance, where you're really
learning how to, you know, get into your groove.
You start climbing the corporate ladder. Mm-hmm. And you know, put away
money and your blessings financially if you have that, whatever. But then that
last third of the career is what you'll be remembered for. So how do you leave
your legacy and not so much for your own self, even though. You know, great
and all, but how do you leave that legacy for the kingdom?
Mm-hmm. How do you come in and you craft that to be able to, you know, say,
okay, he or she did this and this, and you know, for the glory of God, if you will.
Mm-hmm. Not to over spiritualize things, but I think that is something that really
needs to drive us more than our own selfish ambitions. That's good.
Jason Kempf: That's cool. So yeah, so I have to. I didn't [00:18:00] know Dave
Mauer as insurance. Yeah. And I didn't know Dave Mauer as Franklin College.
Yep. I know you as Dave from Aspire. Yes. Tell us about that journey. How did
you get into that?
David Maurer: Well, the door opened there over almost two years now starting
Okay. With Aspire, they coming out of the pan, Debbie, with the, uh, with.
World of Chamber of Commerce and, and the Aspire merger that took place.
Mm-hmm. There was an opportunity for, they needed someone to come in and
help market for them and help you know, if you will sell their product to the
businesses, right? Mm-hmm. You know, so it was more than just a, if you will,
sales job, but realizing that when you're coming into this world of, of, of talking
about chamber, cause I work more on the chamber side of.
That really what I'm, again, educating, making people aware of a resource that
they have in our county. So Aspire is that resource for our business owners and
entrepreneurs, not for profits, and even individuals that are [00:19:00] wanting to
be connected in the community. Right. So when you're doing that where there is
a, if you will, a, uh, mutual benefit mm-hmm.
It really helps all parties to be able to come in and work together for the good of
all while still. The individual business owner and the individual business.
Mm-hmm.
Chris Wood: Yeah. So what do, what would you say are the best part about the,
I mean, the biggest, the best, um, positive thing about Aspire is for the, for the
business owners out there that might be listening.
David Maurer: It's just a great resource because you have a chance to be
connected in the community. Mm-hmm. If you need help, you have avenues to.
You know, if a business owner needs help with HR or technology or social media,
they can turn to us. We provide a, provide a lot of other support elements. And
then just the practical side of being able to network to be known.
I mean, there's so many businesses out there that. No one really knows about.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And no one knows they even exist. And one classic
[00:20:00] example was, uh, a, an organization that they herded goats that took
goats out to mow grass for these large properties that people couldn't get to.
That's, that's a business.
It is goats on the go. Really? Yeah. So they never heard of it. They joined a little
over a year ago and such. But yeah, I mean, to come in and so those are the
kind of nuances of. That they want to come and she came and then they, they
joined for a window of time. But you know, those are the kind of things to be
better known and to realize there are so many other micro businesses out there
that people don't even yeah know exist.
Chris Wood: Yeah. That's awesome.
Jason Kempf: I just wanna say you need to wipe that. You, you don't need to
start a goat business. Um, I don't, I don't need a goat business. Yeah. That's not
for you. I need them
Chris Wood: to mow my grass though. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
David Maurer: I'm sure though your property, you know, they do a lot of focus on,
on, on, on hills and such where you just safely can I get a mower, so Yeah.
Yeah. Which is brilliant. Great. They'll come in and clear off major, vast area of,
[00:21:00] of, of land and it's just a matter of a day or so.
Jason Kempf: Right. Wow. And one of the, one of the big connecting events for
Aspire is the coffee connections. Exactly. Happens once a month, and that
seems like it has grown tremendously.
Yes. In the last, what, six months to a year or so? Uh,
David Maurer: it started about a year ago, again, coming out of Covid, a lot of,
mm-hmm. It was a little bit more of a ramp up time, but it started about last
summer, we started seeing a major spike in our attendance. Yeah, so
Chris Wood: I, the last one I, I went to, I mean, there was a lot of people there.