Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Welcome to Founders and Fortitude, the podcast where passion meets perseverance. Hosted by Audrie Dollins — a marketing strategist, retired professional photographer, visionary entrepreneur, and founder of AD Media Group, a renowned influencer and brand marketing firm — this podcast uncovers the stories behind extraordinary lives and thriving businesses.
Through authentic conversations and impactful storytelling, each episode explores the entrepreneurial journey, sharing the highs, lows, and actionable strategies for success. Gain expert advice, business insights, and inspiration from trailblazers who have turned aspirations into reality.
Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or taking the first step, Founders and Fortitude offers the tools, motivation, and community you need to build, grow, and thrive in today’s dynamic business landscape.
Tune in weekly to discover the grit, grace, and fortitude it takes to succeed and leave a lasting impact.
Welcome to Founders and Fortitude conversations with Audrey Dollins, a podcast where we uncover the raw realities of being a founder, celebrating the brilliance of the teens, individuals, and families working tirelessly behind the scenes and explore the fortitude, unwavering determination it takes to navigate the twists, turns, and triumphs of entrepreneurship and life itself. Each week, we will share candid conversations, actionable insights, and inspiring stories to empower you on your journey. Whether you're building a brand, scaling a business, an online creator and influencer, or pursuing your passions with relentless drive, let's dive into the grit, grace, and growth it takes to thrive. Let's get into it.
Audrie:Hi friends. To say I'm ecstatic sitting here with my family would be an understatement. As many things and adventures in life, we always support each other and I love that even though against their will, they're sitting here and we are going to have a conversation about what it looks like behind the scenes. My goal with starting Founders in Fortitude is kind of showing that behind the scenes, not just the person in the forefront, but the family and team that supports them. The journey that it takes, the fortitude it takes, and all the memories created and what their experiences look like.
Audrie:So I'm so excited to introduce you. We'll start off with my son, Presley. Presley is in the air force and is about to be 21. So I can't wait to share all the insights and details about his experience, being a kid kid of an entrepreneur and then his journey going into the military. If you hear the barking in the background, we are filming at home and so you're gonna hear our sweet dogs and Sadie is the one that's trying to take over the show.
Audrie:My daughter Scarlet is literally freshly 16. She has the sweetest soul and is the kindest person at this table out of all of us. She plays select softball. And with her journey, I think it's so important, that I talk about a lot with guests is the, similarities of being an athlete, and having that fortitude and that type of atmosphere, as well as with business and how that competitive nature aligns. My husband that is I twisted his arm the most to be here is Jason.
Audrie:Jason is, a lot of things within our company. He handles all of our accounting. He is the backbone of our family and handles all things home and then he puts up with me which is a job within itself. I think they should have you on payroll of putting up with Audrey.
Presley:Give him a medal.
Audrie:Give him cool. Vicky has one somewhere. And then the little one in his lap and if you can't if you're not, viewing us on YouTube, is Fendi. Fendi is our chief wolf officer at eighty Media Group and visits us a lot. But I'm so excited that we get to have a candid conversation.
Audrie:Now just a friendly reminder, my family does not go on, social media or podcast. This is so new to them. So I just appreciate y'all giving them that love and you get to see the real rawness of what family looks like. Because I promise you the answers that they are probably gonna say are not scripted and will probably have my mom heart fluttering just a little bit. But I want to start with you, Jason.
Audrie:You and I have owned several businesses. We even in our downtime, we are always moving forward with our thinking and opportunity. Have you always been that way? Like, have you always wanted to own your own business?
Jason:I pretty much worked for myself my whole life, more or less. I mean, I worked for a few companies here and there, but always entrepreneurial heart.
Audrie:Yeah. And why do we I think the number one thing and we talk about this often is the freedoms that we have. I think that we would rather we I think we send, text messages back and forth of motivation and that the word fortitude is something that you and I had talked about, when we are going through a season of hard work and we said that we'd rather work, you know, what was it fifteen hours a day or twelve hours a day for ourselves than for anybody else and I think it rings true. So I I love that about us and then that's also one of the hardest things about us too is that we're very, driven and competitive and we hold each other to a high expectation, which is not always like
Jason:The greatest. Exactly.
Audrie:Which leads me over to the kids, like, which leads me over to you guys. What we have this drive and then we this is what kind of started within us. What are your thoughts of seeing, you know, do you know why we do it? Like, what are your thoughts about having family members that own their own business? Do you feel different than your friends in school?
Audrie:Or what were those things that you noticed about us?
Presley:It's it's definitely easier, I think, compared to everyone else. You know, people's families work nine to five, and they end up working later. But with you guys, like, being available even it might it might be a little more random than others, like but it's definitely year round. If it's if we have a day off on Monday, y'all are probably gonna be here, and that's or or be gone. But the point is is that they offer not from us at school or something like that.
Presley:You guys were always around most of the time. There wasn't a time where I would come home from, school where at least you know, y'all were all one person was always home. I think that was that was, like, a big thing that not a lot of kids get. So I think that's nice. And then, also, it's it's just a little easier.
Presley:The the gripes from families are a little better because it's not that, oh, my boss is beaten down on me. It's just that y'all gotta get something done. And I think that's a little easier to handle because then I'm just gonna hate your boss. If you're your boss, then get her.
Scarlett:Yeah. Yeah. And to touch on that, like, especially with, my softball games and everything. I mean, y'all, having to work on top of coming and being there for me, like yeah.
Audrie:Which is mostly you, which I do it too, but you're there. You're able to be there.
Jason:You handle a little hours.
Audrie:Yeah. You handle a lot. I have to say that too. I like that we have the freedom to show up. It like you said, that it may be like, it's a little bit more random, but if y'all need something, we we walk away immediately.
Audrie:Y'all come first and this type of business allows us to do that. And I think even when y'all were little, like, you always have to start somewhere. And I remember and we can all laugh about this because was it Scarlett that locked us out of the car? Yeah. Who walked us out of the car?
Audrie:That was Scarlett that locked
Presley:us out of the car.
Audrie:You know, it was us too. We went on a photo shoot and my kids were not in danger in any way, so nobody come at us. But, we they had their iPads and their movies and I was on a photo shoot and it was pads and their movies and I was on a photo shoot and it was gonna be like a forty five minute total thing. It was like a mini shoot and, they were there with me and I was like, do not get out of the car. I'm gonna run up here and I'll be right back.
Audrie:And you were 12.
Scarlett:How old
Audrie:were you?
Presley:I was like 13, almost 14.
Audrie:Like, it was not
Presley:She left the car running, and it wasn't hot. So but the car It
Jason:was nice. The car oh, okay. It just wasn't hot, everyone.
Audrie:Yeah. Like, they were not suffocating. Yeah.
Presley:We were we were good. Yeah. Yeah. And, I was wondering,
Scarlett:the swag man. I'm
Presley:pretty sure. We were watching, like, some Adam Sandler movie or something weird. We were fine.
Audrie:I'm such a good favorite. And
Jason:no. It's like growing ups.
Presley:It's like one of the good ones. No. But, like, I got out of the car because I needed to go tell you something. I have to tell you. What I had to tell you.
Presley:And I and I got out of the car to come bother you. And I turned around, and my sister shut the door To the running car. She got out. I told her to stay in there. I'm like, I'm I wasn't even leaving the area of the car.
Presley:You were right there. K. And I walk up, and I just hear the door shut. And I turn around. And Scarlett's standing outside with no shoes on and her iPad, and she had left the car she the car locked behind itself while it was running, and that was that.
Presley:We were just stranded out there
Audrie:Yeah.
Presley:While mom was trying to take a photo shoot.
Audrie:And we finished the photo shoot. Y'all were great. You'll, like, sat on the park bench or something like that. No shoes on because it was, like, spring. It wasn't like it was nine That was
Jason:done with it.
Audrie:Texas nine hundred degree heat. And then we finished the photo shoot. In the meantime, texted Jason. Jason got the people out to help us and within a few minutes, we were back in the car rolling along. But I think those experiences are so funny, but it's like the grit to overcome the little challenges in the overall picture.
Audrie:Because I would never think at that time and would y'all think at that time that we would that AD Media Group would be where it is? Like, those times when we are little I say we were little, like, y'all were little, that we would those processes and steps would be where we are.
Presley:Back then? Y'all
Scarlett:grown a lot from where you started for sure.
Audrie:Yeah. And then remember when we did the photoshoot in, like, zero sub degree temperatures?
Presley:Like in the parks at
Audrie:In the park. Weeks? Yeah. Because you would assist. Do y'all did you guys like coming to help?
Presley:Got me out of the house, but but no. Like, some sometimes, of course, I wish I could just sit in my room and play Xbox some more in bed.
Scarlett:More recently, like, now yeah. I like I enjoy helping.
Audrie:So older than that. Yeah.
Presley:Especially because you're on the payroll.
Jason:Because you're on the payroll now. Now we can't pay her with, like, Skittles
Audrie:and a dinner.
Scarlett:I had a good time, recently. Yeah. Whenever we did that photo shoot.
Audrie:When you do you guys remember the venue and doing that? Yes. You loved having the venue.
Presley:I remember I remember that was a lot of work for y'all. That was, like, more than Lot
Jason:of travel.
Presley:That was more than anything y'all ever done was the venue. And I I felt like it was, like, the easiest work and probably the funniest funniest, but I just knew that that was, like, constant.
Scarlett:The they cupcakes at
Jason:the same time. It was just too much at once.
Audrie:So a little inside if you're tuning in, back when the kids were younger, how many years ago was this? 05/06?
Jason:Two thousand '16 when we opened the bakery.
Audrie:So we opened, Small Cakes Cupcakery. Our dog is drinking water if you can hear it. It's hilarious. But, we owned Small Cakes Cupcakery in Garland at Firewheel. And it was a franchise and, with Jason's parents and we built the whole storefront from top to bottom.
Audrie:It was a extreme experience. A lot of knowledge went into it from building it to employees to all of the things, and the kids were right there alongside of us watching it from the ground up. We were getting married at the same time. Like, we got married in September and it opened in October. So all of that going on, and at the same time, we were presented to, purchase a an event venue in the in Downtown Sulphur Springs, and we said, well, why not?
Audrie:With two young kids in sports.
Presley:It was a lot.
Audrie:Yes. And I was still running a photography business, marketing, creating with influencers. Influencers started rolling in at that time, and it was just a lot. And then right before COVID twenty nineteen, we sold the Cupcakery when?
Jason:February and then no. September, we sold the venue. In October, we sold the bakery
Scarlett:Okay.
Jason:In 02/2019, then COVID hit two months later, two months later.
Audrie:And then we basically and they're still open. They're still running. The venue is still going. So many experiences with that. I think you were great at the venue.
Audrie:The venue gave me a heart attack because it was throwing an event, and I was very particular about certain things that you were you were so detailed and great about it. If you could do it again, would you? Do the cup you would?
Jason:The cupcakes?
Audrie:Which one?
Jason:Not the cupcakes. Never. I'm not a food industry business person after that. I've learned my lesson on that. But the venue, absolutely.
Jason:Yeah. All day long.
Audrie:You were good at that. I was panicky because it's like having a wedding every day. But I remember y'all sweeping and
Presley:Oh, yeah. I remember sweeping.
Scarlett:I remember setting up the
Audrie:the setting at his nails. Oh, and the chairs where we had to stack them? Yep. Do you feel like with that type of work, do you feel like you've learned things
Presley:from
Audrie:our dogs are literally playing. Fendi, Letty, you Stop. Y'all quit.
Presley:I was like, tell you.
Jason:I was trying to talk
Scarlett:Stop. Go ahead
Presley:Go lay down.
Audrie:Okay. It's a little brief interruption. But do you all feel like not that you saw the differences in your friends or yourselves, like, I don't want you to compare, but do you feel like those things taught you and equipped you for things, like, in life? Like, could you
Presley:a little better. I'll just say it. Like, I'll compare. It's a little better. Like, we don't have to we didn't have to sit at home.
Presley:I think y'all have, like, the luxury of bringing us to places like that, and we did get to learn, like, a little bit of work and and how to manage just your time and how you handle work and to whereas, other people just sat with their babysitter. And I think we got we got a chance to I wouldn't say grow up faster, but just know that, like, whenever Good experience. Yeah. When whenever you do get old, this is what it looks like and and, like, we had a good childhood and we just I don't know. We just tagged along.
Presley:It we definitely had it better in my eyes than others Just from
Audrie:Well, excuse me while I cry. Like, I'm so glad that it came, like, processed that way. Because we would worry as parents, like, are we doing the right thing? We're tracking them along. You know, we are we we knew we were different whereas we were like, we're not like other people.
Audrie:And, I mean, we found like minded people. We have great friends from the venue, the winery feel and that they made us feel like we were doing great and y'all were so respectful. I think that y'all learned respect too on how to treat people, and I see how y'all spoke to people, Y'all with customers and all the things y'all would be a part of and the professionals that we work with behind the scenes. And Scarlett, you had mentioned that you come up to the office. What do you think about working, like, the the office and the atmosphere?
Scarlett:I love it. I mean, sorry. I was thinking back to payroll thing. Anyway.
Audrie:I love it a lot more now.
Scarlett:No. But, I mean, it's a great environment, with the everyone, welcoming welcoming me. And,
Audrie:it aligns with your school too. Yeah. I feel like you I think you called me and, like, mom, can you give me the password to one of our apps that we use?
Scarlett:Yeah. Yeah.
Audrie:And you were making you a resume. You know how to make a resume and you can put certain things on there that maybe I mean, the facts are you've you did sweep venue floors. You did put up dishes and chairs and Those horrible linens.
Scarlett:The horrible linens.
Jason:That floor. Yeah. That was
Presley:the worst thing ever.
Audrie:And that you do you show up I mean, you made a great income this past summer that we were teasing you about wondering where all that money went. But, that you have experience, and learning. And it's not from me. You go in the office, you have our operations manager. It wasn't from me.
Audrie:You were getting, you know Yeah.
Scarlett:I was learning from everyone pretty much.
Audrie:Yes. Alright. Do you do you wanna pursue a career in marketing?
Presley:It pays to pay us right now.
Scarlett:Yeah. If it came down to it, yeah, I'd be open to.
Audrie:Well, I think you're good at it. So we talk about that all the time. Like, you know, we don't set out I think both of you are very professional. You had great jobs, like, when you decided not to go the sports route, we kind of were like, okay, we have to get a job. And I think there is something so great about you didn't rely on us for anything, and then I would feel bad.
Audrie:I think Jason would be like, who did you Venmo this money to? And I'm like, I sent Presley money for gas even though you didn't need it. And you, like, went to work and you were running your life at 15 and 16 years old And didn't you, like, become a manager, like, in one of your well, I feel bad. I don't know the details.
Presley:Yeah. No. Like, the place I worked at was very, not well managed. And so, like, at 15, my stepdad would drop me off, and I would manage an ice cream. I was the manager.
Presley:I ran the register and divvied out tips and ordered cups and stuff off the computer, like, all the stuff that a 15 year old should not do. And and and that's what I was doing from literally my first job. So and then after that, I just kept working.
Audrie:I think it's I think it was cool too that you were like because I would say, well, you can work with me and you're like, no. I wanna do mom thing.
Presley:Yeah.
Audrie:And, well, I mean
Presley:Well, I just didn't wanna work for you because it's like, that's my mom. Yeah. I don't work for my mom. Everyone goes to work not not saying that it's wrong, but, like, people just go they don't know what they wanna do, so they should go work for their dad or go work for their mom. And I was like, I don't wanna go work for my dad and my mom.
Presley:Yeah. I was like, I just wanna figure out whatever I'm gonna do and just stick with that. And if that's being a ice cream shop manager forever, and that's what it is. But I wouldn't wanna.
Audrie:I think but I think we respected it. We liked it because we didn't wanna be that either. We didn't wanna be like, did you work today, you know, or anything like that. So I'm glad that you did that, which will lead us to going in the conversation about you going into the military. Let's go ahead let's go ahead and deal with that.
Audrie:Let's talk about it. What why you came to me that one day. I remember it, like, clear as day.
Presley:Uh-huh.
Audrie:Why did you choose to do that?
Presley:I think the well, how it happened was is that I did a semester of of community college. And,
Jason:Can
Audrie:we be clear that you're supposed to do two semesters? Yes. I was.
Jason:You enrolled for two. We paid for two. Okay, guys. I didn't yep. I know.
Presley:I did a semester of community college. I went enrolled for my second semester. And on the way back, I was like, this sucks. I was like, I don't wanna I was like, not that I thought the school sucked. It's just that I was I think it was I that I was here.
Presley:I was like, I don't wanna live at home with my mom and just go to college until it's time for me to go somewhere else to go to college or something like that. And I just needed, like, a big life change. I was like, I need to do a one eighty. Not because I was, like, going down the wrong path or nothing, I don't think, but I just was like, I need to get out. Like, I'm just locked up.
Presley:So I just decided to do the one eighty, and I went and so is the air force. That's just what I did.
Scarlett:Still pretty.
Audrie:What was the what was, like okay. I'm what was that deciding factor? Like, what was that I've got a
Presley:My grades?
Scarlett:Your grades.
Presley:Yeah. My grades, they were a % the factor. Like, I I think if I would've kept on it a little bit more, then I would've been good enough to just skate by and stand, but I was already so put out. And, you know, high school grades from college grades are extremely different. It's a lot.
Presley:Like, I I took hard high school classes, but not regardless, the the the level of just having to keep up with yourself in college is different from high school. I got like, I just got roped in and it being out of high school, And I was like, you know what? Like
Scarlett:Or you said to
Audrie:me, you were like, I'm bored. Yeah. And I was bored. Boring. Like, college is boring and you went to college.
Audrie:There was nothing exciting. And that's if you look at statistics, people like, I didn't love high school. I was like, if this can get over and I can go actual actually do real life and I feel like you kinda mirror that a little bit too. You're way smarter than I am or ever will be but like you're like, I'm bored. And then for
Jason:a little more structure too
Scarlett:Mhmm.
Jason:To get something going.
Audrie:Yeah. Were you shocked on my response when you came to me and told me?
Presley:No. I I kinda figured you'd respond the way you did, but I I don't I was just waiting on you to, like, cry, and you didn't. And so I was like, alright. That's good. I was like, that works out actually.
Presley:This makes this a lot easier.
Audrie:Well, I get that question a lot is because moms and parents will ask me, like, how did you respond when he did that? And I think and I would tell Jason this and Scarlett this and, even when you were gone during boot camp, I never want him to hear me cry because your choices and this choice is bigger than me. And as a mom, we always wanna keep our kids, but I knew that this would make you into the person I know that would be just, you know.
Presley:Mhmm.
Audrie:I think that you were great before, but it would, like, kinda catapult you into, like manhood, I would say. And so I didn't wanna I didn't want my feelings to get in the way. And, was there a and and I feel like I did a good job, not all the time. I wrote you, like, every second I could.
Scarlett:I don't feel like it
Jason:was such a shock though because this one's put us on it put it on us a few years back. So we'd already had it on our mind, what if, but he just came out and said that they Yes. So it wasn't such as a shock, but a little bit.
Presley:Well, someone says She
Audrie:said I
Presley:that I stole it because no matter what you do, I'll always just do it better. So I kinda just did it so I could show you no matter what else.
Audrie:So that is your you wanna share, like, since he stole your idea going into the Air Force?
Scarlett:I mean, the only reason why I say that is because, when did I start? I think
Jason:You came to me when you
Audrie:were 12.
Scarlett:Yeah. I was 12. I mean
Jason:And you kept her from her for
Presley:six months.
Audrie:Don't tell mom. I'm not ready. He's Oh, yeah. I was supposed to know.
Scarlett:Really big on NASA whenever I guess around like fourth or fifth grade. And then that was like me learning that, the air force had the space force and he had to be in the air force which I'm not really, I mean, still thinking about the space force, but, you know, yeah. That's how it came about. Yep. So
Audrie:And your intentions would be like pilot or you talk about being a airline stewardess. How's is it do they call them stewardess?
Presley:I think they're flight attendants.
Audrie:Flight attendants out. That she showed how old I am. Well, I think. Yeah. I have
Jason:to go into wife and call
Presley:them stewardess since they didn't work.
Audrie:I don't know why.
Jason:I think it's like rude.
Audrie:Really? Yeah. Like Well, I didn't mean it.
Jason:I I think women don't like that.
Audrie:Oh, really? Yeah. Okay.
Scarlett:Well
Audrie:Kinda like you don't say beautician anymore. It's like a stylist.
Presley:Well, I don't know what that is. So
Scarlett:Oh, it's okay.
Audrie:But okay. So with that said, knowing that you wanted to go into the air force, that you went to the air force, would you do it again?
Presley:If I was in the exact same position, yes, I would do it again. If I could go back a little bit more and go through junior and senior year of high school again, I would have done that way differently. I would have just locked in a little bit more and got some schoolwork done instead of just doing actually, I would have worked less in high school. I would have worked less and done a little bit more schoolwork because I was working Monday through Friday pretty much until pretty much midnight.
Audrie:But you got that money bugged. You liked having money.
Presley:I could go out and do whatever I wanted, and I never had to ask y'all for anything. I think, like, like, early on freshman year of high school before I did work, you know, I'd be like, yeah, I have $20 to go to the movies or something like that, and I didn't like that. So then I just got a job and then not that there wasn't food for me to come home and eat, but I didn't have to. Like, I would always just go to the hotdogs. Yeah.
Presley:You know they're healthy.
Audrie:Yeah.
Presley:I would go eat.
Audrie:Would you what about the so with the Air Force, what is one of the main things that has impacted you? What do you like about it? Will you tell us a little bit about that? Because I feel like even to this day with as much education as we have in the military about the military, I feel like it's still kind of like a mystery.
Presley:Yeah.
Audrie:What do you love about it?
Presley:Well, I think, what I love about it is, well, for starters, my job's cool sometimes other than, like, stuff hard need to be. Hard work part. I am a crew chief on f fifteens. I, basically, we launch and recover, and, we do any scheduled or any kind of just maintenance that needs to be done on the jets. And, but now I'm I'm pushed to more maintenance, which is which is easy.
Presley:But, you know, it's cool. Like, you get to see jets take off, and they get loaded up, and they do all their cool stuff, and you could see it. It's loud. It's fun. It's it's it's America for sure.
Presley:But but then, you know, at times, it's got it's like you are working for so long during the day and but it also it keeps you occupied. It that I would say that's what I like about it is that it will always keep you occupied occupied. It always keep you occupied. Hardly. And, you get federal holidays off.
Presley:Yeah. You ain't gotta go you ain't gotta go to work on certain things this night.
Audrie:Yeah. Nobody's buying ice cream on well, you're not work everybody's out buying ice cream, but not needing a jet that day. Exactly.
Scarlett:Was
Audrie:there ever a moment that you're like, oh, shit. I made a mistake.
Presley:Yeah. Like, the first fifteen minutes of basic training, you think you've made the worst mistake of your life. But, I mean, you kinda get over it. They kinda like I wouldn't say brainwash you. They don't brainwash you.
Presley:But, like, the first couple weeks in, they, like, I'm just gonna use brainwashing. But they brainwash you into into thinking that, you know, you didn't make a bad decision, like, you're you're in here to to fix whatever you're here to fix or do whatever you came here to do. But for the first three weeks, it's like, oh my gosh. I'm an idiot. The bus ride out of Dallas.
Presley:Yeah. The bus ride out of Dallas sucked. It was it was like a four hour drive to San Antonio, Four Or Five Hour drive to San Antonio, and the whole time you're like, I just know as soon as this bus stops for the next eight and a half weeks, it is just gonna be horrible. Yeah. And it was, but it actually gets kinda fun and you get over it pretty quickly.
Audrie:I I mean, I don't know how you felt when you saw them march out at his graduation ceremony.
Jason:Pretty proud moment. I mean, that's
Scarlett:Did you show that?
Jason:Oh, yeah.
Audrie:Oh, I think yeah. Yep. I Yep. Yeah. It was the most it was neat.
Audrie:And y'all y'all squadron did really great, and you did really great. Yeah. You got some special accolades.
Presley:I just I just got honor honor graduate, and that's just because I scored high on my test and did what I was told.
Audrie:Oh, do you remember and I will rewind just a little bit how pissed you were when we went to the Air Force. Where is it when you sign up?
Presley:The recruiter.
Audrie:The oh, yeah. We went to the recruiter office, and he was like, do you just wanna take a practice test? And you're like, no. I'll come back. And I was like, just do it.
Presley:Oh, yeah.
Audrie:Just do it. Just see where you are. And he's like, mom, I haven't studied. I just we were just coming to find out information. You go back there and you, like, kick the test fast.
Presley:Mhmm.
Audrie:Like, one of the highest, like, scores that you wanna be.
Presley:Yeah. I yeah. I just remember from everything you get told about recruiters and, you know, everything that you have to go through when you meet those people, you kinda just need to stick to your guns and then what you wanna do is what you need to do. And then I made the mistake of bringing my mother. So if anyone if anyone is not because you're my mother, but if anyone is gonna go to recruiter, do not bring your parents, like, at all.
Presley:And I brought my mom, and he because that's how they get you is they'll start talking to your mom and not you. And, and and yeah. So I was like, you're telling me to do something. I was like, I'm not going to because because then they got all yeah.
Jason:I don't need to get all of that. Yeah. But Yeah.
Presley:But yeah.
Audrie:So okay. My bad. I didn't know. I'm very I'm very sorry. I text Jason.
Audrie:I was like, he's so pissed at me right now.
Presley:Yeah. You gotta stick to your guns.
Audrie:But all in all, it's taught you so much. I'm glad that you did it. It was very it's very hard. You don't live in Texas anymore. You live in North Carolina, which is great.
Audrie:You love it. It's letting you see the world Mhmm. Without costing a lot and giving you, you know, freedom.
Presley:It cost me a dime. Yeah. That's either.
Audrie:That's either. Which leads me over to, the the last question on that, what keeps you going? So in in boot camp, in where you are right now, obviously, it's called founders and fortitude. What's that fortitude that drives you? Like, when you wake up and it, like, oh my gosh, today's gonna suck, but you keep going.
Audrie:What pushes you? What's in your head?
Presley:I think what pushes me with what I do now is just, like, every day it's gonna sound really dumb, but the every day when you wake up, there's gonna be a time when you go back to bed no matter how sucky it's gonna be. And, the next day could just always be better than the day before. So I think, like and you're all you're doing it for a reason. Like, I mean, whether someone goes to the air force to, like, serve their country or whatever or just to get college done, like, you're waking up to do it for a reason. So as long as you can go to bed that night, it's gonna be a good day.
Jason:So that's what's on your mind today.
Presley:You're gonna sit. You're gonna sit back to bed. Yeah. Yep.
Audrie:I love it. I love it. So that leads over to you, Scarlett. We were talking about that you play select softball and just with, you know, maybe the difference between a softball team and a select sport. How has that impacted you?
Audrie:What is it what is playing select softball taught you in the sense of, you know, routine and discipline and teamwork and friendship?
Scarlett:It's definitely changed my mindset and, you know, learning how to learn yourself more in the sport. Like, say,
Audrie:You push yourself a lot. Do you remember, like, that one summer, like, you never give up? Like, that one summer you're like, mom, don't don't let me quit. And you were the only catcher at the time. It was, like, a hundred and two degrees.
Audrie:And you were like, just don't let me quit. Then they pull you out and your no I mean, you were just red, and I the coach looks at me and I was like, she needs to go back in. Because you told me, don't let me quit.
Scarlett:Yeah. Yeah.
Audrie:And then you go back in. Don't y'all y'all win the championship.
Scarlett:I believe so.
Audrie:And you get a ring. I think so. But when you came off that field, you said, mom, why didn't they take me now? Thank you. Dying.
Audrie:I hated myself. I cried because you were like, you were down and out. And so then I was like, no, that's a coach's fault.
Jason:He shouldn't have listened to me. You know, like, they're all these coaches say, parents, be quiet.
Audrie:You know, why did he listen to me? We're gonna get into that. But, is that I think that's what builds character because you didn't give up on your team and you asked like, you're so driven that way and so dedicated.
Scarlett:Yeah. It's definitely hard sometimes, but you just gotta keep pushing yourself.
Audrie:How many times have you broken your oh, you broke your wrist at home plate?
Scarlett:Yeah. And then I broke my arm, like, waving.
Audrie:At the field, but That would be like
Scarlett:pays for his game whenever he was playing baseball.
Audrie:What do you think about your teammates? Like, how has that taught you how to work with other people? Like, you support them in the ways that you do.
Presley:Because you're like the you're like the locker room flu guy. Like, you go in there and you make all the noise.
Audrie:Like, when if you're not afraid to stop the game to tell your pitcher that they're great. You and you are like that in life. Like, you love and support everyone.
Scarlett:I think it goes down to, like, it's a nine player sport. It's not just about one player. And you gotta remind them that and give them the confidence as well as yourself during a game or after a game or before a game. You just gotta keep them on your nose.
Audrie:Would you play selective softball again knowing how how much how how how much work it takes to do it?
Scarlett:Yeah. Yeah. I would. I mean, it like you said, it builds character, discipline. You make a lot of friends.
Scarlett:It's great. And I know I know that, people have said no, to putting their kids in sports, like, select their club sports. But, yeah, it's tough, but I think it builds people up a lot more than they think.
Audrie:Do you think it's prepared you for, like, real life? Like, having a coach tell you, hey. Like, having be okay with, like, hey. They didn't choose you, but you still have to be there with a smile on.
Scarlett:Yeah. The competitiveness between even your own teammates, like, taking a spot or whatever, like, it's
Audrie:That's, like, relaxed. Like, there's somebody out there.
Scarlett:It's not gonna be fair.
Audrie:It's never fair.
Jason:Mm-mm.
Audrie:It's never fair. Even when your parents are the coach, I still don't think that's fair. Or woah. Parent coaches? Is that a thing?
Scarlett:Oh, yeah. Yep.
Audrie:How do you feel about? About it. You know, because it gets so intense. What are your thoughts when parents are yelling crazy things out in the stands?
Scarlett:It's a very
Jason:it How about what do you think about your mommy?
Scarlett:I mean,
Audrie:it's Have we can we not agree I've gotten better in the stands?
Presley:After nine years. Yeah. I love it.
Jason:I love it. So is the one that was able to leave whenever he won.
Scarlett:No. I'm not really a big fan of that.
Audrie:I mean What do you prefer parents to do when they go watch a sport? Is it okay that they cheer their kid on? Like, because it can take
Scarlett:a bit. On. Sometimes, say the inning's over and we go in the dugout and y'all come up to us and you know, like, we're not in a bad mood or, like I mean, it's always good to, like, tell us to, like, maybe fix your attitude a little bit sometimes. But, like, out on the field and you make a bad play or something, and you're like, oh, or, like, you know, like, should've got that. Like, it doesn't really help the situation.
Audrie:It messes with you mentally
Scarlett:Yeah.
Audrie:And where it slows you down. Which
Scarlett:yeah. It toughens you up for sure.
Audrie:So do you feel like select sports is equipping equipping you to go to something like the air Force with what he's saying? You're not swayed by what he's saying, like, with his experience going into boot camp?
Scarlett:Like swayed away from it? Yeah. No. No. No.
Scarlett:No. No. And I guess you could kind of connect it. I mean, like, you had a squadron. Right?
Scarlett:Or whatever y'all were a team.
Presley:Yeah.
Audrie:So yeah. And all the uniforms that y'all have, Lorde.
Scarlett:Yeah.
Audrie:Sometimes the softball uniforms is fierce. Is it, like not as fierce, of course. But, you know, like,
Scarlett:it's not as intense, but, I mean, you could connect it that way. Like,
Audrie:Jason Presley mentioned earlier, he was like, my stepdad dropped me off. Walking into the role oh, that was you. Walking into that role and watching, the kids, I think, you know, watching them conquer these things. Do you feel like we've learned a lot? I feel like we've learned a lot from them.
Jason:Oh, yeah.
Audrie:And you taking the role of stepdad, that's one of those tough tasks because you are very organized in particular. And I think you'd have done, like, so great, like, supporting them. And I know that it's been, like, challenging because you are hashtag bonus dad stepdad.
Presley:The kids are easy.
Scarlett:Hashtag The
Audrie:kids are easy. I'm the hard one. So let's talk about let's go into it. Let's get it. We say let's get into it.
Audrie:What advice would you give to someone that is going to run a business with kids and a couple? Like, essence couples, what Include them.
Jason:Include them. Include them. Yeah. And talk to them like they're adults the same way we did with our kids and include them. That's the only way us.
Jason:I think that's how these two are ending up how they are. I mean, they've got more knowledge than a lot of kids these days from what they've seen and been around just like you said. So, I mean, I feel like you include them.
Audrie:I think that is a %. I agree.
Jason:If not, you're never around them. That's the two options you have, I guess, as business owners if you're that busy.
Audrie:What would you give to couples who I don't think we're even set to give advice for couples.
Jason:Advice for couples?
Audrie:Yeah. The in in entrepreneurship.
Presley:No. I
Jason:had no words for that.
Presley:You're on
Jason:your own.
Audrie:That would be on your own. Yeah. I mean, I think that I think touching that I think it is a touchy subject for us because we are with high expectations, for each other, but I think that we level each other up. I don't think you're you don't you don't, mix no words with me as far as like visions and goals that I want for the company. You're not a yes person, you're a reality person.
Audrie:So I think that at what advice I would give to a spouse whether you're male or female or what role you play in this situation is it it's very hard as a female because I want like, you're beautiful, you're great, do it, be an all star, but it's like no, here's the realities. You can't have that and this and that, and this is gonna take this and that out of you. So, I would say learn to take the truth and that it's not, I still struggle with this one. Like, do you still think I'm pretty though? Like, you know, when he says no, I still want that that you know what I mean?
Audrie:Like that that female aspect where it's like, don't you do you still think I'm pretty? Don't you still like, but no. He was meaning it towards business. And no is not no to Audrey. It was no for the business and the family.
Audrie:Like, the the longevity of it. And I still struggle with that because sometimes I want
Jason:You want it now. We always find a way to get it, but you want it now and it doesn't work that way, especially in business.
Audrie:And you're the carrier of that news on a regular basis.
Jason:Let me deliberate.
Audrie:So we all we all love sports. So, I think it's great and I talk about this all the time and we were talking about Scarlet and then you chose military and the fortitude and the dedication that it takes. Do you see a parallel or do you feel like sports and what view loving sports and I love sports, it brings us together as a family, but I feel like that is kind of what aligns with being a owner and a business owner too. Do you see that or does anybody
Jason:Competition. Yeah. This is the biggest word, I guess, to compare the two is you'd like to compete. Yeah. Basically.
Audrie:I think too what's a crazy thing that I've seen with all of us is just because you own our business or even like I look at LeBron James or Martina James. LeBron. Anybody like that, they just because they've reached success, they haven't stopped working. And I think that's the I don't know what you're saying, but I
Presley:just said
Audrie:it. I think that's the thing that I've learned that in my younger stages, and I don't know if you agree with me or not. I thought if I'm if I met this goal, like, life would lighten up a little and it hasn't. Right? Like, which is proof.
Jason:I just said, you want it now. You always want it now or it just doesn't work.
Audrie:But the work is never ending. I think there's a there's a new goal each time. And I think that it took me a little bit to understand that and I still forget. But, do you feel that? Do you feel like is that why you like sports, is the competitiveness?
Audrie:And I'm gonna look at my questions here because we've got some funny ones. Okay.
Presley:No. I I think like, if you're asking me about, like, my correlation between the military and sports, I think that, while it is team, it's still individual. I think that's kinda I guess it could coincide with business as well. It's and even with just softball and things like that, like, it is a team but it is individual and and every day you gotta you gotta wake up and, you know, put on your uniform and go to work, but and you might not get all the glory because you're helping out your team, but at the end of the day, if you mess up on your part of the job, I mean, it's on you. I mean, you know, people miss the game winner all the time and, you know, people like to blame it on the one person, but still the team, but at the same time, you didn't make the shot.
Scarlett:I think it's also, like, setting goals for yourself.
Presley:Mhmm.
Audrie:Yeah. And it's it's showing up for yourself.
Scarlett:Yeah.
Audrie:Yeah. I think you're right. I think it's, you know, you can there's certain things you can't control, but as long as you can put in the work yourself and control your steps and motions and drive then that will showing up is an example for your team. And I think that's what we don't always do it great or perfect, but I also think imperf like to be perfect is not setting an example for you guys. So with him saying like bringing them along, seeing a customer not happy, how we handle that says is a huge teaching.
Scarlett:Attitude, having the drive to help. Yeah.
Audrie:Because there's not always pretty moments. It's tough. Y'all seen us shed some tears and I think it it didn't hopefully cause childhood trauma, but it taught I'm I always ask, like, what's your childhood trauma?
Presley:And I have nothing to say ever. That question.
Audrie:Maybe, like, one time when I made dinner or something. Thank god.
Presley:Oh, yeah. That'd probably be it, actually. Let's talk about that.
Audrie:We're a team and we all shine our own minds in different ways. Okay. Stanford Chili. I wanna ask some funny questions. Who in the family is most likely to start an argument over a sports game?
Scarlett:You and Presley?
Audrie:I feel like it's Jason. I
Presley:over a sports game.
Audrie:Over a sports game.
Jason:You two would be the one you would open over a sports fan. Like
Scarlett:I don't know. Presley or Jason?
Jason:Because he knows everything about sports and everything about players and you try and he corrects you and I'm getting hurt.
Scarlett:I'm just out of the question.
Audrie:Question. I think it's bad parenting. Remember when my remember when my dad and I was, like, text you for, like, your draft picks? Yeah. Is that bad parenting?
Presley:No. No.
Audrie:No. It's it's smart to ask him.
Presley:Just spend a little time on ESPN on my iPad. That's what it was.
Audrie:Okay. So this this is a funny question, but let me ask who's your favorite sports teams? If you could watch only one sport team if you were on a desert island, who would it be? What would it be? Would it be
Presley:The Mavericks. I'd probably
Audrie:The Mavericks?
Presley:I'd definitely watch the Mavericks.
Audrie:It would not be the Cowboys for me right now. No. Oh, they can't. I mean, nobody can watch them.
Jason:Really? No.
Audrie:Are we all like a Texas team? Why do y'all think that is? We do. Well, I know, but do you you've moved, but do you you still blood other
Presley:Still no. I still rep Dallas. Everywhere I go.
Audrie:I do too.
Presley:I still rep the Mavericks.
Audrie:That's just trying new for you.
Jason:Rangers for me.
Audrie:The Rangers.
Scarlett:Yeah. I'm just trying to I always like, college football. Yeah. I don't know what specific team, but
Jason:I think Texas.
Scarlett:Texas. That's what I was thinking. Yeah. That's Yeah.
Audrie:So you Presley, you were two years old when I took you to the Yankees, a Rangers game. Yeah. And you didn't move from that seat. There was old people. We had great seats.
Audrie:There was old people and they're like, how old is he? I mean, I don't even think you were two yet and you didn't move and you loved it.
Scarlett:And the
Presley:I'm sorry.
Audrie:It was like that it was so cute. He had this full conversation and I was like and then from then on, we made it like family traditions is we spent the holidays with your your grandparents, your grandpa at the Rangers game, and at the Cowboys game. Some of our best memories are at sports. And I think,
Jason:Ask her what the last hat she bought by since you've been gone.
Audrie:I bought an I bought a New York hat, because it it was neutral and it it was monotone and it really whipped cute with my outfit and my It's not neutral. It was not it was it's gonna be burnt. Oh, well, thank you. I can't find it. I think it's burnt.
Audrie:They threatened me with burning it because he said Texas Rangers hats are only allowed around here.
Scarlett:I don't know. One of these.
Jason:Definitely not New York.
Presley:Yeah. Not in New York.
Audrie:I was I like the traditions. But see, these are the arguments. We asked who were the arguments come from and
Jason:I think Jason started that one.
Audrie:Don't
Presley:be a Yankee fan.
Audrie:Don't be a Yankee fan. I think that's what I love about it about our family is that we love sports and we can it's so much fun and that we don't, It's dinner time. You always made sure that we had dinner on the table. We ate dinner as a family together. I think that's one thing you need to brag about about.
Audrie:You always have dinner ready for us no matter what. I tried.
Presley:And he had I would say he had to.
Audrie:And then we
Presley:He'd work his ass. I don't think Same one. Yeah.
Audrie:And then we went Just try. I think our sports experiences, I love those. Even when we went on I think our vacations are great, but, like, all the best memories are when we were at the Cowboys game, the Rangers game. What's one of the funniest things that's happened when we were playing sports?
Presley:I wouldn't know. I wouldn't say sports, but I I would think about the we incident when wherever we were playing we tennis. Oh, yeah, buddy. You're getting outed.
Jason:Oh, yeah.
Audrie:I still feel every time you get your haircut, I feel like the most horrible parent. Do people even know what a Wii is right now?
Presley:Yes. People know what a Wii is, and we were playing Wii tennis, and, and I was beating her. So let's let's throw that out there. But I was beating her, and then all of a sudden, there's a Wii remote in the back of my head. I She's saying, I
Audrie:What? I, like I
Jason:mean, you know I don't even play tennis, but I, like,
Audrie:went to, like, hell, and I've never seen so much blood
Jason:go everywhere. I went and cried though.
Audrie:No. I think you were
Presley:in shock. I don't gotta do
Audrie:the shaky thing. I mean, we were very competitive. Next week. I still think you won.
Presley:Yeah. I still won.
Audrie:If we if we get each other a a nickname, a sports nickname, what it would be?
Jason:A sports nickname?
Scarlett:Yeah.
Presley:You're the peacock.
Audrie:Or just in the you said peacock.
Presley:You're the peacock captain.
Audrie:Oh, you're the peacock captain. You gotta let me fly.
Jason:I don't know.
Audrie:Yeah. Peacock.
Scarlett:I don't know. What would you give me? Scarlet's the bear. Wow. The bear?
Scarlett:Why?
Presley:What does that mean?
Audrie:You would need glasses.
Jason:Glasses? Yeah. Because you always wear
Audrie:or shades. You could need shades.
Presley:Hollywood.
Audrie:Hollywood. He's good at this. He's he plays I guess, I'm really close.
Jason:Hollywood. What
Audrie:would you well, I don't know a good one for red.
Scarlett:Red.
Audrie:Yeah. Because of your red hair. No?
Jason:I don't know what we're doing.
Scarlett:Okay. Anyway listening.
Audrie:If we had a family mascot, what would we call it?
Scarlett:Luddy. Yeah.
Audrie:Castle. That's your mascot. Luddy's our mascot.
Presley:Like Fendi's our mascot.
Audrie:I think her she goes our mascot.
Scarlett:Yeah. Fendi. Your dogs.
Audrie:Well, as we have these laughs, I can't thank you enough to kinda opening up y'all's day and hearts and sharing a little bit. I hope others can kinda hear the jokes and, be kind of influenced by some of the choices that y'all made. And I think, it's great. I I think a % of what Jason said that I love that when we brought y'all along that y'all learn so much and have, you know, aspirations of your own to do your own thing. And I I love you all so much.
Audrie:So as we close out, y'all can laugh at me as I say this, after we're done with every episode, we say capture, brand, and engage, and let's do big things.
Presley:Oh my gosh. Did you come up with that or
Audrie:I actually did.
Presley:I would have like chat GPT something something to get that right.
Audrie:Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Founders of Cultitude conversations with Audrey Dollins.
Audrie:For details and links from our
Audrie:incredible guests, be sure to check out our show notes. You might even find exclusive discounts and special items we share that aren't even mentioned during the show. If you enjoy today's episode, please take a moment to leave a five star review. It truly helps us grow and continue sharing valuable insights with you. You can connect with me daily on Instagram at audrey dolins, a u d r I e d o l l I n s.
Audrie:And don't forget to visit my website at audreydolins.com, where you'll find years of blogs, hacks, and tips, and insights to help you thrive. As always, capture, brand, and engage, and let's do big things.