EP 44: Can Anger Be a Force for Good? Tyler Copenhaver Heath Says Yes

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Welcome back to Not Alone. Today's guest is the most humble man that I ever met. He would never like to say that he's a successful entrepreneur. He once owned a business and never even said he was the owner. But this is why I love podcasting and having these type of guests, because I do feel they need to be in front of the camera. Because his story of stepping into foster home, growing up with a dad in prison but persevered through all these adversities. And that anger, how he used anger to change systems. And that's where we can pivot and use anger to good. He's also a mentor and a friend. And today's conversation, I hope, will inspire you to uh know that your story, your beginnings, or what teachers told you, what parents told you doesn't need to become who you are. You get to choose your own story. Tyler Yuria Copenhaver Heath is my guest today. And he chose, even though he was told you're not smart, to pick the hardest degree out there as a biochemist. And this is where it's gonna inspire you. He wants to inspire the underdog and learn how he did that, how he persevered from poverty to successful entrepreneur to owning this studio, back lot studio here. He's been mentoring me in front of the camera. So, and he's a dear friend. And thank you for taking the time today to be my guest.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

Oh, it's such an honor, and thanks, thank you so much for the intro. I was getting goosebumps a little bit. I appreciate the nice words. Yes. Um, always love our conversation, so really looking forward to being here today.

SPEAKER_03 1:55

I know, I know. We always, after I podcast, we always can talk forever. So I I love that I was like, I need you on my podcast because you have quite the story, and I know you are incredibly humble. I mean, even when you talk to me, you kind of when I first met you, you you barely shared some of your successes and who you truly are. But I know from my heart, when I was kind of deciding where I'm gonna continue my podcast, how I'm gonna, you know, become a better speaker in front of the camera, there was something in me that I knew it was you. And I didn't know all your accolades, I didn't know anything, but I just knew that feeling that I had. It was almost like a remembrance when I met you. I even said, hey, you look familiar. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00 2:38

Yeah. Yeah. I'm still trying to figure that one out.

SPEAKER_03 2:42

And I think it was just that. It was just, uh, I'm such a I I've learned that as a gift. I'm really attuned to energies. And I think it was a heart coherence. It was something like it was a yes, this is who I'm supposed to work with. And you have been that person. You've really helped me uh become more comfortable in front of the camera, communicating, and and and you really believe in what I'm trying to do as well with this podcast, which ultimately is sometimes I feel they like their shame when you show that you're doing some good things, right? They're like, oh, that's how I thought about social media for a really long time.

SPEAKER_02 3:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 3:22

I was like, oh, I'm done with social media, and you shouldn't be posting that you're helping the poor, or you shouldn't be help showing all this. But then at the same time, once I started uh becoming more you know prevalent on social media because of my book, I realized I could reach so many more people. Yeah, I can help so many people. So I shifted how I looked at it, and I shifted because God really wanted me to open this podcast to start. It's been a year now. It's been a year since he planted that seed because I had so many people that would never be in front of the camera sharing these stories with me. And I thought we we need to share more around so people are not feeling alone, or how from you, you know, spending some time in foster care, living in poverty, having a father that is in prison, and I don't know much about your mother and her role in your life, but how did that shape you? You know, starting out from childhood into where you are now as a successful entrepreneur, you know, you could have easily, you know, what's the uh stat that you said about uh kids that are born with a parent in prison?

SPEAKER_00 4:37

Like 90%, like your kind of repeats itself. Like if your parent was in prison, 90% chance you're going to.

SPEAKER_03 4:43

You're going to.

SPEAKER_00 4:43

So it might even be higher than that. I can't remember off the top of my head. I have used it before, but yeah, it's crazy.

SPEAKER_03 4:48

So tell us a little bit, yeah, yeah, your upbringing about the foster care experience and how that felt when you put in foster care.

SPEAKER_00 4:57

There's so much there, and like um, I was talking to a friend of mine at the gym this morning, and it's like, if you're not embarrassed of your 20-year-old self, you haven't grown in life, right? And so um, like I like think to the person I was as a kid, and like I appreciate the kind-heartedness in the work ethic that I've always had, but um, there's a certain, and this is where I really like to be helpful in a lot of ways. Like, God is putting me where I'm supposed to be, you know, is like evil has no problem using this tool. Like, more good people need to use it, right? And I went through the same process that most people do trying to utilize that, right? It's like, but I think like, and you analyze yourself, you know, after 44 years or whatever, I'm like, why was I so afraid of the camera? Why was I so afraid of talking? And it's like, but when you grow up and you're told, you know, by your parents that, like, hey, we're not allowed to say where we're moving tomorrow, we're not allowed to talk about this thing. You watch your dad your whole life speaking code over the telephone, you know, it's like, and you're having you have to be really careful about telephone conversations and things like that. It's like, no wonder I was afraid of it, you know.

SPEAKER_02 5:58

And so communication wasn't safe.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 6:01

Like, you know, the truth, the truth wasn't safe.

SPEAKER_00 6:04

Sure. Yeah. And so it's like, um, and like I was, you know, kind of lost as a kid, you know. I've like I I always had a work ethic. I'm lucky for that. I started working when I was 13 years old. I worked for the manager of our apartment complex. Um, and then like I but I didn't care about school, you know, and um, and then I got a bad rap because of my father being in prison. My mom also was a big big partier, um, had a horrible boyfriend, um, and they would smoke cigarettes nonstop. So when I went to school, I smelled like smoke. And everybody assumed that I was a smoker. I've still never had a cigarette in my entire life, but I got prejudged quickly, right? And so then I wasn't treated well in school. I'm sure that didn't help me want to like try to do better, you know. It's like, but there was a long period of time in my life where I was like, yeah, they're right, you know, I'm a shithead. That's what I'm gonna be in life. And I would love to have the magic ticket that turned it all around for me because I narrowly avoided being that stat. You know, it was really close. Um, and uh, but everything that I've been given in life, even the bad stuff, has all led to like this moment now, right? I needed every part of it, and especially the bad stuff, you know. You mentioned the foster care system. I didn't spend a long amount of time there, but I spent just enough time to feel that heart, you know, uh so to speak, that that had me volunteering, you know, at the children's home. And it was actually the children's home volunteering there for five years in the animal shelter that led me to the camera, you know, because God was telling me that I need you to do more. And I was telling everybody, like, I wouldn't even tell my girlfriend at the time that I was volunteering at the children's home. Didn't tell people I was volunteering at the animal shelter. I was trying to be this humble person, you know.

SPEAKER_03 7:46

Yeah, well, why do you think that?

SPEAKER_00 7:47

Was there some like you felt that I think the world you're trying to be boastful if you you talk about it, or what did you what I think this is where Christianity is wrong, you know, and maybe the preachings of Christianity are wrong to some extent. And then I also think that there's I think that it's evil's presence telling people good to be humble.

SPEAKER_03 8:08

Oh my gosh, I'm I got goosebumps right now. I don't want to interrupt you, but I literally was a church. And they were talking about social media and posting when you're doing good thing. And don't post. And of course I take offense because that's what I do. Yeah. But I use it for good. And you're right, they they make it look at like that's a sin. You shouldn't be. I mean, I get it, you should do internal work and prayer and whatnot. But what if I showed me praying with my son?

SPEAKER_01 8:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:40

Maybe I could inspire another parent to do that with their children.

SPEAKER_01 8:43

You're dead right.

SPEAKER_03 8:44

Right? And and that's the way I look at it. So I love that you mentioned that. That I think sometimes, yeah, religion, they kind of shame that. Because I literally sat in church, I was like, Oh, I didn't even my son, who's 10 years old, he's like, Oh, I didn't really like that.

SPEAKER_00 8:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:00

I'm like, Yeah, I didn't either.

SPEAKER_00 9:01

It's selfish, actually. There's been so many moments in my life, you know, drawing to my mind right now at the top of my mind, I remember I went to one of my employees' weddings, right? And I was very um quiet about my company. If you asked about where I worked, I'd just tell you I worked there. I never told you I own the place and you know, things like that. And um, and I think it's because I always admired that little old person on the far corner of the world that was doing all this good and you never heard about until they passed, you know, it's like, but like just one this just one instance. But I'm at this wedding of one of my employees, and the guy's grandpa turns behind me or pre- and he goes, Hey, how do you know my grandson? And I'm like, Um, oh, I work with him. He's the most incredible worker. He has such a good work ethic and great personality. And it's like he thought I was a coworker, right? Because I wouldn't say I own the business. And now I get sad to this day. I should have told grandpa that I own the company. Because how much more would that have meant to grandpa that I said that as the owner instead of a coworker? Oh my gosh. Right? And I guess goosebumps saying it because that was being selfish. Here I think I'm being humble, I'm being selfish, you know. Or I've met some of the biggest founders of charities in the world. They don't want to post on social media, you know, and I have to tell them, I'm like, what's more important, you know? You and what people are gonna think of you because you make this post online, or you save a couple more kids in the world.

SPEAKER_03 10:21

Yeah, see it more in God's way, right? Like if you're doing it with your heart and you're trying to do good, yeah, then the intent is out there. It's not for like, oh, I want to make like for you. You are the successful entrepreneur, you want to make more, you want to make even more money because then you can change the system. Like you said, it's changing the system of foster care, or help bullied kids. Or and sharing your story today can inspire someone that was raised in poverty and and or being told they were stupid and you end up getting the you know the hardest and successful education and saying you you chose to change all of that, you know?

SPEAKER_00 11:03

You know, and a lot of that comes from, okay, so I kept asking, where are the I wasn't Mark Zuckerberg, right? I didn't get the chance, okay. You want uh Tyler, you want a McDonald's or you want to go to Harvard? You know, it's like which one do you want? That was how am I supposed to look up to Mark Zuckerberg, you know, when that's his options? And then so many of the big people that make it, they have options like that. So where's the where's the person for me to look up to? And it came down to like I looked at the stat, well, 90% of them aren't making it, and the 10% are that they're good hearted people that are too humble to say that they've made it, right? And then there's no trail for me to follow, right? That's why people that make it have to talk about it. And I'm not talking when I'm talking charity too, I'm not talking if you give somebody 20 bucks on the street, you should film that. No, but it's selfish if you go five years to the children's home where you absolutely believe in what they're doing. I mean, out there at uh Sunshine Anchors, you donate your furniture. Yeah, you donate your furniture and that funds the home, you know. Shame on me for never saying anything because how many people would be donating their furniture there if they knew about it? How many friends would have wanted to come with me? How many people would have brought awareness to the foundation? You know, it's like if you're gonna do one act of charity, keep it quiet. If you're passionate about an organization, it is selfish not to bring it out in the world.

SPEAKER_03 12:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:16

And your business that matter too. It's like you want to take care of your employees, you want to bring yourself more success, you have to be on the camera. And this was a long period of time trying to figure this out. And what I came down to is like, you know what? Evil has no problem using the camera. Why are we teaching good to be humble?

SPEAKER_03 12:33

Yes. Yeah, and I I still wonder like what was that guilt? I know you said it wasn't safe to communicate, but do you think also because you were becoming successful, you knew so many maybe uh people that you knew didn't. So was there a guilt that you were successful now, that you've made it?

SPEAKER_00 12:49

Or I think there's always that imposter syndrome, and then like when do you ever feel like you made it? You know, I don't remember, I remember I wanted my success so bad, you know, because everybody counted me out. Like there wasn't a single person that believed in me, you know. It's like, and then I got mad about it, you know, and I think that's okay. You know, I got mad that the the head of the uh school growing up told me I was stupid, I'd never amount to anything. I'd be just like my dad. I got mad about that finally, and then that was what caused me to make such great leaps in my life, you know. But then when I finally had something that people saw that was like, oh, that's amazing. Look at you. You're like doing something awesome. You could like I even have a hard time calling the word success now because what is success? When is success, you know? But it's like I almost wanted to get hit by a bus in that moment. I was so afraid of losing what I finally worked so hard to get. I was like, okay, if I disappeared that day, you know, it's like, and so that was where a transition came in my mind too, where success became less for me and proving them wrong, and came more about like when you have success, it allows you to change things, right? Yes, it's like that's where the the change really came from. Um, is like facing that fear. And you know, like I could go into the story more, but it's like God put me in this path and he didn't give me any choice on it, right? You know, like I had like I fought God for years over this. You know, I was like, no.

SPEAKER_03 14:13

How did you find God, by the way? How do if we backtrack, like how did you find faith? Like, when did he come into your life and guide you?

SPEAKER_00 14:19

Or was he always kind of it's always been somewhat of a presence of mine in my life? You know, it's like I was raised Baptist, um, and then uh parents are Christians, you know, and so like parents are wacky too, don't get me wrong. But you know, it's like I try to look at the good things in life, and the, you know, I take away the things that I think you can take from people, right? Like my parents, like uh incredible hearted people. Um, you know, like they're still around. I don't want to say anything bad about them, you know, whatsoever, because I love them. They're good hearted.

SPEAKER_03 14:49

Can they shape who you are today? Sure.

SPEAKER_00 14:51

They made a ton of mistakes and they probably shouldn't have had kids, right? And so the Yeah, but you wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be here, you know, and I learned from their mistakes too, you know. And so I got my love of animals from my mom. I'm sure some of those deep-seated beliefs were, you know, from them too, imprinted. And then I've you know had a cross relationship. You know, I do my boxing workout in the morning and then I lift weights and then I stretch and I pray every morning, you know.

SPEAKER_03 15:14

I love that.

SPEAKER_00 15:14

Yeah, you say you don't you don't drink, you have no caffeine, and you're like I my my biggest guilty pleasure is chocolate cake, you know. And so um, other than that, I'm pretty uh uh focused on what I want to accomplish. But yeah, it's a big part of my life, and like I feel myself I've rebelled against, you know, like what I think is right and what I'm feeling, you know, destined to do. And so like even at the children's shelter, the children's shelter, I lifted furniture. That's all they had for me to do on Saturdays, right? And the animal shelter, I lifted huge dogs while they were asleep in the uh in the clinic, you know, and so while they're asleep from neutering surgery, and um, so I used my body, right? And I wouldn't tell anybody about it, you know, and then I kept feeling compelled. It's just like, this is not what I want you to do. You have so many more talents than using your physical body, but I kept using my physical body to give, right? And then one day I'm out at the children's home, um, and they used to always save the biggest, heaviest furniture for me. I went to lift uh uh piece of furniture and it broke my back.

SPEAKER_04 16:14

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_00 16:14

And that took about took everything out of me that I loved. I used to train 27 times a week, you know. It's like if they took that away, I had another medical issue. I was rebelling against that one still, and I had another medical issue, and then I was like finally, okay, right? It was like okay. Finally listening. Saw a documentary on bullied kids, broke my heart. I'm lucky enough to have a fair amount of empathy and a fair amount of anger, you know, and so I finally like risked something I was so afraid of, which by the way, I want to add here if I could. It's like there's two ways to know if you're gonna really grow in life. Is if your heart is in the right place and you fear it. Because if those two, like you check those two boxes, you have to do whatever that thing is. So, in that moment, for me, it was starting a podcast for bullied kids. So it's my mixed martial arts training partner. Um, and we would basically interview people that had been bullied that became successful adults to show kids there was light at the end of the tunnel. And that changed my life so much.

SPEAKER_04 17:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:13

We ended up purchasing the studio I used to record in. Um, I ended up seeing the value from a business and a good standpoint because more good voices need to be in the world, yeah, saying good things. And I like, I love supporting people. I feel that's like my place in life.

SPEAKER_03 17:29

Yeah, because you do help a lot of people. I do help a lot of people. Because you have a, you know, the the the marketing sense, the business sense, you know, and because you like you said, building your businesses, you made all the mistakes along the way. So you're helping, you know, other entrepreneurs not to make those mistakes, right? And uh, but you said sometimes you get hurt by that, right? Because it's a lot of voluntary time uh that you put in, and and then you feel you're not recognized for what you've given them, you know?

SPEAKER_00 17:57

It it's tough, even giving, you know, it's like I've tried so many different ways to help be helpful, you know. It's like uh started a technology company that they still have, it's called Glaive. And the idea is it lower levels the playing field for small businesses, people like myself that had no rich uncle teaching them, you know, the the greater parts of business, you know, that sort of stuff. Um, and then like by extension, we opened the studio to market that business. But the studio became just such this like tool for good, you know, good voices like yours. And it's like I went, I that's why I kind of told some of my story in getting to it, is because a lot of the greatest people, and I'm not saying that um uh every good person like struggles with it. There's good people that don't struggle with this, but I find there's a fair amount of good people that really struggle with this, and it's um it's important for them to put their messaging out in the world. You know, it's like that humble thing, right? It's like I've sat down with amazing people like you. They're like, I uh I don't know if it should be my voice. And maybe this isn't like me being humble and you know, all these different things. I've sat down with professional football players that don't think they're good enough, you know, to have uh a podcast. You know, it's like I've sat down with, you know, like heads of charities, you know, it's like all kinds of amazing people that fear the same thing.

SPEAKER_03 19:08

Yes. And it but I the same way for me, I'm like, oh, do I continue or do I not? You know, but I really do love it. And I'm like, these stories are so important. And I I have to change the way I I see it. It's not about the numbers, you know, of it all the time. It's what if I reach one person to change their perspective, and I really inspired by they really got inspired by one episode that I they listened to. And that's that's a gift.

SPEAKER_00 19:36

It's so, you know, it's like I struggle with it too. You know, it's like my account got really diminished um when I uh when I started talking about foster care. It's like I was if I put out the stat that it's like um now I'm forgetting it a little bit, but it's it's something like 80% of the people on death row in California are from the foster care system, and 60% of people in the foster care system um are sex trafficked. That's crazy. And I started bringing that up online and I was my accounts were diminished because of it. So to your point, I spent all this time, you know, growing audience and stuff like that. Now they don't see most of what I put out.

SPEAKER_03 20:11

Because as a censorship, you know. Sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:13

And I've got to remind myself, it's like, do you know how many times I've had somebody in my DMs say, because of something you said last week is the real reason I'm still on this planet?

SPEAKER_03 20:21

And you have to say, because right now I listen to some of your bullying podcasts, and it's still there. People can still find it. You never know. You're still helping, and that's the way I see it. This could be years down the road, you know, as long as Spotify and Apple, you know, podcast stays live, it's gonna be there.

SPEAKER_00 20:40

It's evergreen. Yeah, and kindness and helping and like caring, those are never gonna go away. At least I don't want to live in society that they do, right? I actually think they're only growing. I think it's getting cool to be kind, and I love that.

SPEAKER_03 20:53

Yeah, I love that too. And I think it is important to know that and to change the system, but also the bullying. I really liked um you brought the awareness only because it touched my heart a little, you know, my son, I could see him being bullied, and and it and I think a lot of it, I don't know, after guess and guess that you've had, do you find it that it was a lot of their self-worth, you know, as a young child and the way that their thoughts about themselves?

SPEAKER_00 21:22

What's so amazing is it turns out to be their superpower. Usually what they were picked on as a kid turned out to be that thing that made them amazing when they grew up. And like I always try to bring it home to people too when we start that show. So I'll choose a uh celebrity that you would have never thought in a million years was bullied. So I'll tell the story, and then Cliff always gets it wrong unless he cheats and look it up my notes. Like, who do you think this was? And I'll tell this bullying story, and then he'll be like, whoever. But a lot of times it's Tom Cruise or Lady Lady Gaga or Chris Rock. It's like those people all, because of being bullied as kids, are why they're superstars now. And it came to this conclusion for me. It's like, these are the most. The ability to overcome adversity is the key indicator of success. Hands down, there's no bigger one, right? Doesn't matter what that adversity is, really, either. And so bullying is a form of adversity that they're overcoming. So the problem is we need the people overcoming adversity to make it. You know, there's a huge Arizona's the teen suicide capital of the country.

SPEAKER_04 22:19

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 22:20

We don't talk about that on the podcast, but what what we're really trying to do is avoid people hurting themselves, right? Because these are the most amazing people in the world that grow up to do the amazing things. So we're not just helping a good bullied kid, we're probably helping the next heart surgeon that saves, you know, like, I don't know, like some sort of major issue that's going on with hearts, you know.

SPEAKER_03 22:39

So how do we keep them from spiraling down to that those thoughts? And I think a lot of it is stem into their thoughts that spiral, you know, what those limiting beliefs that maybe somebody have told them. And they replay that, they replay that and start believing it. So if we can start shifting, helping them, especially youth, you know, going into schools and starting mindfulness, yeah, you know, and these tools to be mindful and to become aware of their thoughts and how diversity, you know, if you were raised with a father that wasn't around, or you know, just even my my son last night, you know, he's like, Oh, I miss dad. And and and he but he remembered it. It was interesting. He remembered some things dad would do, and I was like, Oh, he remembers that, like he was pretty young, you know. Yeah, and it's still there and it's still spiraling in his mind. And I was like, Well, that's I need to work a bit with him on that. And so I do feel like it's be so important in the school programs, or I I've been trying to get him into uh jujitsu and because I know that can empower them to feel that strength, that confidence, and I think that's really important for kids.

SPEAKER_00 23:50

It's so crazy because it's like uh when you set out to help with something, you actually learn so much about yourself. It's amazing how much like you set out to do this podcast, how much has it helped you?

SPEAKER_03 24:00

Oh, every time I have a guest on, yeah, I was like, oh, that was a message for me. Yeah, you know, there was a mess where I learned so much about the people and adversity, and a lot of it, I actually what I've learned, because I'm curious in nature about the body and how it works and the mind. And of course, after my husband died by suicide, I got so curious. I'm like, okay, how come I didn't fall? He did, and how come I couldn't reach him? You know, and and there's some people I can really reach, but sometimes you can't. No matter what I said, no matter what I did, I couldn't reach him. Why? So I got really curious, and and that that is I have kind of lost my train of thought now, but what did you ask?

SPEAKER_00 24:42

No, like the point was it's like so by doing by thinking you're gonna go out and help people, yes, you actually help yourself, and it's amazing how much you learn.

SPEAKER_03 24:51

Oh my god, oh yes, I learned so much. Like just on this podcast alone, I learned actually that humans, yeah, the ego mind, we we focus so much on the fears, the the the shame, the guilt, the past, and then then the future. Yeah, like but I remember when my husband passed, I said, Okay, I can't change what just happened, but now I gotta live in the now. And I know my kids can't lose their mom now. Yeah, they can't be without any parents. So I'm gonna choose to focus on now. What do I need to do today? You know, and I just focused on it every day because I couldn't I couldn't look far beyond another day because it was so overwhelming. What am I gonna do? What's gonna happen? What are the what's gonna happen with our house, our business? And it just spiraled into overwhelmingness. So I said, okay, what's more important? I literally would put a list of like importance that day, and a lot of it was sitting with my kids in the emotions. I only had the capacity to be there for my kids. And then when they were back at school, it was like, okay, I utilize that time to do all the logistics that I had to do. But ultimately it was just presence. You know, even now, my circle, you know, of friends. I have I know so many people. But the people that I spend time with, I I have a small circle because I want to it it takes a lot of energy and I'm still there. You know, God is calling me to do this and calling me to, you know, write these books and uh start a coaching program. Like, so that takes a lot of my time, and ultimately then I need to be so present for my kids, right?

SPEAKER_00 26:28

That's what's tough too. It's like, you know, um, your circle is so important, you know. It's like, and your circle can be changing sometimes, you know. It's like I have a difficult time these days finding a real close circle because not very many people think like I do, I realize.

SPEAKER_03 26:43

Oh, yes, you know, it's like yes, you feel like outcasted. That is how I feel sometimes, you know. But that's why I love talking with you because we feel like-minded and we get really passionate about you know these kind of topics, you know.

SPEAKER_00 26:55

You have to strive for success because you can't help somebody if you can't help yourself, right? You know, but at the same time, it's tough to find, and I'm blessed because we do the docuseries where we traveled to Cambodia and we're working on finding heroes throughout the world.

SPEAKER_03 27:10

Yeah, tell us about this a little bit. You showed me a little trailer yesterday and I was blown away.

SPEAKER_00 27:14

Yeah, like we have a um a 501c, it's called Content for Good, and Content for Good stroke uh focuses on a couple of initiatives. What's great is everything we produce here is like good content. We don't have anybody coming in trying to produce a Nazi mod podcast. You know, it's like people like you that want to help people, right? But we also have a charity that specifically goes out and like we use the camera to help the world, right? And so we went over to uh um Cambodia. There's an amazing guy. Um, and uh he's actually my Michael Jordan in life. I read an article about him probably 10 years ago in the back of a magazine or something, and it basically talked about this man that um was a high school dropout, right? And so that like was felt to me like, okay, here's a person I can understand because I was nearly a high school dropout, right? And uh and then he works his way up, so he had a work ethic, so I really saw that. He works his way up to President Fox films, and uh he does X-Men, Titanic, Braveheart, and all these mega blockbuster films, and then he goes over to Cambodia. Um, it's a lot there's a lot more to it, I'm paraphrasing, but he goes over to Cambodia, he sees these kids dying in a trash dump. And he's like, I gotta do something about this. So he ends up selling his mansion, his cars, everything he owns, and now he's got 1700 kids over there that he takes care of their families, he takes care of their education. He's got kids in college now. He is the most amazing man I ever met in my life. When you go to meet your Michael Jordan life, you're like, Tyler, you better settle down because like you don't want to get you know too much or whatever. And so I go over there, and Scott Neeson is that much more of a human being than I could ever thought possible, right? And so, like, showcasing those stories through the camera has become insanely important to me.

SPEAKER_03 28:56

Um, I feel like he probably wasn't showcasing himself doing that that much, right?

SPEAKER_00 29:00

Yeah, look at his story, and nobody's heard of him, right?

SPEAKER_03 29:04

Yeah, I had never before you told me, you know.

SPEAKER_00 29:07

And so, like, I was lucky that we spent two different Januaries going over there, and you have to deal with that's the thing, is like the foster care home, you know, the the animal shelter, you know, visiting Scott, you know, these things, it's like I only have to deal with the sadness for a couple hours or a month, you know. These people deal because when you help with something, there's sadness to it, there's hard things to it, right? You got kids in Cambodia that used to be dying in a trash dump of starvation and getting hit by trucks and falling through, you know, and getting crushed. You know, it's like they deal with that over there, you know. It's like I was lucky it realigned importance to me. When I would come back every January after that trip, it was like, Tyler, I know why you're working. I know why you're still working, right? Because you have to support people like this in the world. You have to make even more success so you can fund more resources and operations like you're doing now, you know. It's like, but I think a lot of people get lost in our, you know, the marketing world spends billions of dollars getting us to be unhappy about what shit we can't buy, right? Yes. It's like it's a big game of monopoly. And like, even me, like last year when I didn't go to uh Cambodia, I'm like, what is wrong with me? You know, why am I struggling this year? And I finally was realized it's like, Tyler, you didn't realign importance, you didn't remind yourself that there's something more important than collecting a new car, a new house. You know, it's like, don't get me wrong. Like, I don't, I'm not a hippie either. I don't want to starve. I want to be able to start my truck, you know. Like I want these things in life.

SPEAKER_03 30:30

Without guilt, you know, you can have those things. You can have both. Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:33

You know, I get a lot of hate because one of the things I'll say, I get a lot of hate for a lot of what I say. And like, uh, and maybe it's just because people don't want to hear it, but it's like if you have a Ferrari and you've never done anything for the world, shame on you, right?

SPEAKER_02 30:44

Uh yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 30:45

I started my first business in a dirt lot with no electricity and no running water. If you want to say self-made, that's pretty close, right? You know, it's like $4,000 that I had in savings, you know, to build the business. You know, it's like I still don't consider myself self-made because I grew up in this country. This country allows me to work hard, you know, and get whatever I want in life. You know? It's like, and so to say you're you've made it all yourself and you don't know anything to anybody, it's like, no. And you know, honestly, most of the stories you look at, they had some sort of advantage too.

SPEAKER_04 31:16

That's true.

SPEAKER_00 31:17

There's not many like mine where it's nothing, and then I get selfish and it's like, okay, maybe, you know, but it's like most of them came from some money, a big break, you know.

SPEAKER_03 31:24

It's like if there's they're still not happy though. No. I've worked for many, many, I worked on a private jet for many years, and I saw you'd think, okay, I'm working on this private jet. They have private jets, they have helicopters landing to grab them from, you know, yeah. It was such a um a different caliber of you've made it. But there is still times that I was like, wow, I saw so much sadness. Like, even though in our, you know, growing up, you're like, ooh, this is happiness. This is it. But I learned early on in my early 20s that, whoa, this is not happiness. Yeah, we want a comfortable life. I am so grateful for having a home, my car, my kids going to this wonderful private school.

SPEAKER_04 32:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 32:06

So grateful that I can afford doing that, even afford doing this podcast here in a studio instead of my home, right? Sure. Uh there's value, but it's because but what I'm using it for.

SPEAKER_04 32:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 32:18

You know, and I love that you're saying that. Yes, I have these wonderful friends too. They they uh they uh give so much. Yeah, they they have a lot, yeah, but they give so much as well. And the more I I think God gifted them, you know, wealth because they he knew they'd use it for good.

SPEAKER_00 32:38

That's the people I try to find. You know, and like I went over to Nigeria one time to help with the cause over there, and I used to be really quiet, I wouldn't tell anybody I was doing anything. And uh member of my board of directors in my first company makes like eight million dollars a year or something like that. And he comes up to me, and this was another thing that turned a corner for me is like, so he makes eight million dollars a year. He happens to hear that I was just in Nigeria and he goes, Tyler, you know, I really wish you'd tell me about these things that you do because I'd love to help. And that I felt selfish in that moment too, because Tyler can do so much with his resources and his body and things like that. But his friend that has eight million dollars and all like he's connected to mega wealth, how much good can they do? And the answer is a lot of them want to do something, but they're like me. They don't want it wasted, right? It's like, and so that's why I started focusing on media because then I can show you like, look, here is a person who's doing good in the world. He's not paying himself a million dollars a year as the head of this company. He's in the dirt daily. He has every single one of those kids' names uh um memorized. He calls himself the most uh blessed man in the world because he's rolling in the dirt, you know, helping kids. You know, it's like that is a man to support. And that's why I like to film that man so I can show you too. So my friend that makes eight million dollars can say, okay, maybe there's a cause worth putting some money in.

SPEAKER_03 33:53

Yeah, and you know where it's going. Yeah. And I love what's I know you've shared with me your next project, like what you'd hope to open up. And I don't know if you want to share that, but I know you've where you teach kids how to create movies and documentary and and um it I'll I'll and it's funny, like I'm such a quiet builder, you know.

SPEAKER_00 34:12

It's like I've always been afraid to tell anybody like my lofty aspirations, you know.

SPEAKER_03 34:16

Yeah, that's true. And you can keep it for yourself. So whatever feels like.

SPEAKER_00 34:23

I even like it's gonna be a map that's hung on the wall soon enough. But um while when I was in college, my undergrad was biochemistry, I invented a product. Um, and that was almost my first business.

SPEAKER_03 34:34

Uh it was a sleep aid, right?

SPEAKER_00 34:36

I actually did that too. We had a different company, we sold that company years ago. Um, this was different, a different product. I actually never went to market with it. Um, so I thought someday that this will be my like retirement business. And as my life, and this is so there's a great speech by Steve Jobs, and he basically talks about connecting the dots in life. I didn't love everything about Steve Jobs, by the way. It's like, like I said, you take things from people, like horrible human being. Never helped anybody charity, didn't want to take care of his daughter, you know, things like that. Great businessman, great business stuff, right? So connecting the dots, and I think about dots in my own life. It's like spending time at the foster uh shelter, right? Um, going to the animal shelter and uh volunteering, having huge love for kids and animals, developing this product, working as a bartender that uh um in college that worked at a banquet facility, you know, it's like um uh having a degree in biochemistry, working in media and film and that sort of stuff. It's like I'm like thinking about how all these things can my life can go together, and eventually I will build a ranch. And the ranch will be a for-profit company because I actually don't truly believe in charity. I believe in for-profit companies that happen to do good because they don't want to beg money, right? And so basically, we'd build the ranch, it would have an animal refuge, it would have a place for age-out foster kids because it's a really difficult situation where kids turn 18 and they get kicked out of the house. Uh, it would have movie production facilities that would be rented from us, and it would have it would produce our product. So you can think a little bit like a vineyard in a way, um, uh, but slightly different. And so I'm hoping that the ranch is the culmination of my life work at some point.

SPEAKER_03 36:13

I love that idea. I really think. And then you're gonna be gifting them uh, you know, all these tools of how to produce and that confidence and in that realm, and it's something that's for them that'd be pretty cool to say that they're part of.

SPEAKER_00 36:26

It would give them such a chance to because like I believe in the hewing power of uh animals and kids. One, I saw it firsthand.

SPEAKER_03 36:32

I I saw it firsthand, so that's why we have two dogs, and so it's like so.

SPEAKER_00 36:36

I think there's that component, and then like they'd have to work with veterinary people, and a lot of like I was almost a vet. My undergrad was biochemistry, and I actually soft applied, and I came really close to being a veterinarian, but after years at the animal shelter, I realized like I love those people, you know, but it's not something I could do daily. Yeah, you know, and so it's like subjecting people to that sort of stuff is like, oh, hey, you want think you want to be a vet? You're gonna shadow the vets for a while. What do you think? Oh, okay, you want to go like shadow the movie producers, you know, and it's like see what we're doing over there, the editing team, you know, the production facility, the entrepreneur staff, the kitchen for like uh creating the meals. It's like it gives such an opportunity for diversity around um uh like career that um that I think there's a tremendous um you know value in that. And then beyond that, like when I've done the business plan, the business plan is successful on its own. So like it could be an incredibly successful business to do a lot of good. And that's what I believe in meaning, even with this business, Glaive, any of the businesses I'm involved with now have to have a component of something good that it does. Good.

SPEAKER_04 37:42

I like that.

SPEAKER_00 37:42

Otherwise, if it's just the money, don't get me wrong, money's important. Yeah, right. I don't want to like put that past the episode.

SPEAKER_03 37:48

No, but you're saying the drive.

SPEAKER_00 37:50

You're like, well, it can be both.

SPEAKER_03 37:51

Yes, yeah, it could be both. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:53

I always say don't do what you love in this world, do what you hate.

SPEAKER_03 37:57

Okay, that's interesting because a lot of times I'm like, oh no, do something that you're so passionate about.

SPEAKER_00 38:01

No, you you you do something you hate, you find that thing you hate, and then you open a business that solves that problem. Okay, you know, yeah. And I hate the the fact that we have such a problem with age out foster youth, right? And foster kids in general. I hate the problem uh the fact that we have, you know, like so much around like animal shelters and not no place for animals to go and the education, you know. I hate the fact that most of the stuff online was harmful to people instead of good for them, right? I hated the fact that like somebody like me trying to start a business, there's no great resources for, you know, it's like so you take things you hate and you open a business that solves it.

SPEAKER_03 38:37

I like that. I've kind of used that hate that anger too. The same if somebody's telling me I can't do it, yeah, you know, uh, then the same thing. And I have similar, you know, grown up, you know, teachers. Well, because I I, you know, we moved to Vancouver, I didn't know any English. So school obviously was hard. I it was just all of a sudden left Quebec City and it was school, so school was hard. So I always thought, oh, well, I'm stupid or I'm not getting good grades and whatnot. But then all of a sudden I go and take chemistry and all this stuff once I'm in college and go, and I'm like, I'm getting straight A's, you know, and but also I was also told or shown that communication is not safe. So I actually was very shy. And actually, I remember dental hygiene, we're in clinical, and one teacher actually did tell me, she's like, You're gonna have to work on your communication because I know you know this stuff, you get straight A's and whatnot, but you need to be confident in communicating it. But because I would hesitate, and especially with with men and whatnot, I'd almost like want to dumb it down, you know, and and now I definitely don't do that. Yeah, you know, and and I'm not fearful of talking about I had to kind of uh okay, step into in front of the camera, start a podcast, start speaking in front of people, you know, and and uh just that is my drive too, you know. When somebody's saying, Oh, well, you can't do that, you're not very good, you're too shy, you're too this. I'm like, oh well, now I'm a completely different person, you know.

SPEAKER_00 39:58

Sometimes you know when you're like the fear thing is a big thing. You know, if you fear something and it's gonna be something that's good for the world, you have to do it. Yes, yeah. Like I uh I get to ask to go to seminars and speak sometimes, and you know, like the topic that they like me to talk about is media and that sort of stuff quite often. And uh I will spend, you know, 30, 40 minutes of an hour just talking about how much this is gonna change your life if you get on the camera, right? If you're truly kind-hearted and want to help the world and you finally approach the fear that it is um to get online, it's amazing the change it'll make it.

SPEAKER_03 40:30

Which actually, I'm so glad you bring that up because I feel you'd help so many of these authors that I know. Yeah, ultimately, none of them like to be in front of the camera. In fact, they they think, you know, I went to Rider's Island documentary series, most of them were like self-conscious and and not sure about it. And they're like, Well, how are you doing it now? You know, you've been in front of the social media. I said, you just have to, yeah. I I said, I never re-look at one video. I never re-listen anything, which it might not be the right advice, but I get it. I get it. And I think that is that fear, that fear that creeps up, like, oh, I'm not gonna look good, I'm not gonna say something correctly. But I mean, if you listen to my first podcast and now it's not gonna be great. You know, I have some friends that give me great feedback, and I'm like, oh yeah, I know.

SPEAKER_00 41:15

All of us, all of us start there, right? You know, and then it's like, but then like when when I think your life changes with it, is when you get that DM in your uh folder and it's like, hey, something you said last week is the reason I'm still on this planet today.

SPEAKER_03 41:29

Yeah, I get goosebumps because I have gotten those DMs.

SPEAKER_00 41:33

And what's that worth? That's worth any bit of pain. If you you have to reframe it to ask yourself this question, it's like, okay, Tyler, you're gonna be uncomfortable being on camera today. And you might say the wrong thing, and you're an ugly dude, so why dare you be on there? You know, you're not an ugly dude. But it's like, so I can start thinking about all those things about me, right? Or I could reframe that and say, Tyler, are you gonna brave the camera today? Because guess what? It's gonna help somebody.

SPEAKER_03 41:55

Absolutely. Absolutely. And you're gonna help people that don't want to be are so afraid to be in front of camera. I know so many authors that their their voice, their books, and they're about to be in front of the camera, and they're so afraid. And you as a media guy teaching that and teaching also the logistics, the background, like there's so much I don't know, and that's why I hired you. Yeah, because I don't know all the algorithm, when to post it, all of that language. That's why I was like, okay, can you do that for me?

SPEAKER_00 42:25

You know, it's it's funny. My life set me up perfectly for it, you know, and I didn't even realize it because it's like when you only have $4,000 to open your first business, you don't have any money for marketing, you know? And I got really, really good at all the free stuff in the world: SEO, YouTube, social media, all these different things. It got really, really good at to it. Where my company was a company with the Rolling Stones, with uh Disney, with uh CNN, like a laundry list of huge clients, you know, it's like we were talked about on the Joe Rogan show, you know, it's like so it's like all that stuff, spending, excuse me, spending less than a thousand dollars a year on marketing, right? Right. And then when you put that into the podcasting world, it worked the exact same way, right? I never planned to ever be involved as much as I have been with um with the studio and the operations here and things like that. I my whole heart was going towards my technology company, but I find myself really actively involved because it's so important. Bringing people's voices to the world, you know, helping you like the fear, you know.

SPEAKER_03 43:31

Okay, like okay, take a deep breath and pretend who are you speaking to? And you really create that visual, and it's that mentorship has really helped me nail down what I'm trying to say and it and come from the heart instead of like that fear that comes up, the ego that comes up, and how to release that. And uh, so I just have to say thank you. I mean, I think it's been huge to be here and have you mentor me along the way because I've definitely seen that growth, and you're helping me. Reach more people.

SPEAKER_00 44:01

That's still that currently is my place in the world, just about anywhere else. You know, it's like I have people that have really good messaging in different ways, you know, it's like, and I help those people, you know, and so like get their messaging out. And I think that's important. It's like when I would get frustrated because I've got an undergrad in biochemistry and I'm a fitness nut. You know, I have an MBA and I've opened a lot of businesses. You know, it's like when I would look online and I'd see the content online that would hurt you, that would bankrupt you. That, you know, it's like, and I here I am just sitting there like, this is horrible, you know, it's like, so that's like a key indicator. It's like we need more good content.

SPEAKER_03 44:36

Good content, yeah. Yeah, yes. So how can people work with you then? Like how to get hold of you and work with you. I know you have so many different avenues, but maybe it's something I gotta focus on a little bit more this year.

SPEAKER_00 44:47

It's funny, like I told you I just gave that uh, so I'll give the seminars and stuff, and it's like I got probably uh there was a couple hundred people there. I probably got 150 messages, emails, that sort of stuff. And they're like, we don't even know what you do. You know, it's like you didn't say once like a company or you know, anything like that, but I'd like to be involved with whatever you're doing or how to support you or whatever. Um, so like I'm more um support Mel's show, you know, it's like in all the good she's doing, um, support our other people that are uh doing good work in the world. Um I don't think I've ever once like um dropped, you know, like go to Backlot Studios, you know. It's like um you can, you know, we'd love to have you here if you have a good message. Uh I think it's more important to me that like if you're interested in what I'm doing at all, uh you can support me through social media. I am very accessible. There's never a DM that I don't answer, you know.

SPEAKER_03 45:38

It's like even for your project, right?

SPEAKER_00 45:40

Your big dream project, you know, maybe somebody is you know, and that's why I'm putting that stuff a little bit more out in the world because Tyler can only do so much, you know, and so I'm starting to realize like if I want to get more done, I've got to be a little bit more vocal about the things that I want to change. You know, and so we're opening more around um uh for our content for good. We're gonna start locally, we're gonna start working locally a lot more and showcasing um local foundations around foster care on the camera. So anybody that wants to volunteer around that stuff, that would be super helpful. Um, we've got some other fun stuff coming up with media. You know, we're launching uh the documentary this year. We're hoping to film our second episode this year. We've got a really interesting new docudrama about mask uh excuse me, documentary um talking about current um status of masculinity. Um really interested about that.

SPEAKER_03 46:30

Oh I'm really interested in that.

SPEAKER_00 46:32

One of my key phrases is the world needs more kind-hearted bass bad addicts. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 46:36

And so, like, obviously it's help men come back in that masculinity balance, you know.

SPEAKER_00 46:42

Masculinity but kind.

SPEAKER_03 46:44

Yes, yeah, with the heart, leading with the heart instead of fear. Like, actually, that was my goal for 2026. Yeah, because a lot of times I revert back to like that. Was the old patterns coming back when I feel fear? I'm like, well, harden up the heart. I said, Yeah, release that fear, just trust that I just know where I'm going. But sometimes, you know, so it's a lot about leading with continuing leading with my heart, which I've done a lot of, yeah, you know, and done a lot of things and said yes to you. And I'm like, oh, what did I just say yes to?

SPEAKER_00 47:12

I think we need to say yes and we need to listen to that heart more, and you know, it's like, and so yeah, um, at Tallery Raya is all my tags. You can find out a little bit about what I'm not vocal about the businesses per se, but like the causes and things like that we're involved in definitely am.

SPEAKER_03 47:25

So great. Well, I'm so grateful and uh thank you for taking the time to be on today. I know you'll reach so many, and uh, I'm just grateful for you, for your mentorship and for the studio. It's been uh it it's been I love it. I really get excited coming here. I get excited because I know I learned something, but I know people listening are too. And I keeps bringing more and more people that I know needs to be in front of the camera as well.

SPEAKER_00 47:54

It's such a cool team sport, you know. It's like that's what I love. It's like we get to win together, you know, and that and I've been involved with a lot of businesses, and this is the one where you're on a team no matter what, you know, and so like I love because your wins are my wins, and vice versa, you know. And so so I love that. I'm honored to have been on the show today. We've had some great conversations over the last year, anyways. And so I hope this was helpful to folks. Um and yeah, I'm uh excited to see where you grow this thing.

SPEAKER_03 48:19

Yeah, me too. Let's go.

SPEAKER_00 48:21

All right. Thanks so much.

SPEAKER_03 48:23

Yeah, you're welcome.