Jan. 12, 2024

319: Harmony in the Hustle w/ Bria Argrett, CCM

Walking down memory lane has never been as insightful as it was with Bria, the club professional powerhouse from Statesville Country Club, who joined me for a heartfelt conversation on Private Club Radio. We reminisced about our first encounter and marveled at her journey to achieving her Certified Club Manager designation. It's not every day you meet someone who can eloquently navigate the balance between a demanding career and a fulfilling family life, all while dedicating themselves to the pursuit of health and personal growth. Brea's story is one that resonates with anyone looking to find harmony in the hustle of professional ascent.

During our chat, Brei peeled back the curtain on her professional evolution, beginning with her early days in a pool café, steering through various roles that leveraged her outgoing spirit, and culminating in her adeptness at membership sales. Her candid reflections serve as practical advice for those in the club industry, emphasizing the value of mentorship and the power of a diverse skill set. But it wasn't just about her career trajectory; Brea shared the art of juggling her roles as a club manager, mother, and wife, and the continuous process of learning and self-enhancement that keeps her thriving in each.

In the later part of our episode, the conversation turned to the transformative power of passing the CCM exam, which for Bria, sparked a monumental lifestyle shift and a passion for weight loss. She divulged how her strategic embrace of social media not only connected her with others on similar journeys but also infused a culture of wellness within her team at the club.
Join us for an episode that's as much about the impact of personal stories as it is about leading by example in the vibrant world of private clubs.

Follow us on the socials

Private Club Radio Instagram
Private Club Radio Linkedin

Denny Corby Instagram
Denny Corby Linkedin

00:00 - Private Club Radio

08:11 - Career Transition and Work-Life Balance

20:10 - Lifestyle Change and Social Media

24:44 - Social Media and Club Staff Dynamics

WEBVTT

00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:06.964
Hey everyone, welcome back to Private Club Radio, your guide to excellence in club management and hospitality.

00:00:06.964 --> 00:00:16.545
We bring the elite world of Private Clubs to you, discussing trends, challenges, stories and any and all the things Private Club related.

00:00:16.545 --> 00:00:18.631
Welcome to the show.

00:00:18.631 --> 00:00:20.545
I'm your host, denny Corby.

00:00:20.545 --> 00:00:21.702
Thanks for being here.

00:00:22.460 --> 00:00:31.387
This episode is fun, just like I say for every episode, because if it's not a fun episode, I don't put it on this one, it's one of those.

00:00:31.387 --> 00:00:33.051
We just started straight talking.

00:00:33.051 --> 00:00:34.021
I get to bring on.

00:00:34.021 --> 00:00:37.472
I'm going to say friend, I'm going to say friend.

00:00:37.472 --> 00:00:39.947
We have been friendly for years.

00:00:39.947 --> 00:00:49.466
We met at a Carolina's CMA event oh God, maybe 10 years ago now at this point, maybe a little bit longer or less than that.

00:00:50.841 --> 00:00:54.726
But it's Mrs Brea, our grad, and yes, you are listening, brea.

00:00:54.726 --> 00:00:56.784
It took me a second to make sure I pronounced that right.

00:00:56.784 --> 00:01:11.253
But she is a CCM, she is a mom, she's a wife, an all around amazing person and true consummate club professional.

00:01:11.253 --> 00:01:20.834
She has a great story and I wanted to bring her on because, being friendly for so long, I've watched her career.

00:01:20.834 --> 00:01:22.686
I've watched her grow as well.

00:01:22.686 --> 00:01:50.594
To me, when I think of a private club professional, this is someone who I envision and I wanted to bring her on because she's a-killin' it, doing a great job and just got her CCM, while doing all that, raising a family and becoming very big into health, wellness and fitness.

00:01:50.594 --> 00:01:59.490
She's very inspirational because she's putting herself out there and from being here at Private Club Radio I realize how difficult that is.

00:02:00.081 --> 00:02:20.288
And for those of you who put out content on social media, we talk about in this episode everything from her background in the club world to how she's managing her time and being a club professional, getting her CCM, being a wife, being a mom a good mom, a good wife and living a purposeful life.

00:02:20.288 --> 00:02:23.788
So it's pretty much around those couple topics.

00:02:23.788 --> 00:02:25.002
It's a great conversation.

00:02:25.002 --> 00:02:30.365
There was no downtime, it was just flowy.

00:02:30.365 --> 00:02:35.349
It was great and I'm happy she said yes when I asked her to be on the show.

00:02:35.349 --> 00:02:39.870
So you're going to learn so much from Bria, so much energy.

00:02:39.870 --> 00:02:45.371
If you're not familiar with her already or know of her, you will now.

00:02:45.371 --> 00:02:54.306
Yeah, let's welcome Bria, new CCM from Statesville Country Club I forgot to mention that from the Carolinas.

00:02:54.306 --> 00:02:57.432
We talk all about her stories.

00:02:57.432 --> 00:02:58.161
She's we're, we're.

00:02:58.161 --> 00:02:58.942
Is it going to be good?

00:02:59.723 --> 00:03:00.022
I'm good.

00:03:00.022 --> 00:03:00.683
How are you doing?

00:03:00.743 --> 00:03:03.467
I'm doing well, thanks, you've been killing it.

00:03:04.209 --> 00:03:05.830
Oh, thanks, I appreciate that.

00:03:05.830 --> 00:03:07.393
Thank you Staying busy.

00:03:07.393 --> 00:03:09.034
I like busy, so it works for me.

00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:10.320
You've.

00:03:10.320 --> 00:03:11.626
You've always stayed very, very busy.

00:03:11.626 --> 00:03:15.724
Did you grow up in the cause?

00:03:15.724 --> 00:03:17.108
Your brother's in the club world too.

00:03:19.687 --> 00:03:26.451
Yeah, we actually work for the same owner, like we both work for for profit clubs, so we work for the same owner.

00:03:26.451 --> 00:03:27.786
He just worked a different club for me.

00:03:27.786 --> 00:03:30.882
But, yeah, I'm actually from Statesville, which is where I work, yeah.

00:03:31.021 --> 00:03:32.022
Gotcha, gotcha.

00:03:32.022 --> 00:03:34.204
Now did you guys both grow up in the club world?

00:03:34.223 --> 00:03:46.759
Yeah, so I started when I was 18 at the pool cafe and kind of worked off and on through college or whatever.

00:03:46.759 --> 00:03:57.093
And then when I graduated I started working there full time and he was actually in Charlotte working and I was like, hey, we need some extra banquet servers.

00:03:57.093 --> 00:03:59.352
Can you come and help a couple of days a week?

00:03:59.352 --> 00:04:01.491
And then he just never left.

00:04:01.491 --> 00:04:02.689
Honestly, that's how it worked.

00:04:03.566 --> 00:04:10.455
Because I was thinking back, because I was thinking about our conversation coming up and I was like oh, I wonder if, like, maybe they were members or like they book.

00:04:10.455 --> 00:04:12.032
I was like wondering how that all started.

00:04:12.032 --> 00:04:15.514
You just roped him in and you guys just never left.

00:04:17.468 --> 00:04:19.553
Yeah, I was just like you know you'd be good at this.

00:04:19.553 --> 00:04:24.235
You're young, I mean, you're, you're guy it's hard to find a lot of guy banquet servers, you know.

00:04:24.235 --> 00:04:29.055
And so I was like I feel like you'd be good at this and just come and work a couple of days a week.

00:04:29.055 --> 00:04:31.632
We could use to make sure, you know, help on the weekends or whatever.

00:04:31.632 --> 00:04:39.495
And he was like all right, yeah, fine, and he just started coming and helping and before I know it he was like three days a week, four days a week, five days a week.

00:04:39.495 --> 00:04:41.773
Then he was the bank captain, then he was the bank woman.

00:04:41.773 --> 00:04:43.428
He just never left.

00:04:43.428 --> 00:04:43.990
It's crazy.

00:04:43.990 --> 00:04:45.355
I didn't do it on purpose.

00:04:45.355 --> 00:04:47.932
I just was like I feel like you'd be good at this, you should try it.

00:04:47.932 --> 00:04:49.088
And here we are.

00:04:50.365 --> 00:04:53.714
And you've kept really solid 10 year ships.

00:04:53.714 --> 00:04:55.531
I don't know if that's even the right word for this.

00:04:55.531 --> 00:04:59.886
I don't know if that's like a school thing, but you've.

00:04:59.886 --> 00:05:02.153
You were at Rock Barn for a while.

00:05:02.153 --> 00:05:03.516
Now you're at Statesville.

00:05:03.516 --> 00:05:04.307
Then you did a little.

00:05:04.307 --> 00:05:06.714
You were at another stint for a couple of months.

00:05:06.714 --> 00:05:09.475
I'm just creeping on your LinkedIn now.

00:05:10.317 --> 00:05:10.557
LinkedIn.

00:05:10.557 --> 00:05:19.177
Yeah, I so, like I said Rock Barn, I started there in 2018, excuse me, 2000.

00:05:19.177 --> 00:05:20.547
No, it wasn't 18, or was it?

00:05:20.547 --> 00:05:21.908
No, it was 2012.

00:05:21.908 --> 00:05:22.649
2008.

00:05:22.670 --> 00:05:22.829
When did?

00:05:22.850 --> 00:05:23.391
I start at Rock Barn.

00:05:23.391 --> 00:05:25.353
It was when I graduated high school 2008.

00:05:25.353 --> 00:05:26.355
Yes, thanks, 2008.

00:05:26.355 --> 00:05:32.334
And, like I said, worked through college.

00:05:32.334 --> 00:05:47.764
That was like I graduated early from college and semester early and then I left Rock Barn for about a year, went to Providence Country Club, worked there for Howard Murphy I don't know if you ever got to meet Howard, but he's not a Providence anymore, but he was.

00:05:47.764 --> 00:06:04.935
He was awesome, worked for him for about a year and then when Don Beaver bought this place, statesville in 2013, they actually called me and we're like hey, you know, we're going to, we're going to be looking for, like an events coordinator, membership slash, do whatever you tell you, girl.

00:06:04.935 --> 00:06:07.372
And I was like all right, yeah, I'm interested.

00:06:07.372 --> 00:06:12.134
So I wanted to move back home and yeah, here we are 10 years later, which is crazy.

00:06:12.134 --> 00:06:13.476
Time flies.

00:06:13.476 --> 00:06:14.807
It absolutely for us.

00:06:15.569 --> 00:06:22.048
Yeah, yeah, it does, yes, it does, and it just keeps getting quicker Like it's, it's horrible Now.

00:06:22.048 --> 00:06:24.355
So you've done like every position Absolutely.

00:06:24.355 --> 00:06:26.288
You've done like every position at a club.

00:06:26.389 --> 00:06:26.970
Literally yeah.

00:06:28.052 --> 00:06:29.014
Whether you liked it or not.

00:06:29.175 --> 00:06:47.497
Yeah, I mean the only thing, yeah, the only thing I don't think I've really done is probably worked on the grounds crew, which I have helped lay out tarps for our greens covers when a storm winter storm is coming, as we have remuted and we have to lay out the covers of the green.

00:06:47.497 --> 00:06:50.935
So technically I guess I have helped in the maintenance department.

00:06:50.935 --> 00:06:52.930
I just haven't worked in there fully but yes, I have.

00:06:53.091 --> 00:06:54.095
Check that one off the list.

00:06:54.095 --> 00:06:57.096
That, yeah, it's one of the like that accounts for so much Right.

00:06:57.096 --> 00:06:57.418
What was the?

00:07:00.478 --> 00:07:01.204
Gotta give me some credit.

00:07:02.127 --> 00:07:03.745
Now, how do you go from the pool so?

00:07:03.745 --> 00:07:04.930
So you start off at the pool.

00:07:04.930 --> 00:07:07.151
How did that transition go?

00:07:07.151 --> 00:07:14.254
Cause to me, I'm always just fascinated with people, especially at a younger age, like find an industry and just jump in and then stay there.

00:07:14.254 --> 00:07:18.911
So what was it like going from the pool up, Like so what was the next step after?

00:07:21.069 --> 00:07:32.271
Yeah, so I I don't remember how I got it, rob Farn I was actually, when I was 16, working at a public golf course as like the cart girl and I was like cleaning carts and putting them away.

00:07:32.271 --> 00:07:36.281
So I did that for two or three years before I went to rock bar and.

00:07:36.423 --> 00:07:45.951
I think it was like a family friend of yeah, so I've only ever walked, worked at golf courses, I've never worked anywhere else so, and so I think it was like a family friend.

00:07:45.951 --> 00:07:48.398
That was like hey, you know, I think rock bar needs some help.

00:07:48.398 --> 00:07:52.435
So I got connected with the team there and started working at the pool cafe.

00:07:52.435 --> 00:08:03.572
I had no idea what I was doing, but I just have like a naturally outgoing personality, I'm able to talk to people and kind of figure it out, and I guess that's why it worked for me there.

00:08:03.572 --> 00:08:06.024
But so I just worked during the summer.

00:08:06.024 --> 00:08:27.874
Obviously I was it like I said, I was at college so I'd come home and work during the summer, and then what it ended up being was just doing different things, because in the winter they ended up there like, oh, we need some help in the fitness center and I was like All right, well, I'm home for winter break, I'll come and work in the fitness center, and that was just like opening and like putting towels out and getting the water and stuff, like that.

00:08:27.874 --> 00:08:31.704
Katie, you know, I played volleyball in college so I was very familiar with that.

00:08:31.704 --> 00:08:39.583
So did that for a while and then trying to think, maybe like year two or three, they were like, okay, well, we need some help in banquets now.

00:08:39.583 --> 00:08:45.465
And I was like all right, I'll do that, and just you know, kind of was willing to just do whatever they needed.

00:08:45.534 --> 00:08:47.822
And that landed to waiting tables.

00:08:47.822 --> 00:08:54.105
Because I'll never forget, like one day one of the main servers I don't know he got fired for doing something crazy.

00:08:54.105 --> 00:09:00.701
And then my GM comes in the next day and he was like you're going to wait tables next week and I'm like okay, let's do it.

00:09:00.701 --> 00:09:05.557
So I'd never waited tables, like where you go and like take an order never had done it before.

00:09:05.557 --> 00:09:06.760
But he was like you can do it.

00:09:06.760 --> 00:09:09.241
If all these other people can do it, you can do it.

00:09:09.375 --> 00:09:10.198
So I was like all right.

00:09:10.198 --> 00:09:27.855
And then I guess maybe just being so willing to do whatever they needed and just fill the void wherever was needed, and like even when I started doing memberships and selling memberships, I was still pretty young and they were like we would, we need help this weekend for a wedding, working or bartending this banquet, Can you?

00:09:27.855 --> 00:09:29.162
Can you bartend this banquet?

00:09:29.162 --> 00:09:36.744
And so I was literally selling memberships at the club but then also staying late on Saturday nights and bartending the weddings when they needed me to.

00:09:36.744 --> 00:09:44.268
So I think just having a willing to do whatever attitude is what helped me kind of climb the ladder.

00:09:44.894 --> 00:09:46.821
Which is, if you think about it, a great.

00:09:46.821 --> 00:09:57.048
A great position for someone to do sales is to bartend a wedding, because you're meeting all the drunk people and, if you know, usually it's a higher affluent people.

00:09:57.048 --> 00:09:58.696
So it's like, hey, how about you don't tip a?

00:09:58.696 --> 00:10:01.601
You know, as you're flipping bottles, why don't you sign up and come?

00:10:01.601 --> 00:10:03.726
Come for a tour on Absolutely?

00:10:06.259 --> 00:10:08.205
Now you're absolutely dead on about that.

00:10:08.205 --> 00:10:10.158
I can remember.

00:10:10.158 --> 00:10:21.465
I can remember giving tours to people and then being, like you know, walking them through all the different apartments and I could tell them like all the specific details about every department and what happened to what didn't happen.

00:10:21.465 --> 00:10:24.384
And people would say to me like, wow, you really know your stuff.

00:10:24.384 --> 00:10:26.480
And I'm like, yeah, I did it.

00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:38.961
That's how I know it and I think that's why I was so successful, especially in my early years when it came to membership sales, because I was genuine and just really truly believed in what I was selling and I knew what I was selling.

00:10:38.961 --> 00:10:41.643
So it just, it just made it easier for me.

00:10:41.643 --> 00:10:43.340
So you're right.

00:10:44.075 --> 00:10:44.538
That's so funny.

00:10:44.538 --> 00:10:51.027
So I wanted to talk because, I said it in the beginning you're killing it.

00:10:51.027 --> 00:10:57.383
You're a recent CCM, you're a mom, a wife, you work, you do a lot.

00:10:57.383 --> 00:11:02.823
I want to start with the CCM process.

00:11:03.927 --> 00:11:04.148
Okay.

00:11:04.975 --> 00:11:05.898
When did you decide?

00:11:05.898 --> 00:11:10.947
Why did you decide and give us some light on it?

00:11:12.057 --> 00:11:20.542
So I have to give credit to Brad Elinger, who probably will never hear this because he's not on social media or LinkedIn or anything but.

00:11:20.962 --> 00:11:21.705
I will mail him.

00:11:21.955 --> 00:11:26.275
I will mail him a desk, okay, please, thank you.

00:11:26.275 --> 00:11:34.480
He was really the one who, when he took over as the GM at Rock Park, was like you really need to get into this program.

00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:46.107
I think you'd be successful, I think you'd need to join, and so he was the one who really pushed me I guess it was in 2017 or 16 to join CMA and just start that process.

00:11:46.107 --> 00:11:51.046
And so without him, I definitely probably wouldn't have done it.

00:11:51.046 --> 00:11:51.794
I should say so.

00:11:51.794 --> 00:11:53.743
He was the one who really got me going.

00:11:53.743 --> 00:11:59.167
But I just I got into it and then I was like okay, so I'm like you said, I like to stay busy.

00:11:59.167 --> 00:12:03.865
I'm I just always like to be learning something, doing something, getting better at something.

00:12:04.914 --> 00:12:10.067
And I knew that I probably wasn't going to go to get my master's degree in business.

00:12:10.067 --> 00:12:11.259
It just really wasn't for me.

00:12:11.259 --> 00:12:21.966
I'll be honest with you I've got an undergrad in business, but I use more of what I learned through athletics and team sports every day than I do of what I learned in business school.

00:12:21.966 --> 00:12:25.946
So I knew that wasn't probably the path that I wanted to go down to.

00:12:25.946 --> 00:12:33.019
So when I fell into CMA and I started seeing like, hey, there's a goal, there's a path, there's an objective.

00:12:33.019 --> 00:12:33.655
That's.

00:12:33.655 --> 00:12:36.660
That's all about me, that's what I love to do, that kind of thing.

00:12:36.660 --> 00:12:39.563
So I was like, okay, here's my, my six year plan.

00:12:39.563 --> 00:12:41.101
I have to be a member for six years.

00:12:41.101 --> 00:12:46.126
I have to, you know, attend world conference and attend the BMI's and and take and pass the test.

00:12:46.126 --> 00:12:51.966
So here's how I laid out my roadmap for six years of how I was going to check all the boxes.

00:12:52.475 --> 00:12:54.740
So I forgot it was a whole, whole six year program.

00:12:54.740 --> 00:12:57.105
That's intense yeah.

00:12:58.195 --> 00:12:59.679
I mean you can substitute to um.

00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:06.823
They say you can use some of your work years of experience to translate to to years of being a member.

00:13:06.823 --> 00:13:11.005
I'm not exactly the formula on that, but um, but you can do that.

00:13:11.005 --> 00:13:14.123
But for me, being so young, I was just like I'll just do the six years.

00:13:14.163 --> 00:13:24.219
So and you're, you're my, uh, uh, kyson, kyson, so close he's, he's yeah you work.

00:13:26.615 --> 00:13:27.998
He's three, three and a half.

00:13:28.339 --> 00:13:29.481
COVID baby Okay.

00:13:31.326 --> 00:13:32.840
Yup, he was a COVID baby.

00:13:32.840 --> 00:13:35.301
He was in my belly before COVID happened.

00:13:35.601 --> 00:13:36.563
Okay, all right.

00:13:37.294 --> 00:13:38.585
He was born into COVID.

00:13:38.585 --> 00:13:43.224
Yeah, he was born into COVID, um, which is pretty hilarious.

00:13:43.224 --> 00:13:47.783
Yeah, Somebody asked me the other day they're like man, how did you run the club and all that through COVID?

00:13:47.783 --> 00:13:48.927
And I'm like, well, I had a baby.

00:13:49.154 --> 00:13:50.942
So don't take my question.

00:13:50.942 --> 00:13:53.822
No, that was going to be a two is now through.

00:13:53.822 --> 00:13:56.187
Half of you know what you're doing.

00:13:56.187 --> 00:14:02.128
You're having a kid and you know that's got to be a challenge, because we're like around the same age.

00:14:02.128 --> 00:14:04.260
I can barely take care of myself and my dogs.

00:14:04.260 --> 00:14:07.216
Um, let you know, but so like.

00:14:07.216 --> 00:14:07.736
So that's.

00:14:07.736 --> 00:14:12.062
That's how to be a juggling, a juggling game there.

00:14:15.009 --> 00:14:16.854
Yeah, it is Every single day.

00:14:16.854 --> 00:14:18.398
I will say it absolutely is.

00:14:18.398 --> 00:14:30.212
And you know, I can tell you from like the week and a half stint that I stay home with Kacen for Christmas break, that I am absolutely not cut out to be a stay-at-home mom.

00:14:30.212 --> 00:14:37.095
Kudos to those women who can do it, because I cannot wait for Daycare to open back up and for me to get back at work.

00:14:37.095 --> 00:14:39.005
It's just not who I am.

00:14:39.005 --> 00:14:42.192
But yeah, it's a lot.

00:14:42.192 --> 00:14:45.738
It takes a lot of helping hands.

00:14:45.738 --> 00:14:54.309
You know, obviously, as you know, I have a really great and supportive husband, damian, who really, truly does carry the 50-50 load with me.

00:14:54.309 --> 00:15:00.089
I don't ever feel like I'm pulling more weight than he is, so I'm very grateful for that.

00:15:00.089 --> 00:15:05.067
He has an awesome daycare that he goes to, which they are so amazing and they love him like his own.

00:15:05.067 --> 00:15:06.952
And then my mom, my mom is super supportive.

00:15:06.993 --> 00:15:14.551
I thought you were talking about your husband for a second, the way he just progressed, you were like oh, he carries a workload 50-50.

00:15:14.591 --> 00:15:16.355
He goes to a great daycare.

00:15:16.355 --> 00:15:19.369
I was like oh wow, is that another term for work down there?

00:15:19.448 --> 00:15:25.971
Okay, Well, you know, it could be, I guess, I guess, depending on which way you want to look at it, it could be.

00:15:25.971 --> 00:15:32.721
But yeah, I mean so my mom is super helpful and she's really great in helping out.

00:15:32.721 --> 00:15:37.755
But yeah, I mean, every week I'm scheduling on what day am I picking them up, what day are you picking them up?

00:15:37.755 --> 00:15:38.888
When's mom going to get them?

00:15:38.888 --> 00:15:40.633
So yeah, it's a lot of juggling for sure.

00:15:41.745 --> 00:15:42.307
Side note.

00:15:42.307 --> 00:15:44.873
I'll probably just keep this in any way.

00:15:44.873 --> 00:15:45.816
There's a new.

00:15:45.816 --> 00:15:59.797
I don't know if you use any like project management apps or like stuff, stuff to stay organized, but I found one called Motion AI, mot ION, like Motion AI and a task manager.

00:15:59.797 --> 00:16:02.048
So like all of your like tasks and projects.

00:16:02.048 --> 00:16:03.230
It has all of that.

00:16:03.230 --> 00:16:13.484
But it also links up with your calendar and so, and it knows, so you tell it like what tasks have what deadlines.

00:16:13.504 --> 00:16:15.291
So this one has to be done by this, this and this.

00:16:15.291 --> 00:16:28.812
It finds the open space in your calendar and puts it in and you can tell it like, oh, like, like this project normally takes me, you know, so for me it's like newsletter, takes me hour and a half.

00:16:28.812 --> 00:16:37.083
So I tell it that, I tell it I can I allow it to break it up into as many different chunks Like I, it'll break.

00:16:37.083 --> 00:16:45.576
You can break it up into 30 minute chunks, this, this and this, and it knows my calendar and it'll go in and like, if it sees like 30 minutes, it'll be like okay, time to work on this.

00:16:45.576 --> 00:16:49.674
So it's just like one of those and helps keep the track and like the projects and stuff.

00:16:49.674 --> 00:16:57.481
So, as you were saying that, I'm like and I'm just saying it because I'm drinking the juice now and trying to stick with it, but I think that's great.

00:16:57.663 --> 00:16:58.927
It's really holding you accountable.

00:16:58.927 --> 00:17:00.532
It's like you think you don't have 30 minutes.

00:17:00.532 --> 00:17:01.274
Let me show you.

00:17:01.825 --> 00:17:02.807
Oh it is.

00:17:02.807 --> 00:17:03.809
It is annoying.

00:17:03.809 --> 00:17:09.241
What sparked the most recent you've been?

00:17:09.241 --> 00:17:12.147
You've been big on your, on your fitness journey.

00:17:12.147 --> 00:17:13.651
What sparked that?

00:17:13.651 --> 00:17:16.237
What's how, how, how's that been?

00:17:16.237 --> 00:17:22.269
I mean, you've been killing it there too, obviously, and like your, in, your whole family is all into which you know.

00:17:22.269 --> 00:17:24.576
Going back to having that support, I'm sure it definitely helps.

00:17:24.576 --> 00:17:35.919
I know like my wife is big into it as well and she's she's always like hey, thanks for doing it, like with me, like I know I hate it too, but it's like I know if it helps, support her support, like we're all feeling better anyway.

00:17:35.919 --> 00:17:38.729
But what was there like a tipping point on that?

00:17:42.105 --> 00:17:50.076
I'd love to be able to tell you that there was like some inspirational story, but I'm just going to be super honest and say so.

00:17:50.076 --> 00:17:51.259
If you noticed it would.

00:17:51.259 --> 00:17:56.336
It paired very perfectly with the timing of right after I passed my CCM exam.

00:17:56.336 --> 00:18:06.032
So I got my certification and I think we maybe had a couple weeks and Thanksgiving and then, you know, right around the time of Christmas, I was like, oh, okay, I think I'm gonna do this.

00:18:06.032 --> 00:18:08.378
So the idea came from.

00:18:08.378 --> 00:18:09.633
But let me let me back up.

00:18:09.633 --> 00:18:17.755
Yes, and in Last year, in 2023, my husband and I both decided that, you know, we needed to make a lifestyle change.

00:18:18.226 --> 00:18:29.365
We, like I have said before, retired athletes and we just were so used to somebody like telling us what to eat and when to work out and you know, you know a couple years of not doing that and the weight piles on right.

00:18:29.365 --> 00:18:31.732
So we knew that we need to do something different.

00:18:31.732 --> 00:18:47.383
And, yes, having his partnership through that process was absolutely critical and In both of us being successful, because we held each other accountable and my husband and other type people who, like We'll talk a little crap to each other like, okay, yeah, you want to?

00:18:47.383 --> 00:18:58.094
Alright, I see you not doing your workout today, like I think I'm gonna go get my walks, and so we, we motivate each other through that, as crazy as it seems, but we're both super competitive people so it works.

00:18:58.094 --> 00:19:06.095
So so, yes, so he was absolutely instrumental in getting that weight loss Program going and started and keeping it going.

00:19:06.154 --> 00:19:20.464
But Instagram and what made me start doing that was, like I said, after my CCM Test was over and I kind of had some time to sit back and appreciate that I was talking to my husband and I'm like Now, what do I do with all my free time?

00:19:20.464 --> 00:19:34.105
So you know you spend and I don't know if this is stealing a question too but you you spend a lot of times but studying for that test, or I spent a lot of time studying for that test, I should say and so I was like, what am I gonna do with all my free time now?

00:19:34.105 --> 00:19:43.759
So I started, you know, talking to him about it and I'm like one of the things I'd really like to learn and understand more is social media marketing and how it can.

00:19:43.759 --> 00:20:00.131
You know how it works, not just, I think, with just businesses, I think any business can do it and you know creating the reels and understanding the algorithm and understanding, like your, your bio and how to make that attractive and Reaching people, connecting with people.

00:20:00.230 --> 00:20:16.596
I really feel like that's a skill set that Not a lot of people have and it's a hard one to learn and I'm still struggling to learn it, but For me, like anything else in life, I looked at it as a challenge and was just decided I want to learn how to do this.

00:20:16.596 --> 00:20:24.854
I want to learn how to, you know, take social media and really learn the true marketing of it, like I said, understanding that, that algorithm.

00:20:24.854 --> 00:20:32.142
So you know they tell you you've got to find, you know what you're saying, you know how can you, you know, speak to people.

00:20:32.142 --> 00:20:40.625
And for me, I was like, all right, well, I lost 50 pounds this year, so maybe I can tell people how I did that, and so that's where it started.

00:20:40.945 --> 00:20:46.585
I'd come from me having maybe a little bit more free time on my hands and never wanting to stop learning.

00:20:46.585 --> 00:20:51.605
So I decided this was gonna be the next thing that I was gonna tackle and who knows how long I'll do it.

00:20:51.605 --> 00:21:04.345
But right now I'm having fun with it and I'm learning something and and I'm really truly connecting with other people who I can see have had this problem for a long time too and and hopefully making a difference in some of his life along the way.

00:21:04.345 --> 00:21:05.192
Who knows it's?

00:21:05.314 --> 00:21:06.365
only that one person.

00:21:06.365 --> 00:21:21.593
So you know, that's always my like background, like my like thing in the back of my head is like, as long as like one person Gets like a good takeaway and I like obviously you want more, but hey, if I don't, you know at least one person and and I'm sure you know, I think a you're.

00:21:21.593 --> 00:21:41.265
I love just learning and knowing because in your position you run the club like you should understand and know little bits apart, like little bits about anything and everything, because to me, as like a GM, that's sort of like the like, not like a Master of none, but you know, know or of all, but just like having being able to have those conversations and know.

00:21:41.265 --> 00:21:47.171
And if, if a marketing person comes in, they can't be spilling off some stuff and you go and that sounds like BS, like I can.

00:21:47.673 --> 00:21:58.554
Something's not right here, but but I think probably it didn't correct me if I'm wrong have you seen Maybe like a little deeper connection with your members as well, because they see?

00:21:58.554 --> 00:22:14.058
So I don't know if you're open, if you're, since we're on social, I don't know if you're like open, open, but like has, have you seen a connection with, like some members in the club and maybe some staff on like, oh, like you know, maybe if they didn't realize some of like your, what you and like your family were it were about.

00:22:14.058 --> 00:22:15.785
Has that happened, that at all?

00:22:15.785 --> 00:22:15.865
Yeah?

00:22:17.531 --> 00:22:25.615
actually and I I didn't even realize it till you just asked me the question but yes, in in crazy ways.

00:22:25.615 --> 00:22:34.505
So we have a pretty close-knit team here and one of the first days back from Christmas break, our events coordinator, jalen who's gonna kill me for mentioning her, but she was like so she saw me.

00:22:34.505 --> 00:22:37.778
She was like, okay, influencer, tell me, tell me how to create that.

00:22:37.778 --> 00:22:38.682
I want to learn how to make reals.

00:22:38.682 --> 00:22:40.028
Now, mind you, she's 25.

00:22:40.028 --> 00:22:40.531
Okay, she's 25.

00:22:40.531 --> 00:22:43.404
She knows way more about social media than I'm ever gonna know.

00:22:43.404 --> 00:22:48.544
But it was funny and like she noticed that and she was like I really want to learn, like I wanted to.

00:22:48.544 --> 00:22:51.173
You know, show me, how did you do this, how do you, how do you, make these reals?

00:22:51.173 --> 00:22:51.815
I want to see this.

00:22:51.815 --> 00:22:52.959
So that was pretty cool.

00:22:55.865 --> 00:23:07.096
And just from a health standpoint, I've noticed the team around me has has really like you know, they're packing their lunches there.

00:23:07.096 --> 00:23:08.881
We're talking about recipes like oh, I made this the other day.

00:23:08.881 --> 00:23:09.462
Have you tried this?

00:23:09.462 --> 00:23:11.930
And we you know how do we get more Water intake in the day?

00:23:11.930 --> 00:23:12.411
And you know what?

00:23:12.411 --> 00:23:16.082
We follow each other on our Apple watches so I can see when one of them works out.

00:23:17.184 --> 00:23:21.684
You know, and so I, until you ask you this question, I guess I didn't really realize it, but you're right.

00:23:21.684 --> 00:23:35.125
I mean, with the staff and you know, importantly, everybody is kind of all in on it and, and I don't know, maybe more some than others, but there's definitely a handful that has have kind of called on and it's it's nice to see those trends with those people as well.

00:23:35.125 --> 00:23:37.855
But from a membership standpoint, I think that's a really good question.

00:23:37.855 --> 00:23:51.436
Well, but from a membership standpoint, I've had several people text me that are members and message me and just tell me that they love what I'm doing, they love my videos, they are really proud of me for the success that I've had.

00:23:51.436 --> 00:24:00.315
And you know, one text to me yesterday and was like I've actually lost 40 pounds in the last 15 months too, and so that was kind of connect on that level.

00:24:00.315 --> 00:24:03.815
But yeah, until you mentioned it, I didn't even I didn't think about it that way.

00:24:03.884 --> 00:24:04.446
That's so cool.

00:24:04.446 --> 00:24:07.153
Well, you know, because it's like another conversation just having with people.

00:24:07.153 --> 00:24:12.184
It's like, you know, as we, just the age we're in, like everyone's their own brand at the same time too.

00:24:12.184 --> 00:24:27.684
And you know, people just aren't joining clubs for the for like the club, like people, they People are rage joining like they do the research, like so if they're like, oh, this is the club, that's the club manager, oh, they're on, they do like they'll go and see, like they want to be a part of something.

00:24:28.145 --> 00:24:34.063
So I would so in my head, like that just has to help the whole overall general goal of the club and the staff.

00:24:34.063 --> 00:24:52.210
Because now, if your staff are talking about it, because now you're creating a tribe for like your staff and you're creating this environment I'm sure you know everyone has staffing issues, but I Would probably be safe to say, like you probably maybe have less of a staffing issue than maybe some other places because of your Openness and your personality and stuff like that.

00:24:52.210 --> 00:24:54.114
Mean, is that, is that safe to say?

00:24:54.114 --> 00:24:55.758
Maybe you know, I know we all have some staffing.

00:24:56.627 --> 00:25:00.058
Absolutely it must be a little easier for you guys to attract and keep talent.

00:25:02.186 --> 00:25:09.478
Yeah, and I don't know the answer, but I think about this often, I really do, and I don't know how to like articulate it.

00:25:09.478 --> 00:25:24.430
But we we don't get me wrong I mean we can always use some more helping hands, you know, but our club is just doesn't have the turnover or the culture issues or Just the negativity.

00:25:24.430 --> 00:25:26.297
I mean we're not perfect by any means.

00:25:26.297 --> 00:25:33.339
Things happen, you know, people get mad, whatever, but we just don't have those clicky, I don't know vibes.

00:25:33.339 --> 00:25:38.325
I guess that I see and hear about it, other clubs and I don't know what it is.

00:25:39.248 --> 00:25:40.713
I don't know what I'm doing.

00:25:40.713 --> 00:25:43.765
I wish I could figure it out and bottle it up and sell it to somebody, right?

00:25:43.765 --> 00:25:45.048
I just I don't know.

00:25:45.048 --> 00:25:52.431
I feel like I'm just, I try to show up every day and just be myself and be genuine and care about them and Try to connect with them in different ways.

00:25:52.431 --> 00:26:03.098
And I think again, starting from the bottom and working my way up, I've shown like I've been there, I've done what you're doing and you know, I don't know, I don't, I don't know the answer, I really don't.

00:26:03.098 --> 00:26:04.585
But you're right, you're absolutely right.

00:26:04.585 --> 00:26:09.530
I mean, like I said, we could always use some extra people, but you know we're doing okay here.

00:26:09.550 --> 00:26:23.115
We really are and I think part of it is just talking to so many different people and hearing different stories and in your head, like you know, I try to connect the dots, like when I'm hearing you talk about things like oh, like that reminds me of so, when you were saying at 16, you, you, you were, you know, cleaning carts.

00:26:23.115 --> 00:26:27.477
I think back to when I was talking to oh, my goodness, total brain fart.

00:26:27.477 --> 00:26:30.308
Ocean reef club.

00:26:33.207 --> 00:26:33.709
I'm terrible.

00:26:33.729 --> 00:26:37.672
I know, oh, my Lemus, michael Lemus.

00:26:37.672 --> 00:26:41.411
We were talking with him, you know he's.

00:26:41.411 --> 00:26:47.758
He started off doing the carts and I forget how the story came about, but it was then how he was.

00:26:47.758 --> 00:26:56.992
You know, gm and the the cart people were complaining because they didn't have enough time for this and that and they were like, oh, you can't clean a carton, you know seven minutes.

00:26:56.992 --> 00:26:58.297
He's like you need at least 15.

00:26:58.297 --> 00:27:01.565
He's like, oh yeah, she's like took off my shirt, tie, jacket, I went down there.

00:27:01.565 --> 00:27:03.671
He's like I haven't washed a cart in how many years?

00:27:03.671 --> 00:27:05.395
But he's like I got it done in like eight.

00:27:05.395 --> 00:27:14.853
So it's like the same thing, like when I was thinking then, going back to the social media, social media stuff, just knowing enough about it that if you have a marketing person, come in whatever.

00:27:14.853 --> 00:27:16.897
Oh, we can't do this or it's not working.

00:27:16.897 --> 00:27:18.130
I don't know.

00:27:18.130 --> 00:27:19.253
I think you're not doing something right.

00:27:22.125 --> 00:27:24.236
Exactly, and social media is so like.

00:27:24.236 --> 00:27:29.001
If you are not on the social media bandwagon, I don't care how you feel about social media Listen, I don't love it either.

00:27:29.001 --> 00:27:31.152
You know it sucks up way too much of our time.

00:27:31.152 --> 00:27:38.071
And If you are not on that social media bandwagon, when it comes to marketing and growing your business, you are going to get left behind.

00:27:38.071 --> 00:27:44.416
And if you were not willing to step up and figure it out and I'm sorry, but in five who knows me?

00:27:44.416 --> 00:27:46.765
Five, ten years like that, it's gonna be all about that.

00:27:46.904 --> 00:27:50.336
I mean, like you mentioned, our generation, this is, this is literally so.

00:27:50.336 --> 00:27:57.160
Instagram is how I find my workouts, it's how I find my recipes, it's how I know what to buy on Amazon, it's how it's.

00:27:57.160 --> 00:28:00.250
It does everything for me, and so I don't know.

00:28:00.250 --> 00:28:03.984
I just really feel like it was a time that I had had some open time.

00:28:03.984 --> 00:28:13.258
I knew, you know, this was something that I think I would enjoy doing and, again, like I said, a skill set that I really, truly believe is instrumental in learning if you're gonna work in any business at all.

00:28:13.689 --> 00:28:17.092
So I Don't want to take up too much of your time.

00:28:17.092 --> 00:28:19.165
This has been Fantastic.

00:28:19.165 --> 00:28:22.334
People can connect with you over on the Instagram's.

00:28:22.334 --> 00:28:26.739
It's Mrs Arjents, mrs dot AR are great.

00:28:26.859 --> 00:28:27.704
Don't leave an R out.

00:28:30.392 --> 00:28:31.795
I put an N in there.

00:28:31.795 --> 00:28:32.317
I put an N.

00:28:32.317 --> 00:28:38.651
I get the worst anxiety pronouncing names like it.

00:28:38.651 --> 00:28:41.693
Like that was a solid, like like 10 seconds of me, like.

00:28:45.226 --> 00:28:46.830
My maiden name was James.

00:28:46.830 --> 00:28:49.808
My maiden name was James Bridgette.

00:28:49.808 --> 00:28:50.613
It was so easy.

00:28:50.613 --> 00:28:54.750
Anyways, here we are, our great Our great.

00:28:55.070 --> 00:28:59.683
And then you're also over on the on the LinkedIn and LinkedIn's linked in as well.

00:28:59.683 --> 00:29:01.932
I'll put links in the comments.

00:29:01.932 --> 00:29:02.957
People want to connect with you there.

00:29:02.957 --> 00:29:04.865
But thank you so much.

00:29:04.865 --> 00:29:11.826
Are you going to the winter conference in Pinehurst, Carolina's?

00:29:12.147 --> 00:29:13.711
I think I am.

00:29:13.711 --> 00:29:20.365
I'm trying to get my pro and my director grounds to go to, because I saw that they were like hey, invite everybody.

00:29:20.365 --> 00:29:22.236
So I'm definitely gonna try to go and I'm gonna.

00:29:22.236 --> 00:29:24.387
I'm gonna see if I get them to go with me, because I'm gonna be.

00:29:24.488 --> 00:29:31.326
I'm gonna be Country Club of Asheville with, with Aaron James doing a show there, I think the third no.

00:29:31.326 --> 00:29:31.666
So I'm like.

00:29:31.666 --> 00:29:35.095
I'm gonna be like three hours away, do I maybe?

00:29:35.095 --> 00:29:41.744
So say, well, yeah, popping over and doing some content and stuff, but we'll see how the next you should.

00:29:42.506 --> 00:29:44.849
Everybody would have been excited to see you should do it.

00:29:44.950 --> 00:29:46.332
Yeah, well, maybe I will.

00:29:46.332 --> 00:29:48.696
All right, alright.

00:29:49.397 --> 00:29:49.898
Guilt trip.

00:29:49.898 --> 00:29:50.839
Yeah, maybe you gotta show up.

00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:55.608
Maybe YOLO, you only live once, that's right.

00:29:55.608 --> 00:30:01.019
Well then, part of like it sounds I don't know about like, so for me, part of like the you know me and Michelle have.

00:30:01.019 --> 00:30:03.104
You know we really try to.

00:30:03.104 --> 00:30:07.423
We cook our food and you know track everything and do all that as much as possible.

00:30:07.423 --> 00:30:17.095
But now it's I find myself not wanting to go out as much, because I know how easy it is to slip on everything and just how, like sometimes, like how people make stuff.

00:30:17.095 --> 00:30:18.961
It's like can you just not put all the oil and butter?

00:30:18.961 --> 00:30:21.623
Like not, it just destroys my stomach.

00:30:21.623 --> 00:30:25.987
Can you just like do you go to a restaurant and be like, can you just grill the chicken?

00:30:25.987 --> 00:30:28.259
They're like no, just just grill the chicken.

00:30:28.279 --> 00:30:29.683
Yeah, Like and just veg.

00:30:30.144 --> 00:30:30.846
Don't do all the extra.

00:30:31.434 --> 00:30:39.698
I'm like just just just veggie, Just grill them up Like put them in the microwave, I don't care, Just don't put all the stuff and they give you the weirdest look and the price tag.

00:30:39.758 --> 00:30:44.941
The price tag, which is terrible, because I work in, obviously, a world where we I get it.

00:30:44.941 --> 00:30:49.478
I understand why they're charging what they're charging, but dang when you have to be on the receiving end of that.

00:30:49.478 --> 00:30:55.641
It's like my husband and I went and had dinner the other night at what I would consider a nicer restaurant in our area and we spent $200.

00:30:55.641 --> 00:30:57.324
And I'm like this is crazy For two people.

00:30:57.324 --> 00:30:59.667
Well, we ain't doing this again For two people.

00:30:59.688 --> 00:31:00.008
Drinks.

00:31:00.994 --> 00:31:02.759
And we didn't even like.

00:31:02.759 --> 00:31:05.205
I had two glasses of wine and he had two.

00:31:05.205 --> 00:31:07.579
I'm not sure what it was, but it was tequila of some sort.

00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:10.180
So yeah, drinks are like 15 bucks now.

00:31:11.897 --> 00:31:12.540
And they are.

00:31:12.540 --> 00:31:19.386
And I refuse to drink crappy, crappy liquor, and one I refuse.

00:31:19.386 --> 00:31:21.721
I'm not doing it, I'm too old for that.

00:31:21.721 --> 00:31:23.760
I don't want to deal with the repercussions.

00:31:23.760 --> 00:31:24.784
So I just you know what.

00:31:24.784 --> 00:31:27.480
I can, drink the expensive stuff and then complain about it later.

00:31:27.520 --> 00:31:28.723
So funny, that's so funny.

00:31:28.723 --> 00:31:30.347
Thank you so much.

00:31:30.347 --> 00:31:31.636
I really appreciate it.

00:31:31.636 --> 00:31:33.681
Yeah, have a fantastic day.

00:31:35.565 --> 00:31:36.425
Thanks you too.

00:31:36.547 --> 00:31:40.884
See you soon Wait one sec Loved, loved, loved that conversation.

00:31:40.884 --> 00:31:45.318
So much good content, so many nuggets, so much value, so much energy.

00:31:45.318 --> 00:31:47.142
I love it, I love it.

00:31:47.142 --> 00:31:47.603
I love it.

00:31:47.603 --> 00:31:48.183
I love it.

00:31:48.183 --> 00:31:50.247
Brea, great talking.

00:31:50.247 --> 00:31:51.249
Thanks for being on.

00:31:51.875 --> 00:31:53.299
Hope you all enjoyed that episode.

00:31:53.299 --> 00:32:02.678
If you did, as you know what I'm going to ask please share, subscribe, let someone else know, give it to somebody else in the industry, Even if they're not in the industry.

00:32:02.678 --> 00:32:05.986
We love people from all walks of life.

00:32:05.986 --> 00:32:11.507
The club world is a very fantastic place and we need to tell more people about it.

00:32:11.507 --> 00:32:14.722
Bring more amazing talent to the club world.

00:32:14.722 --> 00:32:17.439
Embrace I don't even know what I'm saying there.

00:32:17.439 --> 00:32:20.340
Take that part out, but hope you all enjoyed that.

00:32:20.340 --> 00:32:21.483
Thank you for being here.

00:32:21.483 --> 00:32:24.001
If you have not done so already, sign up.

00:32:24.001 --> 00:32:33.726
You can go sign up for our newsletter because we are putting out content every single day and the newsletter just wraps up what we've been distributing and pumping out there throughout the week.

00:32:33.726 --> 00:32:37.320
So all different sorts of topics health, wellness, food and beverage.

00:32:37.320 --> 00:32:38.082
It's all coming.

00:32:38.082 --> 00:32:41.020
Until next time, I'm John the flippity-flip.