Pat Swanson | Former University of Southern California Football Player and Executive Vice President at Colliers International

Greg Spillane: 0:01

Welcome to the athlete entrepreneur. I'm your host, Greg Spillane. This is the podcast that brings you real success stories and insights from former elite athletes who have gone on and are now crushing it as startup founders, innovators, operators and business leaders, we dive into the traits and habits that lead to high performance on the field and how they are carried forward to the boardroom. Whether you are a professional athlete looking to transition to the business world, or an entrepreneur looking to hone your craft, we're going to dive deep to find the tools, tactics and tricks that you can use to reach your goals. In this episode, I have Pat Swanson. Pat is currently an Executive Vice President at Colliers International. He is one of Southern California's most accomplished multifamily investment brokers. Throughout his career. his accomplishments have been recognized with multiple awards, the most recent being co stars power broker award, which celebrates the top commercial brokers in the country. From a numbers perspective, he was the top multifamily brokerage in California for columns from 2016 to 2019. Pat was a state champion in the 110 boroughs, and attended the University of Southern California on a football scholarship where he was a three year started. I thought this was a fantastic conversation. We talked about how pap bypass offers from other division one programs at a high school, and instead bet on himself spent a season at junior college because he wanted to pursue his dream playing football at USC. We talked about his decision to let his sons play football, his own battle with leukemia, and what it was like when he was given 5050 chances of survival. He had some amazing tips and tricks for building relationships and how he's been able to establish himself in the highly lucrative but super competitive commercial real estate industry and how football has prepared him for the work he needed to put in. Finally, we talk about how Pat balances work in life, how he stays in shape while raising coaches for kids. So without further ado, here is Pat Swanson. So let me ask you this do you do you still stay pretty involved with the USC football program?

Pat Swanson: 2:16

You know not as much as I'd like partly because family kids sports I mean you only have so much time in live now I love when I can sit down and watch a game which is few and far between always rooting for them if I can if I can make the goal once a year I think at the beginning of the year when I set like the goals for the year it's make one USC football game but I guess the good thing is my kids Pop Warner teams continue to advance and win so that means our Saturdays are occupied hopefully through the rest of November so yeah we'd like to go nothing of the plans and wish I was more involved but Sunday

Greg Spillane: 3:02

yeah so yeah that's an interesting I wanted to ask you this question and and you know as an ex football player you know I have this conversation a lot and I'm asked frequently so I have two daughters and my daughters are involved in softball and volleyball and those sports but you know football and especially tackle football was never really an option but I'm asked quite often you know if I have sons if I had boys when I let them play football right with a lot of the concussion stuff that's that's occurring and some of those different things that are out there I know your your oldest is playing I believe your your youngest plays as well. What are your thoughts on that?

Pat Swanson: 3:36

That's a really good question. I think one parent told me last year or maybe two years ago when we first got our boys and so this our third year last year was a COVID years that you get to play but we were kind of hesitant like most people maybe hold our kids out and we're on the fence or kids really wanted to play in one parent that we were on the baseball team with said you know Would you rather your kids learn the fundamentals and how to play and how to tackle now when the hits don't mean as much versus not playing and putting your kids when all the other kids have had years of experience or bigger faster stronger, the hits are going to mean more. So for us it made a whole lot of sense like let's teach our kids the game now and then versus holding them back and trying to learn when everybody's a heavier and then they're not going to know how to do those things. So for us it was a no brainer it's actually safer for our kids to put them in early and learn the game than try to hold out until you know like I said till injured there are more injury prone by not knowing the game at that time.

Greg Spillane: 4:37

Yeah, and I agree with that and the game really is so much safer than it was when we played I think they've really done a good job with with sort of the fundamentals of how to tackle the helmet to helmet you know, not just sticking your head and everything on every play all the time. You know, protecting people. I mean, I you know, I remember you know in high school and I'm sure you do, too. You know, watching these, you know, videos where it was, it was just the biggest hits possible and it was, you know, 30 minutes of safeties taken out wide receivers coming across the middle with helmet to helmet hits, and it was like, Oh, look at that guy's completely knocked out cold. Yeah, you know, and and you just don't see that as much anymore I think I think it really helps protect the players.

Pat Swanson: 5:20

Yeah does and the rules are a little bit different to like the younger kids I've been talking like maybe seventh grade on a two point stance. So they're not three down there, they'll have their hand down on the ground is to reduce impact. So I mean, we're part of it, we're in it, we're in the thick of it, we love it, we wouldn't have any other way big commitment. But you know, it's just a short time short period of time in our lives.

Greg Spillane: 5:41

Yeah. You know, when I get asked that question, I always say I would allow my kids to play because I think the the lessons I learned playing football, the, you know, the perseverance, the work ethic, that camaraderie. You know, it's really why I started this podcast in the first place. Because I think that there's so many things that are developed in sports, and especially team sports, that translate to your adult life and help you be successful and whatever path you go down. So yes, there's there's a risk of injury there. There's no doubt about it, and potential risk of serious injury. And I think that occurs in all sports. But when I look at the positives that came out of my experiences, playing sports, I think they they far outweigh the risks of those injuries,

Pat Swanson: 6:31

you know, you bring up a good point. And I've had a lot of thinking about this, you know, you look at life today, like how do you give our kids the, a little bit of the upbringing that we had, it was a different time. It's a different world today. And you kind of look around these kids at the end of each night, he's 23 little kids looking up at you, and you're thinking, God, what's the best way I can teach these kids to be men today, you know, what's the most I can get away from that everyone deserves a trophy culture, to just, you know, making these feel, you know, one, they're gonna learn about teammates, learn how to get along with everybody, learning the hierarchy of a coach, which is like a boss. Learning how to be tough, like, you know how to when you're hurt, you get back up and keep going, you know, obviously, with with reasons and whatnot, but I just looked around, like, what a better way to train our young men to be men kind of in a similar fashion, maybe that we were raised. I think that kind of we're going to society that, you know, nobody wants her feelings to be hurt. Certainly, that's not the case of what we don't want that to happen either. But I just think it's really teaching kids how to be tough. stick up for themselves. When you get pushed down, get back up, be able to listen to coach Yes, sir. You know, you know, if you're, if you're on time, you're late, if you if you're, if you're early, you're on time, attitude. So we've seen, you know, we've got a great group of kids. And everyone's respectful, and it's just one of those things that just understood. And the good thing is the parents kind of follow suit with that. So it's just a great I couldn't recommend it more for someone who's just kind of trying to help mold their kid into being a responsible young man.

Greg Spillane: 8:12

So let's take a step back. What sports Did you play in high school?

Pat Swanson: 8:16

So I ran track, and I play football,

Greg Spillane: 8:20

obviously, football, you ended up getting an opportunity to go to USC, one of the most prestigious universities in the country. Where else were you recruited? What other options do you have?

Pat Swanson: 8:33

You know, I was one of those kids that kind of a late bloomers. So you know, I didn't really grow a ton to my senior year, I think I you know, I grew about two or three inches between junior and senior year put on 20 pounds. So, Junior wasn't looking that good. Then senior year, I had a great senior year. And there was a few prospects. I think, like some great schools, you know, Idaho sandals, he stayed a few other people kind of looking around at me and had an opportunity to go on there and it would have been a great opportunity. But you know, I always had this dream I wanted to play at USC. So I went to junior college took every class that could be transferable there and took a chance. And yeah, I was just really lucky to be you know, coached and mentored by you know, a guy named Jim Murphy who kind of helped pave the way of really getting in there and and some some luck fell in line. I was a long snapper and tight end. just so happens that putter on the team went to my high school, and he knew I could snap they also have a they also had a tight end the time that left the team. So I was tied in and long snapper. Suddenly there was a need for both. And I played one year to JC and then I was I was lucky enough to actually get that opportunity to get a full scholarship to USC. At that time. There was a few other colleges that I You know had shown some interest after the JC and I would have loved to have gone to those but the dream came true and you know kind of that's part of the life story and I have

Greg Spillane: 10:10

it's amazing so I didn't even realize that about you so you actually you had opportunities to go do one at a high school bet on yourself chose to go to a junior college instead played a season there and then had an opportunity to go to USC

Pat Swanson: 10:25

you know yeah was one of those things where you know just I I felt I could do more and I you know, I took that year and just got bigger faster stronger and kind of just kind of came into my own and I had a guy again mentioned gene Murphy which is just unbelievable coach at that level. And I remember him calling me one day after spring ball after our first year there and I was just I was poised to have just a great year I was excited to going into that was going to go one more year at the JC and then and then hope to get transferred on and he called me up one day and said hey if you could leave early from the JC would you of course yeah I would. So he kind of sacrifice his own team obviously with me being on that team we could have been better and said all right, well, you know here's the schools that are interested in Nia and he mentioned you know a couple of great schools I would have loved to have gone to that was in my mind something that I was what it made sense from not taking that that ride in high school betting on myself anyone was Northwestern one was Arizona one was Utah and a few other that were calling I thought that was that was fantastic. So he said would you want to go to any of these schools? And I said God Yeah, I would coach but man did as he didn't call her and they said Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you they called too so you know and I said he said do you want to go there? And I said Yeah, I do. Absolutely It's my dream. He said okay, let me make a call I'll call you back. So the next call I got was john Robinson calling and saying we want you to come down tomorrow bring your parents we're going to offer you a full ride here my parents got a private tour the school went to the bookstore bought it bought the sweatshirt did the whole deal and that was it so it's kind of like life just taking you down and journey that you know kind of I guess I meant to be so got a little meets opportunity there

Greg Spillane: 12:34

What was your like Welcome to big time football moment Do you did you have that moment where you You came on campus there's a teammate and first day of practice that you're like oh I'm you know I'm no I'm not in Kansas anymore.

Pat Swanson: 12:48

I think we all felt that way. Yeah, you know, to moments I would say yeah when I when I first got on there and then you see the team and you know i just i never seen people that big in my entire life. You know where I can come from I was kind of the big guy or the fast guy and and you look around and everybody was the best at wherever they went and in the people that live in were bigger people than I ever I didn't know these people existed I'd never seen people that big and they were just from all over the country. So then then it was funny as you you get used to being around people that big and and you know in everyday in practice, you're pushing around people that big so you kind of just live in that world. I think the biggest kind of Welcome to college football is the first game we played against Florida State. And this is a time when they win national championships and so we are backed up at SC one yard line for a punt and that was the first snap. So I played long snapper as a tight end so I snapped on the one yard line against Florida State 90,000 people so that was pretty nerve racking we punt I think 10 times in that game. So yeah, it's kind of Welcome to college football.

Greg Spillane: 13:54

Yeah, you know one of the things you know i think was so great about high level sports and elite sports and you know once again one of the reasons why I really wanted to start this is when you get to that level and and and I'm sure it just continues to accelerate as you move up to the professional ranks, etc. There is no more nothing is entitled at that point, right? You step on a campus, you got a scholarship, they took a chance on you. But everybody else out there is talented, they're good, they're all working hard, they all want to start they all want to be the best. And if you're not willing to put in that work yourself if you're not willing to compete on a day in day out basis, someone's gonna beat you out. And and and the reality of it is the coaches like yeah, they want you to be successful, but they're more concerned about the team being successful and it's so easy to be left behind if you don't have that competitive drive and that work ethic. And I think that those things carry over so well into the professional world

Pat Swanson: 14:56

right now. You're right, it is a business. It's their business. This business of winning the wit you know and you know if you're not performing trust me you know about it but yeah it's definitely the one thing I think that why opening thing was coming from an area where the democratic where I grew up was one thing and then walking into 100 different people from every walk of life and just wow just seeing the stories from some people from the farm in the Midwest some people were from the ghetto and you know had children to support and then here I am coming from you know, kind of a you know, South Orange County neighborhood it was just really definitely eye opening experience

Greg Spillane: 15:41

who was the teammate that pushed you the most that you know you just felt like on a day in day out basis you just had to keep up with this person

Pat Swanson: 15:49

you know I would say the guy there's there's so many throughout the course of the years I probably would go back to my high school years and say you know one of my best friends His name is Brian forth and you know he was just a guy that he ended up playing full ride at at Arizona State but a white guy that was probably 510 you know 170 pounds but just the hardest working guy ever met and the work ethic and yeah I think it you know are in high school his mom and passed away and dedicated senior or dedicated his year towards her and it was you know all county and just this unbelievable guy so just kind of seeing the way his approach and just excellence working I know you probably play with guys like that sort of just took that sport and anything you do to the to the you know to the best of your ability so I'd say that was one of many that throughout my my time but just like like the football team is just like at work you know there's some people that dedicate their craft to what they're doing and take it to the to the best they could possibly be I know it made me better

Greg Spillane: 17:02

so sports ends for everybody eventually except maybe Tom Brady who will who will play forever But how did you know it was done for you?

Pat Swanson: 17:12

haha well in the last last game of SC I was a senior you know they were beaten i think i don't know i think i was like Eastern Louisiana or something and the coach was putting all the players in you know all the seniors and you know and playing long snapper I did play tight end but it was a more limited role because you get long snapper gets hurt you don't have a kicking game so yeah I got yeah i was i was in there playing a few reps and just you know realizing you know as soon as that time clicked off I walked off the field to miss the last time or play I had an agent at the time that you know after there you could snap on the pros and place entidad your fast guy but I think I didn't play intense I was a little kid I was tired I was burnt out and looking back now I think like playing Europe or something would have been fun or maybe someone would have taken a shot on me as a backup tight end snapper had I when I woke up the next day I walked off the field hit the gym you know work everything I you know put on some way did everything I could yeah i think there would have been an opportunity but for me my life at that time just I was ready to I was ready to do something else and now I'm the old dad on the on the football field telling the kids man what we wouldn't do that to be in your shoes one last time. The same thing we heard when we were kids so I was ready for it when I was done and as time has progressed I miss it and I wish I had that that back

Greg Spillane: 18:48

Did you know what you wanted to do professionally? Right when you finished was you know getting into the the commercial real estate side of things. Something that you had thought about in college or? Or how did that opportunity first present itself to you?

Pat Swanson: 19:04

So great question Greg. I think out of college I didn't know what I wanted to do. At the time it was a.com the dot coms for the the hottest new fad and I want to be in technology so my brother was involved in technology I had a career fair at USC I saw a company called Arrow Electronics this big electronic distributor that's what I'm going to do and so I got paid 37 five my first year out it man I just I didn't like it at all i i as my mind didn't work that way I wasn't electronical guy was an engineer type. My you know I kind of during that year long story short actually came down with leukemia. And it forced me to be in hospital for pretty much the next year after that. So you're after football. I had a job I didn't like It wasn't fit for me and then I came down with leukemia lo and behold, and I was about a year and a hospital and during that recovery time, I just started soul searching what I want to do and when I did get out of the hospital, I couldn't go back to work yet I would drive around I mean, I could be out in Publix drive around the mat. Well, I have worn a mask on wherever I went. And real estate started kind of on the up and up the early 2000s and I drive around the beach cities and I'd see all these beautiful places and people making money and went to a wedding and I sat in the back of a boat with one of my friend's dad's who had made it I mean this guy had a house on Newport harbor and I said what do what do I need to do? And he said save up enough money to sell a home buy a duplex live in one route the other let that go up in value refinance, buy another one, let that club and value refinance buy another one. So the next day I called my brother up and said I've got a little bit of money you've got a little bit of money Let's buy a duplex so we bought a duplex and then we did that we bought it we bought a triplex and then we bought a house and so it was working and that's what I knew that I like, this is fun, I enjoy the real estate aspect of it. So that's how I knew I wanted to get into real estate.

Greg Spillane: 21:21

So I mean you just mentioned something you know really powerful you went through a bout of leukemia obviously you you got through it I know you've been healthy for for a number of years sense did that significantly change your mindset and the way you approached life?

Pat Swanson: 21:40

You did? So I got sick and at first I didn't know what it was I thought was the flu and the doctor said call up your parents you know I said why why would I call my parents you know I think they should come down and so they came to the room and they said we think you have leukemia and I was like shocked and we need to prepare you for chemo and so I mean at that point I just I didn't even know that I had this and then they're reeling in you know chemo and our IV bags for chemo and and yes kind of kind of broke down and cried and then then when the dust settle I said okay, what do we what do we have and they diagnosed the type of rare type of African based leukemia and it said that you have there's first off there's a 50% chance you're not going to make it and then if you do make it then you have the opportunity to do a bone marrow transplant and then if you do a bone marrow transplant we have to find somebody that's an equal match for you. And if if you do if you find that there's a one in five chance you're not going to make it from that and so I mean it was kind of the odds were against me but I mean What other choice to have so at the time Lance Armstrong was have recovered from cancer so my mom bought me the book beyond the bike I was too sick to read it so she read to me every night and I just felt like this guy treat it like a sport. And if I could treat this like a sport so it's like all right doctor, what's everything you need? Do what food do I need eat? What do I do? How much exercise do I need to do and let's just what do I need to do so I treated that exactly like a sport. And you know, I remember as I was recovering, I was watching a football game on TV and the kid had a tattoo that said against all odds on his arm and they talked about how he rose up from the ghetto and was helping his mom and his sister You know, you know survive and this and that and what he did and I thought I'm not that guy but against all odds is kind of a little bit about what I went through here I shouldn't be here and I you know I've got this rare aggressive type of leukemia and I went through a bone marrow transplant and so it was kind of right after I did the bone marrow transplant you kind of you know that when they bring it in the next day you may not wake up and one in five chance it doesn't take your body just rejects it. But the next day you wake up then you wake up again you wake up again and during these times is when I saw that football game and I thought wow God that against all odds I it's kind of like me in a different way. So I wanted to give my brother that gift like I wanted to like give them a ring that said against all odds. So for Christmas that year, I designed a ring and my parents had it made the Saudis say thank you to somebody that you can never repay and so for Christmas that year I got him the ring that said against all odds inside and said brothers with the date of the transplant and why didn't know as my parents got me the same ring. So yeah, I wear that ring with my wedding band. I don't have it on right now. Just take a shower but you everyday it's very binder when I think I'm having a bad day, I looked down on think this isn't a bad day, this is a good day. So that transformed my kind of outlook on life, that you know, there really is no bad day every day really, truly is a blessing. And that's how I kind of, from that point on, I realized I don't want to do anything I don't want to do in this life. And so I scrapped the electric, you know, electrical, you know.com salesman guy, and started transitioning real estate. So that's kind of where it all started. And you know how I kind of knew I want to do that.

Greg Spillane: 25:35

And I know, from speaking with you in the past, when you did make that transition, and you moved into the commercial real estate, you were a grinder, right? I mean, you were a guy that that that was not afraid to pick up a phone you were making calls you you, you had no fear you were gonna outwork everyone. Do you think that those experiences that you had mentioned, you know, helped you? Or is that is that just who you are, and it's always who you've been,

Pat Swanson: 26:01

you know, really comes back from sports, Greg, I mean, you know, sports, it's one of those things where repetition working your craft, when you get pushed down, getting back up. So yeah, what I do is based upon the phone a lot, and you're going to be told no, and you just realize that, you know, they're, they're not mad at you, maybe they're having a bad day, or whatever, you know. So I just would literally the main thing with me is, I take a lot of notes on my database, like her dog barking in the background, or, you know, he was short with me, they're going on a cruise, and then I write a thank you card. And hey, thank you for your time, enjoy your time in Greece. And then I would write down when they're coming back. And then I write down. Hey, Bob, we talked before you left, how was Greece? And then so he doesn't remember that he wasn't nice to me on the phone. But he knows that like, Hey, I just went to Greece, and this guy knows me. I'll probably talk to him. So I would take a lot of notes, I would call and I realized every time I heard it knows that much closer to a yes. And it's truly You know, there's there's someone to my story about, there's a guy in, in New York, that sits on the street corner, and he sells wallets. And when I first got in the business, I heard this kind of analogy. And all he makes well over a million dollars a year, you know, drives a nice luxury car, he just holds up a wallet all day long, and says one by one by one by one by and said if you call enough people and say heck if all you say is do you want to sell Do you want to sell Do you want to sell, you're going to reach somebody that's going to say, yeah, I'm thinking about selling. Now obviously, there's a more refined way to call and say what you're going to do, but the main thing is everybody you try to meet with you're planting a seed for future business that there may be I'm doing something now. But someday all all the seeds you planted are gonna are gonna come to harvest Little by little, if you get in front of enough people have large enough database that if you can keep in touch with them, then that will set you up for your whole career. So that's kind of how I did it. And I know it's not it's easier said than done. I mean, it's pretty easy to get in there, make the calls, do what you say you're gonna do follow up. And surprisingly enough, a lot of people have trouble with that. And that's why I love athletes that come into this business because at least they have a little bit of background of kind of persevering through hard times.

Greg Spillane: 28:19

Right. I love that. And that's such amazing advice. And you know, it's it's not just lip service, right? It's something you did, it's something you live through and you become extremely successful because of that. It there's like so many cliches that are going through my mind, right? I mean, I think about I think Woody Allen quotes something it's like 90% of life is just showing up. And you know, our goal without action is really just a dream. And I think I think at the end of the day, like people just aren't willing to put in the work and if you're just willing to put in the work and show up every single day and do your job and grind and and and you know don't don't let setbacks get you down and persevere like successful comp, you know, I mean, it'll come in and yeah, it takes a little bit of luck and all those types of things. But I think you just, you know, just just illustrated that really well in your, in your last little description. So I you know, one question I have, right I, I know that USC is famous and very proud of the alumni network. I went to USC for business school, and I think my very first day my orientation, they they talked about it. It was that chord of corrida who USC is and the value of a degree is that network and you know, what we were taught early on is when a Trojan calls you always answer that call, it's just part of it. It's maybe you can't do anything to help. Maybe there's nothing you can do, but you're going to at least answer that call. How much did that that USC network that that pedigree coming from that program coming out of that program, being a football player at that program, Specially, gosh, when you were starting your professional career that was when you know, USC football was sort of at its apex. Was that was did that play a big part? Or was that something you were able to lean into and leverage as you got your career off the ground?

Pat Swanson: 30:12

You know, I'd say yes and no. And the reason why I say that is when you call somebody up, you're not saying, hey, Greg, this is Pat Swanson. I played football at USC, why me? So they don't know anything about Yeah. And, and, you know, I think people do business with people they like, and I've had that been my approach, people wouldn't probably like me, or want to work with me or anything like that. But I think as you as you meet them, and get to know them, and they get to know you, and then they realize that think, wow, this is really cool. I'm a fan or this and that, or you can relate stories that just comes up maybe by meeting with them and knowing they're a football fan. And, you know, we're finding out who their mate who their team is. And if they're a big UCLA fan, I maybe I don't mention it, you know, but if I see USC on the on the wall, I mean, hacking, we're where I do business in Orange County, especially the Newport coastal areas, there's a lot of se fans, and you go to their house, and you see the flag up, and then you'll talk about the game. And then you might mention that why played there with such and such. And so that definitely, once you kind of get in the door that helps move the relationship along with the right person. So I'd say yeah, doesn't get me in the door. But once I'm in the door, it helps me elevate that a little bit.

Greg Spillane: 31:32

So how do you continue to stay on top of things within your within your industry within your role? Like how do you you know, self learn? How do you evolve? How do you continue to get better?

Pat Swanson: 31:40

Well, I think it's one of those experience our experience sort of things, you know, every deal that you do, you learn a little bit from no deal, no two deals are alike. And I learned something new every day. And so you kind of collect that knowledge on past deals, or, you know, the way a client reacts to certain things. There's other clients have a similar personality, you kind of remember what you did on that one, how it worked out. So it's an exciting career on kind of figuring out how to put the, you know, connect the dots. So I would say that, for me, it's, it's more or less kind of having that reminder of, you know, who I need to get back to be very organized, like who haven't talked to in a while, Who's most likely to do business this year, who who's looking for what, so keeping track of john smith looking for a 20 unit building, I've got a new one coming up. So remembering it and organizing who's looking for what, and knowing who I need to get back to Who's most likely to do something this year, kind of as I stay ahead of the business, and a lot of it's what I call silent salesman, sending out email blasts, social media postcards, so those clients that aren't actually talking to you are seeing your name. So it's almost like you're talking to them without talking to them. And when you follow up, or when you do talk to them, oh, I get your email, I got your email last week or this and that. It's like you've been communicating with him the whole time. And I'm lucky enough to have a transaction coordinator that kind of takes a lot of stuff off my desk. So I can, you know, handle the business aspect of things. I've got some Junior agents as well. So, you know, it's a constant struggle of time. It's really being able to organize and manage your time.

Greg Spillane: 33:18

Absolutely. So you got your business. I know you have four kids, you're coaching. How do you manage your time? And what's How do you manage work life balance.

Pat Swanson: 33:31

Craig, My typical day was like today, I wake up at 410 in the morning, I'm at the gym by 430. In the morning, I made a couple friends there. We work out to about 513 there Starbucks in the parking lot there, I walk over to Starbucks have Starbucks, if they're there, we chat. If not, I can't put my headphones on and listen to an audible, which is anywhere from, you know something having to do with business, I kind of mix up the audible books of personal like pleasure reading and listening. Versus like something's going to elevate my game. Like one of the books recently was you know how to win friends and influence people, which was written in the 1930s still true today. So I pick up these concepts while I'm fresh. My body's just clear at that time, I'm having coffee. And I started thinking about all the things in business where this would apply to that would apply to, I start writing myself emails about like the ideas that come to my head at that time, because the best ideas come at that time during the day. And later on the day. When I'm going through my emails, I see these ideas I had at 545 in the morning, and I'm like, oh god, I gotta follow up on that one. So and then I forward over to like my girl on our team who handles our stuff. Send an email to this person, send flowers to this person, do this, do that. So that starts my day there. Then they get home at six from six to 715 it's make lunches why my wife's getting ready to go to her job. Get ready. Be the dog, get the kids out the door for kids get them all all over their school dropped off. And then I get to work. And I'm usually at work either working from home or working at at the office, about 830 and then all the way through to about 430. And then we have practice at 530 to 730. Then my daughter has cheered at the same location, I pick her up, go to my other son's eight o'clock practice, pick him up, come home, make dinner, settle down at nine o'clock for a glass of wine or a scotch or whatever, watch TV with my wife for an hour and in bed by 10.

Greg Spillane: 35:35

Every day. Yeah, man, busy, busy, busy guy. I'll tell you what the Dale Carnegie book how to how to win friends and influence people I get asked a lot, you know what my favorite book is, or what's a great book to read on, say favorite, but I always come back to that one. And I know it was written in the 13th. And I know it's a little bit outdated. But it's really a book about human nature and psychology and just how to connect with people and what's important to people. And I think if you follow those lessons, they're they're so powerful in a business setting. So it's funny that you brought that up. So I got a couple questions. And we could wrap things up here. So if you could go back and give your 18 year old self one piece of advice, what would it be,

Pat Swanson: 36:20

I think I would be more humble. I think when I was 18 years old, I was just, you know, probably had a head this big and I tried to always be nice to everybody and treat everybody with respect but I think that I probably would have been a lot more humble. And I think I probably just would have had a better outlook on you know, treating other well I wouldn't say I've always tried to treat other people the way I'd like to be treated but maybe seeing things from another person's perspective and point of view from an early age on I think that's stuff that you learn with age. So I think being humble probably would have you know, kind of personally I think that's something I I could have excelled from

Greg Spillane: 37:13

who has been the most influential mentor in your life and why

Pat Swanson: 37:17

you know, besides brother and father I mean that's bar none I would say probably coaches you know i mean that's why when I coach every night I think how am I going to mold sculpt men but I had a coach in high school coach meek and I that the junior college Jean Murphy coached me and I think part is they believed in me and so I think that's really important in life is finding the people that you know your tribe that believes in you coach me he kind of knew that that I could go on and knew and he believed in me and when I was playing in SC you know he had a day off and he was still the head coach and as bronze and he had a day off and I didn't know but he came up to watch my practice and then when we were done he took me out to dinner just him and I and it was just really cool. And then I say COACH MURPHY who you know knew my dreams knew my aspirations put the put his team aside and allowed me to open the doors to leave early out of junior college to take a scholarship before going into a second season which would have benefited him just you know to just to be a good guy so yeah, he really helped pave the way for for me to go on to sc

Greg Spillane: 38:41

shout out to coach meek and COACH MURPHY what occupation other than your own Would you like to try if you could

Pat Swanson: 38:49

always want to be a fireman Greg something about him I do all yeah I think the idea of just being around a bunch of guys hanging out you know making dinners you know saving people you know this kind of it's like a sport you know and it's like a fraternity house and a sport yet you're you know he doesn't like firemen so yeah I happen to coach with a couple firemen now and yeah, I hear their stories but you know I wouldn't change Yeah, I still wouldn't change I do to do that if I had a career I would have loved to have done that. But yeah, I'm really lucky because I just love what I do I'm my own boss I can you know I you can always do more you can always do better and I've actually time you know if I want to go coach my son's team or do whatever I can do.

Greg Spillane: 39:40

Final question. If you're going to be remembered for one thing, what would it be?

Pat Swanson: 39:47

Wow. Um we we went to Europe last summer. As a family and I woke up early in England in my life it was in London and my daughter and I walked decided to walk and go get some coffee we didn't know where we're going but she's holding my hand and we passed by this massive cemetery so he walked inside and sell 1000s of gravestones and then these were like four four and 500 year old you know since they passed away and and some of them had like a little quote on there that said she was a beloved mother or whatever and I started thinking well god that's all that's all this person was in life well I mean probably much more but the people today No one knows this person ever existed. No one knows anything about their life and here they are. Here's their gravestone some guy for years is staring at it Who was this person? So I think it started making you think like, God What am I going to be in life? Is he want to get around me? Am I just going to be one of these gravestones as somebody walks by me 400 years from now and says, Who is this guy I want to be more than just you know, just was a good guy. So I hope I can leave some sort of legacy behind that you know, I would love to help people out I'd love to be somebody that that changed people's lives that you know that tried to you know, do the best I could to make someone better I think it starts with your kids just being the best dad You can i mean if you want to change the world you start with your own kids and be the best dad You can it goes by so quick. And then everybody and then it kind of just from there, give as much as you possibly can everybody else. So at the end of the day if people say God, I really miss that guy. He he he really helped me he really cared about me. So I hope that everybody touch I can just like I said, spread goodness and try to make their life better. You know, so I'm not just left as as a one quote and everyone forgot about kind of situation.

Greg Spillane: 41:56

Really appreciate you coming on the show, man. It was a really fun conversation. I learned a lot. I think you had some amazing little tidbits of business of wisdom that people out there are going to hear and I think that there's a lot people can take from you know, the way you've lived your life which you've had to overcome how you've sort of worked through obstacles, chances you've taken on yourself to get to where you've gotten to

Pat Swanson: 42:24

Greg It was awesome man I'd love to turn around these ask these same questions back to you. Love to do that over a beer one of these days. But yeah, I appreciate it. I mean, it's it's a it's a great compliment that you'd even think about me for this show. So I'm here to any any young person coming out of college or just in life, I'm happy to talk to anybody and try to help out wherever I can.

Greg Spillane: 42:47

If people do want to get ahold of you what's the best way to reach you? Do you have a Twitter account social LinkedIn email?

Pat Swanson: 42:53

Yeah, I my emails is simple. It's my name Pat pa T dot Swanson, swa n s o n at call yours co L L. E RS comm we're always looking for new talent, our team I love the sports background. I mean, that's That to me is you know what is what helps make a great young broker. I passionate what I do love it. Love to work with young people. So yeah, I'm always open.

Greg Spillane: 43:21

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the athlete entrepreneur. As always, the show notes will be available at crossing the field comm you can follow me in the show on Twitter at Greg underscore splain. If you liked the show, please don't forget to leave a rating. Thank you so much for listening. Have a great day.