432 | Secrets of The Heavy Equipment Industry - Alex Kraft

Feb 9

[00:00:00] Alex Kraft: There is nothing that's going to prevent us from being successful. Nothing, because I went through the grind for three years. Like you're going to have to kill me before this company fails. I became comfortable with things going wrong and then just being able to problem solve. We have an opportunity at Heave to build an industry defining company, and those opportunities don't come around very often.
[00:00:22] Alex Kraft: And so what drives me is the ability to do that,
[00:00:30] Chaz Wolfe: What's up everybody? I'm Chaz Wolf gathering the King's Podcast. Coming back to you here today with another king on the stage. My brother Alex Kraft. Welcome. How we
[00:00:40] Alex Kraft: I am Great. Thanks for having me on Chas. Good morning.
[00:00:43] Chaz Wolfe: Yeah, good morning, man. You know, I was just commenting, um, you're in like, in a little, uh, phone booth scenario. I remember actually, I recorded my very first podcast episode. It looks exactly like your background
[00:00:55] Alex Kraft: Yep. I, uh, I am, I'm in a little telephone booth, but my office is an open floor plan, and it is, it's a great office, has a great view, but it's, uh, miserable for privacy and having conversations so.
[00:01:09] Chaz Wolfe: Yeah, exactly. Well, I I'm just glad that you made it happen. Um, I, I think this is gonna be a great show for nonetheless of. The fact that my first podcast recording with I was in a, a show or in a booth just like that. I still know that guy today. In fact, he's a member of Gathering the Kings and, uh, we have done all kinds of business together.
[00:01:27] Chaz Wolfe: Um, 'cause he's sold quite a bit of few properties for me.
[00:01:29] Alex Kraft: Nice.
[00:01:31] Chaz Wolfe: Anyway, you, you and I both know some of the same people. Uh, tell us what kind of business that you have
[00:01:35] Track 1: So I, I founded a company called Heave. Uh, we are a labor marketplace in the heavy equipment industry. So heavy equipment, you know, thinking of like Caterpillar, uh, John Deere, Komatsu, big yellow iron. Uh, we provide customers who own the equipment with access to mechanics to fix it. That's what we do.
[00:01:56] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah. Love it. You play matchmaker service.
[00:01:58] Track 1: We do, you know, uh, it sounds cliche, but the easiest way that people understand it is like Uber for heavy equipment repairs.
[00:02:07] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah, I got a big piece of equipment. It's broken down rather than taking it to my dealership or having to haul it. I just hop on an app that you've bought, that you've built and uh, and made work for, for, uh, people just like me,
[00:02:20] Track 1: A hundred percent. Very easy. Okay.
[00:02:22] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: I love it. Love it. Okay, so this is a, maybe what some people would consider a not sexy business, even though you're in the tech space and you're doing cool stuff, you know, you're, you're in the non-sexy industry of big equipment.
[00:02:36] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Like what, what's sexy about that? Unless you're in that industry? Uh, what I have found, because I've got some friends and not necessarily equipment, but they love. Buying big pieces of equipment, they totally think it's sexy. Um,
[00:02:47] Track 1: Yeah. It's not sexy at all, but.
[00:02:51] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: but I guess my question and, and leading through all of the nons sexiness here is why are you doing this, man?
[00:02:57] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Why this business? Why entrepreneurship? Why are you just after it in general,
[00:03:02] Track 1: Uh, big, big question. Um, you know, it's funny, I fell into the business 20 years ago not knowing anything about it. It was,, I was a college basketball player, was looking to play professionally, got hurt, had to figure out my life, uh, and just start a career and fell into the industry and really liked it.
[00:03:22] Track 1: I started off selling heavy equipment. Uh, heavy equipment is run very similar to like the auto business model. So you know, you have dealerships that have a territory, they're franchisee owned, so. Uh, just started off in a sales job, you know, calling on customers, you know, which is basically like going door to door and selling $300,000 assets.
[00:03:44] Track 1: Uh, but I always liked the blue collar nature of the industry. I. You know, you're dealing with real people, uh, salt of the earth. Uh, and that's, you know, how I got my start. And then, you know, worked my way through the company, you know, for 16, 17 years. Rose, you know, was management, uh, chief Operating Officer, and then our company got sold and that's when I started my entrepreneurship after that.
[00:04:08] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Why do you think that? I mean, I, I know sales and entrepreneurship are closely related. Uh, that's part of my story as well. You can kind of be a little entrepreneur as a sales guy, but why do you think in that moment you just didn't transfer over to another dealership and keep your career going? You took that as an opportunity to say, this is my time.
[00:04:26] Track 1: Uh, yeah, that's interesting. Um, because, you know, entrepreneurship was not necessarily in my blood. Like, you know, being on this journey now, like you meet a lot of different people who had a paper route or, um, you know, I, I'm from Philadelphia, so like, oh, hey, um. Snow, snow comes down. I hire kids in the, in the block to shovel snow.
[00:04:48] Track 1: That wasn't me. Uh, I think, you know, I'm a big believer that everything happens like on a certain time schedule or for a reason, and I. I don't know, my experience, I had just been exposed to so many different people at like higher levels and the more people I got exposed to and gained access to gave me the confidence that I'd kind of seen it all.
[00:05:11] Track 1: And I had, I had accumulated, uh, enough wisdom about the industry to have the confidence to, um, go out on my own. 'cause I could have gone to another dealership, but. Part of my makeup is that I can't just relive the same nightmare of the same problems over and over again at a different place. Like it was just, there were a couple things, a couple opportunities that were so, uh, just out in the open that, uh, I was like, you know, why not me?
[00:05:46] Track 1: Because someone was going to do what we're doing today. It's not. You know, we're not, I always tell people we're not building rockets here. We're solving a very, um, acute pain point. And why not me? You know? 'cause like I said, someone was gonna do it. And so that's what gave me the confidence to do it. Um, and just go for it.
[00:06:07] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah, it's interesting, um, that why not me phrase the guy that I was just telling you about that I recorded with my, on my very first podcast, uh, he has bracelets that he hands out to his
[00:06:19] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: clients that say, why not me? And I, I think that that phraseology here, although I think it could be taken in a, like a fearful negative sense, but you know, if you're thinking about it the wrong way, but what I'm hearing you say is.
[00:06:31] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Now's the time. Why couldn't I have what these other people have? If I can, if they can do it, I can do it,
[00:06:37] Track 1: A hundred percent and that's what it's really helpful to research and read about other companies. Um, you know, in other industries and, you know, we have a tendency to look at companies and just 'cause we just stumble upon 'em at that point in time. Uh, they all start from the same place. They start from zero.
[00:06:56] Track 1: They had to get their first customers, you know, they were, everyone who started a company was laughed at. I was told that they're stu, you know, they're crazy. Or who do you think you are? You think you can be Amazon? Like, no, I don't think I can be Amazon. But, uh, it's just everyone has that same path and it starts with, you know, are you solving a true pain?
[00:07:15] Track 1: At first, ironically, we weren't solving a true pain point, but it was important to like, kind of grind through it, uh, and then, and just stick with it and, um, and find that niche and then just go all in on it.
[00:07:29] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah, that's an interesting piece that you just gave to us there, because I think you're, you're right. I'm gonna, I'm gonna give a little preface here and then I'm gonna ask you a question that a lot of businesses start from excitement or, you know, I have to, like, I have to go provide dinner for my family tonight, and it's not really, I'm not solving much of a need really. But I am providing value to some degree somehow, and I'm sure that that's what, what the story was. So give us a little bit of the context there. I'm sure you were providing value, but how did you work through the, wait a second.
[00:07:59] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: This actually doesn't solve a bigger, very big
[00:08:00] Track 1: yeah, so when we started it was, uh, he was more of an Expedia type service for contractors to buy and rent equipment easily online. Uh, it was right around covid. Which I thought was gonna be a huge, um, tailwind for us because, you know, person to person meetings were kind of, it was harder for people to do that, but the existing dealerships did not want to utilize our service.
[00:08:28] Track 1: You know, they felt like it was threatening to them because they relied on sales teams in front of customers. Uh, and so. I liken the equipment, the setup to like cable companies where, you know, whatever town you live in, if you wanna get cable, there's only three providers. It's kind of protected. And that's kind of how heavy equipment has always been.
[00:08:48] Track 1: Now I.
[00:08:49] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah.
[00:08:49] Track 1: So it was more of an inconvenience the way customers had to buy and rent equipment. That's the way I describe it Now, after, you know, we grinded for two and a half years doing that and we, we transitioned to, well, what is the real pain? Well, the real pain of the customer is getting their equipment fixed because yeah, there there's only four providers who can sell and rent to you, but that only, that means that there's only four providers who can fix your machine.
[00:09:14] Track 1: And that's where the magic started happening.
[00:09:16] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah, and rather than waiting on those four kingpin dealers in that area, now you can work with all the purchasers and you give them
[00:09:26] Track 1: exactly. And so it allowed us to serve the customer, uh, and not really need the dealerships to build the business. Uh, and one of the things that I did notice, uh, towards my last few years at the dealership was, uh. A lot of really talented mechanics were leaving 'cause they were unhappy, uh, because the wage scale is, is broken.
[00:09:48] Track 1: Um, some like, once again similar to auto right? We all get our, our, um, our auto service bill and it's $200 an hour or whatever it is. Well. You know, what is the, what do they pay the mechanic? And it's even more gross in the heavy equipment space. So I started seeing a lot of talented mechanics leaving and going out on their own, being independent.
[00:10:08] Track 1: Uh, it's a make true market rate, and that's, that's what connected it for me. So we, we, we help customers find those independent mechanics. Uh, and so they're at a fraction of a dealership price, but the mechanic is keeping a lot more of that, that wage of the value that they create.
[00:10:25] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: yeah, exactly. You used the phrase, uh, or the kind of the connection point of Uber, but that's in essence what you've done here is that now a driver can go drive their own car and people at work, people around, they don't have to work for a taxi service. Uh, their own, own hours, own everything. Got it. Okay. What do you think is like, I mean, you've given us the, the lay of the land here, and I'm with you, but like what burns deep down inside of Alex? Like what wakes you up in the morning?
[00:10:51] Track 1: Uh, making an impact. So,
[00:10:54] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Okay.
[00:10:55] Track 1: uh, yeah, I've never made a decision in my career or life that was based on money. Uh, I, I think money comes, uh, at certain points, but, you know, when I kind of like, think back about my journey, you know, I was an athlete, so I'm highly competitive and in a weird way, I feel like, um, I let myself down athletically.
[00:11:17] Track 1: Uh, I didn't really. Uh, I didn't, I think maybe sports came too easy to me and therefore I didn't work as hard as I should have, and I feel kind of a, a level of disappointment in, in that part of my career. And so I view this entrepreneurship as like, kind of like a second chance, uh, to really build something incredible.
[00:11:39] Track 1: Like we, we have an opportunity at heave to build an industry defining company, and those opportunities don't come around very often. And so what drives me is the ability to do that, to, to ha to build a company, to start a company from zero. That 10 years from now, maybe, hopefully five years from now, people in the industry are like, can you believe that how, that we used to get serviced this way?
[00:12:07] Track 1: Like, why wouldn't, you know, this is ridiculous. And then to kind of change the game. So that's what, that's what drives me.
[00:12:14] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah, I can, I can relate. I think a lot of people that, uh, have athletics in their background, I mean, just look at the stats, like 99.99999% of them don't go pro. So we're talking to pretty much every listener out there who played any sort of sport, uh, and, and they might be able to look back and feel the same way that you do, like, man, if I had just given it more, what do you think the new road, because you're saying, I kind of get a second chance here. Obviously we're gonna have to use principles here 'cause the things tactically you're gonna do in business are different than in basketball. Um, but what are some of those things you're gonna do different this time?
[00:12:48] Track 1: Well, I think. You have to struggle. Uh, and that's something that when I was younger with sports, you know, there wasn't a ton of struggle. And so then when it came up, maybe I didn't react, uh, the best way. And with business it's like when, when we decided to start the company, it was struggle for two and a half years.
[00:13:10] Track 1: And it really, for me was. You know, like I said, we were, at least, we were solving a pain at some point, but really entrepreneurship was more of a battle, like me, against me. It was how are you gonna respond to it? And uh, so I've definitely grown in terms of that aspect. And it's just, you know, believing in what I was doing and just sticking with it.
[00:13:34] Track 1: And there, there became, I became comfortable with, um. Things going wrong and then just being able to problem solve. I think one of the, the problems, uh, it was good for me to be in a corporate environment 'cause that's what I, you know, I learned those lessons. The, the problems in the corporate environment was, uh, problems come up and then it's like blame game.
[00:13:57] Track 1: I. It's like, all right, how do I just maintain and keep my paycheck coming every two weeks? You know, let's, let's deny the problem or let's, all right, let's just blame someone else for the problem, and then therefore nothing gets fixed. And then with, with this, it's you, you just come into it like, Hey, things are gonna go wrong.
[00:14:15] Track 1: But the best part about be having a young company, a startup company, is that it's all a blank sheet of paper. Problems come up, just come up with a solution. You're agile, you can fix things, and then that makes you better over time. So I've just, I've loved the challenge of that and the energy, um, and the ability to, to move quickly and change things and improve, like I really want to improve in every facet of my life.
[00:14:41] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah. The, the scenario in basketball. Tell me if this brings up any, maybe good or bad memories. I don't know, but when I think about some of my basketball days and some of the tournaments we played in and stuff, it's like, I. Oftentimes, at least there's gotta be a stat around this somewhere. But if you lose in the first round, then you can always make it back to the championship and you got that one loss as opposed to if you never lose, then you make it to the championship undefeated.
[00:15:06] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: And I just always felt more confident going into that championship game with a
[00:15:11] Track 1: Mm-Hmm.
[00:15:12] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Uh, it, I mean, obviously a less to lose like it, it's a total mental situation. But tell us about that. Like how does that apply? 'cause that I'm hearing you say that for your
[00:15:19] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: business, you know.
[00:15:20] Track 1: I see it. The first thing I think about when you bring that up is my kids. So I've been coaching my kids teams and, uh, hyper competitive in this, in Tampa area. Like flag football's huge. Uh, I see it every day, every season there are certain teams that are stacked and these kids never lose. And then I see them get into a competitive game and they fold.
[00:15:44] Track 1: Because they're not used to being in, in a game where, you know, this possession matters. Like they're used to beating everybody by 40, 40 points. And I think that is the, the wrong thing and because. We, we talk about a lot of this stuff, uh, in business and sports. You learn most from your mistakes. And then I watch a lot of these youth sports teams and they stack the team.
[00:16:06] Track 1: And so there's never any mistakes. And I just think it's setting, uh, your kids up for failure. Uh, and so that's the first thing that I think about because when you lose, it forces you to look at certain things and to change, uh, unless you just are okay.
[00:16:23] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Unless you don't. Yeah, yeah, that's right. Which is a whole nother level of mindset, but I, I think the point there is that it forces the reflection, which you kind of re, you know, referenced a few minutes ago, which is I had to actually like, look at the way I was responding to the loss or to the failure.
[00:16:42] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Um, I'm gonna use this as a huge transition point here because I, I like to talk about the wins and the losses of business. Let's just go right into that loss for you, since we've kind of highlighted the importance of it. You're right, we do, you know, learn a ton from it. What was that hour for you where it was just really, really bad?
[00:16:58] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: What can we, what can we learn?
[00:17:00] Track 1: Whew, really, really bad. Um, you know, I, I don't know. I, I think about this a little differently. Like, I don't, you know, when I've made bad decisions, I don't necessarily get hypercritical over them because they are learning opportunities. Like when I, when I reflect back on my career in terms of like bad decisions, I, I think more of like decisions I didn't make.
[00:17:25] Track 1: Um, so like, uh, personnel decisions, like I think, you know, you should, we gotta trust our instincts. And there were plenty of times where my instincts told me like, Hey, this wasn't the right person, or, uh, hey, we gotta do something different. And I didn't. And of course it played out and I should have acted.
[00:17:46] Track 1: Uh, and so like those are more of. The mistakes that I've made that, that stand out. Whereas, like for example, uh, I explained to you a little bit about our journey where we started the company and we didn't have the right product for the market. You know, that, that's not a mistake because it forced me to figure it out and it forced me to go through the struggle, to the point where like, it, it was really, it would've been easy to quit.
[00:18:17] Track 1: And I didn't. And because I didn't, there is nothing that's gonna prevent us from being successful. Nothing. Because I went through the grind for three years. Like, you're gonna have to kill me before this company fails. Uh, and that wouldn't have been the case. Uh, 'cause it would be really easy to say, well, if you were wound to three years ago and you should have just started heave doing service.
[00:18:38] Track 1: Well, if we hit instant success, probably be different company.
[00:18:41] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah. Yeah. I think that you're right. It's not like we're looking for opportunities to, you know, purposely shove our face into the, to the, to the curb. But the, the fortitude or the resolve that I just heard you say, you said, you're gonna have to kill me before this company doesn't become
[00:19:00] Track 1: Yeah.
[00:19:01] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: That level of, you know, like, you know, it's resolution really. It's, it's a commitment. It's decision. It's, it's, it is not, it will be. It
[00:19:09] Track 1: All right. And it comes from earning something.
[00:19:12] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: yes. How, how does the listener, who maybe doesn't quite feel this way yet, but they've had some failures and they're like, well, I didn't, I didn't feel that coming out on the other side.
[00:19:23] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: What, what can you offer to 'em?
[00:19:25] Track 1: You know, I, I don't, it's, uh, we all have our own separate journey, you know, I think, um, it took me a while to. Feel like to become, uh, to like really know who I am to be, to develop the confidence in what I was gonna do, you know, it's, uh, we all arrive at different points, you know, I think so much of it is like understanding who you are, understanding what drives you, and, and just looking out at what opportunity is and then not being afraid to go for it.
[00:19:58] Track 1: You know, that's, that's the biggest thing. Like, and it's hard, right? Because I was in a very comfortable place. Uh, I could have gone a different direction, but, you know, it just, it had I been 10 years younger, maybe I didn't, I wouldn't have, but there comes a point in everybody's career where it's like, Hey, stop talking and act and, and it's okay to go for it, you know?
[00:20:20] Track 1: It's okay to act. Yeah.
[00:20:22] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah, I, I think that action is spot on. I think that you're right in giving them those, those words. I want to, I wanna hit one more piece here on this. Quote unquote failure of yours because you kind of painted this picture , you had played ball, you had done well clearly. Really the only thing that had kept you from even winning at the highest level was, uh, was an injury probably in your mind.
[00:20:42] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Something that you couldn't even
[00:20:43] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: control. Uh, you start selling clearly. You're selling well and you're making good money. 'cause you said that, you know, you could have just kept going and it would've been pretty comfortable all up until boom. You smash your face for two and a half years. In the scenario that you just described to us.
[00:20:59] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: And so I guess zooming out the, the fortitude or the resolve or the persistence that you can now look back on and say that you had, what were the components that you were, that you had beforehand when it was easy that you were still building inside of yourself? Obviously it was, you know, athletics and, and selling all those things mindset wise, but what were those things that maybe the listener can take away?
[00:21:23] Track 1: Uh, you know, one of the, one of the things I look back is I cared too much about what people thought. And I think that's a characteristic that you, that's important. If you're gonna build something successful, you gotta let go of that, which I did. Um, you know, seeking validation and because like I said, you, you do enough research on people, you know, even with these really successful companies, you think it comes easy and it doesn't for anybody.
[00:21:48] Track 1: And one of the things that's important to understand, uh, is that, uh, you have to go against the grain if you want to build something special. Yep. And so therefore you can't listen or care about what other people say. And that was hard for me to get over. Uh, 'cause you know, starting the company, you want other people to recognize the idea and you want other people to tell you it's a great idea and it's, yeah.
[00:22:15] Track 1: Bravo, right? And then. When nothing's happening for two, two years, you, you, I came to the realization it doesn't matter what people say. And we had plenty of people, and I'm sure you've dealt with this too. There is a certain segment of people who tell you it's a great idea, but they don't buy from me. And so like, where, where is that getting you?
[00:22:35] Track 1: And so it came to the, to the realization of it doesn't matter. Like you, you just gotta make it happen and, you know, go against the grain, feel comfortable with confrontation, which, growing, growing up in Philadelphia, I was very comfortable with confrontation. So that wasn't a problem. But, uh, it was hard for me to, to get past that.
[00:22:58] Track 1: Like, Hey, you can't be caught up in what other people say
[00:23:01] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah, let's, let's press on this a little bit because I, I think it could even be one of the, uh, uh, the good decisions that you've made that I also think I've made is you have to start eliminating that voice, whether it's our own voice or the voice of others where it's like, we, we can't really care about that.
[00:23:17] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: But to your point, it's a whole lot harder done than said. Especially when you have some accolades where they're like, I mean, I can think of, even for myself, I have, I have buddies that have great
[00:23:30] Track 1: Mm-Hmm
[00:23:31] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: that love what I'm doing with gathering the Kings and the Peer
[00:23:33] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Mastermind and tell me, this is great.
[00:23:36] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: I love it, but aren't members.
[00:23:40] Track 1: Right.
[00:23:40] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: It's like, and it's probably better that way because, you know, I, I want a friendship and not necessarily, uh, you know, whether those, the old adage clients become friends before friends become clients, you know?
[00:24:40] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: .
[00:24:40] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: But it's like, okay, I, I, before this, I sold sales training and before that I had, you know, I, I've still got franchises and it's like, I, I can't tell you how many times with, with my franchise Edible Arrangements, it's Christmas time and we're doing huge orders for big old companies.
[00:24:53] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: And the people that I know that have companies that do Christmas gifts for their people, I. Don't order edible arrangements, and you're like, wait a second. I feel like I'm on an island here. Talk to this for just a half second here. As far as like maybe how you came over it, what the listener can do to kind of like press up against this voice that you're just like, am I doing the right thing?
[00:25:09] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: It's, it's in essence what they're saying,
[00:25:11] Track 1: Yeah, I think it comes back to instincts like, are you doing the right thing or not? Do you believe in what you're doing? Um, yeah, because if you don't believe it. You know, how else is it gonna happen? So you have to be committed and you have to com. Like I, I always, I'm amazed at, uh, people who start companies where they don't really, like, they have one experience with something that they don't like at, and they're like, you know what, I'm gonna change this like.
[00:25:38] Track 1: I'm, I'm amazed at it like there is no, there is no one path for everyone. Like I said, you know, for me, I just lived in this industry for so long and I saw the problem for 18 years, you know, that was my, my journey. But you have to believe, you have to, you know, a lot of people talk to you about how, you know, you have to, even when there are days when you don't believe you have to.
[00:26:03] Track 1: You know, and that's, it's such a critical thing, like you ha 'cause otherwise it's really easy to quit. I listen to a bunch of different podcasts, you know, every company has like three or four near-death experiences. It's just comes along with the territory and it's just how you respond, how you respond, matters so much more than anything else.
[00:26:23] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah. Then the actual circumstances, you're a hundred percent right. Okay, so I'm in this moment, I'm really struggling with my belief. I'm even possibly considering
[00:26:31] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: quitting. What do I do?
[00:26:33] Track 1: You double down. You don't quit. You analyze like, you know, what's our move? You always have a move. Uh, we reach that point a few times, uh, and we figured out a move. You know, I listened to a really smart, um. Venture capitalist. Her name's Sarah tl with Benchmark. They are like top five VCs in Silicon Valley.
[00:26:57] Track 1: Uh, and I was listening to her talk about how, you know, things come up in your business. You think it's existential, it's not, you know, it just forces you to, to come up with a solution. And when you do that, it always makes you stronger. Always. And you know, we've had a couple of those instances, especially over money, early on, and we figured out a, a temporary solution and it helped, you know, make us more, you know, resolute for other things that came down
[00:27:24] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah, it makes me think of a podcast that Alex Ramzi was on in the last couple, two, three months, and he was talking about if I had to, you know, create a circumstance that was gonna build the man that I wanted to become, I identify who I wanna become and I'm gonna build that man. Would I give him easy circumstances?
[00:27:40] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Would I give him a business that wins automatically? Would I. You know, like, would we want that for our children at, to your point about the football earlier, it's like, no, actually I'd probably put him in circumstances that challenged his resolve, that created a si situation where it made him want it even more and allowed him to press through, um, to maybe not win it on his first time because it should make you want it even more the second.
[00:28:05] Track 1: That's right.
[00:28:07] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: yeah. Any comments on, on that type of mindset?
[00:28:09] Track 1: No, I mean, what, what's the quote? I'll, I'll, I'll butcher it, but it's like hard times. Make. Weaker soft men. You know, soft men make hard times like it's so true.
[00:28:21] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: yeah, yeah, yeah. And, and so on that, uh, kind of like that, that. Mindset of that eventually. I mean, and I think the stats say eventually wealth is lost in the third generation. Let's talk about that for a second. 'cause you've got, you've got kids. I've got kids. Um, clearly we're not trying to just give our kids the silver spoon.
[00:28:38] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: I think we can both agree on that. But the other end of the spectrum, what I have found is that if you don't give them anything, then they're just blazing literally the same trail that you just blazed. And that to me is just the dumbest thing ever. How is there a middle? How do you find the middle? I.
[00:28:56] Track 1: Yeah, I, I don't know. It's a lot of trial and error. 'cause kids are all different, right? Their personalities are different. Uh. Yep. It that is the parenting is so, so damn difficult. I, I find business to be really easy compared to parenting.
[00:29:11] Track 1: You know, um, you're right because you, you don't want it to be easy and you have to like lay back and let them fail, but you don't want 'em to fail.
[00:29:21] Track 1: You don't want to fail too bad. Uh, like I have, uh, my oldest, uh, son and then I have two daughters, you know, completely different personalities. I think my son's more sensitive. Um, and so he, he struggles with confidence. You know, my, my youngest daughter is a total boss, so I don't have to worry about her failing 'cause she'll probably just like talk a teacher into doing something.
[00:29:46] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yes, exactly.
[00:29:47] Track 1: yeah, it, it's, it's really difficult. Uh, and you know, it's, you just gotta find your way through it. You have to be able to change your tactic, you know, you have to be able to. Um, you know, I think back to sports. I, I'll, I'll share a, a story about probably the best coach I ever had. He coaches, um, uh, he was my high school basketball coach.
[00:30:08] Track 1: He coaches at University of Richmond now,, we were really good in high school. We won like the district in Philadelphia, which is a big deal when I was a junior. So going into my senior year, uh, we had very high expectations. We come out, we lose our first two games. It was just. Like kind of devastating.
[00:30:25] Track 1: And we always, we had Sunday morning practice at like 6:00 AM and everyone was dreading that Sunday morning practice like, we're gonna die. And he comes in and he had a football and he is like, we're gonna pick teams and we're gonna play football. And you're just like, okay. And then I think we won like 15 in a row after that or something.
[00:30:46] Track 1: But you know, it's the ability to be present and the ability to kind of read the room. You know, and I think that's important with like kids and also with business too, right? Like understanding where they are in that moment. Like, it doesn't do you any good if the, if you're, my son is kind of struggling with confidence, he's kind of beaten down to hammer 'em.
[00:31:09] Track 1: Uh, how, how could you, you know, how could you get a D on that test or whatever it is. It's like, well, he doesn't wanna get a D, but, you know, knowing when to support. Knowing when to push. You know, it's hard, you know, you don't really know. 'cause you know, we haven't, you know, at least with business, you know, we can pull, uh, we can reference like, you know, five years ago we encountered this problem, blah, blah, blah.
[00:31:31] Track 1: With parenting, there is no real guide. Like, I can't, you know, my son's only 13 once, right? You know, my daughter's only, you know, 11. So you just kind of have to feel it out and try to do the best you can and hope that it works out.
[00:31:45] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah. I mean I think that that's leadership in general. We're trying to do the best we can, but inside of that, I heard you say a few minutes ago that we're always trying to get better, and I even in those phrases that you just gave to us, I hear, I hear you trying to get better as a dad, but also as a leader.
[00:31:59] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: How are you showing, and again, I love this kind of back and forth that we're playing in family and business, but how are you showing up as a person that's like always getting better, but then how does that look or how are you trying to portray that to employees or your partners, strategic partners, VCs, whatever it is, and, and also your family.
[00:32:18] Track 1: Yeah, I think it's, um, the first important piece is being genuine and being a real person. Like, uh, not shying away from, you know, like making mistakes. Uh, I think that is the, probably the most important. Because in order to get better, you have to acknowledge that you didn't do a good job, you know that you failed.
[00:32:40] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: yet.
[00:32:41] Track 1: And, um, and so I, I experienced that in my career. Um, we made a, uh, the company I used to work for made a major management, management change with the president. And then I inherited the role and I had to oversee a couple. I had to oversee service. I'd never worked within service and. You know, very early on I met with all of the leaders of our service department and I told 'em, I don't know service.
[00:33:08] Track 1: You know it better than me, so I'm gonna lean on you to, to help, um, take ownership in what we need to change. And I think some people look at that as weakness. Uh, which is a major mistake. Uh, and I could just see, you know, the air in the room, like, oh, okay, now my opinion is being valued. And it helped, it helped me learn about what needed to be fixed, but also helped me lead.
[00:33:33] Track 1: And so I think, um, you know, not pretending that you have all the answers in every aspect is really important. Leaning, you know, portraying that to your kids I think is important. Like, hey. You know, 'cause I think all kids get to a certain point where they're like, they come to the realization like their parents are just normal people too.
[00:33:51] Track 1: Like, they don't have all the answers, so you might as well, uh, let them in on that a little earlier. Uh, because I think it just, it just changes the dynamic and allows you, um, to improve. And, you know, later on in life I'm more open to trying new things and failing than I was when I was younger.
[00:34:12] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Why do you think that is?
[00:34:15] Track 1: It's coming. I, I think it was just more of like that self-realization of I don't have to be the best at everything. Um, and, but if I do want to be great, I've gotta like go back to a beginner's mindset and, and try new things and then work on my weaknesses. 'cause then ul ultimately that makes you better and stronger.
[00:34:39] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah, I have this phrase that I use inside of, uh, gathering the kings called, it's the phrase is grateful but not done. And, and I can give a little bit of perspective there, but this is the first time that you've heard that. What are your thoughts when you hear grateful but not done?
[00:34:53] Track 1: Yeah. I, I love it. I connect with it because you, I always feel like I'm never done, you know, there's always more, right? Like, um, you know, I listen to, uh, do you listen to David Goggins at all?
[00:35:06] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Oh, yeah,
[00:35:08] Track 1: You know that that guy, you know, always just seeking a little bit more, a little bit more, a little bit more. Yeah. So grateful for where you are, but yeah.
[00:35:17] Track 1: Not done. I love that. I, that, that resonates with me a lot.
[00:35:20] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: yeah. The, uh, the Goggins, um, topic, really we'll just call it a topic because that's, that's really what it is. Um, we were. We were just in, um, St. George, Utah and hiking in Zion National Park and, uh, some incredible, yeah, just beautiful. And one of the guys in the pier to group, he just ran a 50 k, um, ultra, and the trip was before this.
[00:35:46] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: And so he was preparing, getting up early every morning and running and all this fun stuff. So we're up hiking and he's like, you know, Goggins has probably already been over here. Goggins is, you know. Yeah. Which. I loved every second of it because there's that one, I don't even know if maybe it's Joe Rogan, but he is like, you know, we, we landed on, oh, actually it's Elon.
[00:36:04] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: We landed on the moon and or on Mars rather. . And, and Goggins already been there. He's run all over the place, you
[00:36:09] Track 1: I did hear that. I love that. That's right.
[00:36:12] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: It, I think it just puts it into perspective. Obviously he's a huge excuse remover. This mindset of that, there's always another level.
[00:36:20] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: For me, it's like, well, if I'm literally admitting to the fact that I want to go to another level, it means I'm not there yet.
[00:36:28] Track 1: Right.
[00:36:29] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Isn't that in itself a level of humility to know that like I haven't arrived, even though I might know what I know and be confident with what I know and be confident with the success that I have? There's another level, right? There's always
[00:36:42] Track 1: Yeah,
[00:36:42] Track 1: always. Yeah. And you know, I try to like learn from everyone that I interact with, you know, junior people, you know, it doesn't always have to be like a mentor type, uh, individual. Like there's, people have unique perspectives and that's something that you can always try to find something that you can pick up from somebody else.
[00:37:01] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah, exactly. Uh, I'm gonna use this opportunity to transition to, uh, a topic that's very, uh, close to me, but I can tell that it's probably gonna be, uh, um, top of the tongue for you as well. I like the word obsession. I. I like going all in on my business, but I'm also a fan of going all in on my kids. We've already talked about that, my marriage and my health and my faith and you know, all the other areas of life.
[00:37:25] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Tell me how you are going all in. You're in the first couple, you know, years really still of entrepreneurship and you're obviously obsessed. You've already clearly, um, articulated that, but how are you also obsessed in all the other areas kind of at the same time?
[00:37:40] Track 1: It's very difficult. Uh, you know, if you had my wife on, she probably would tell you that I'm not, I'm obsessed in other areas.
[00:37:48] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: that's
[00:37:49] Track 1: Yeah. Um, it's really, really difficult, um, to be present and to have all of the, to be obsessed in all the different areas. Because my mind is always, you know, thinking of like the next move in business, uh, it's something I struggle with frankly, um, because I don't, I don't know how you can be balanced, especially early, you know, maybe a few years from now it'll be easier, uh, when we have this thing on a, you know, more of a rhythm and, you know, I feel like we're not grinding every day, but
[00:38:25] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Mm-Hmm.
[00:38:26] Track 1: it, you just try to be, um.
[00:38:29] Track 1: Devoted and present in that moment, uh, which is very difficult for me.
[00:38:36] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah. Yeah. I think as just high performers, we're naturally gonna be thinking ahead anyway. And so it's tough to be present. And then on top of that, you're right, business, life, marriage, faith, I mean, all those things have seasons. And so, um, yeah, it's really tough to build a, a really successful business without being completely like.
[00:38:54] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: You know, double down as you said earlier, and you're really like in that midst of it now. I mean, even though you guys are doing well, you're in a double down season. I appreciate the honesty there because I think that that actually will free a lot of the, the audience because I, I can remember those moments for me even.
[00:39:09] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Um, and a lot of that time it was just conversation with my wife around. I am working this, and then I'm coming here and then I'm gonna go back to work here and, and try to give some sort of a light at the end of the tunnel, but knowing how she can support me or how she can, you know, work with, you know, work within the, the, the goal really. 'cause it's not just
[00:39:28] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: you and Yes, you're the only one at work. Right.
[00:39:31] Track 1: what what seems to help recently is being open about what, what I'm doing it for. You know, like we've had this discussion recently in our household where I'm like, look, I'm doing this for us, you know, for, for the kids, for you. Like, I'm not doing this for. Personal, uh, glory or, or wealth or, you know, I'm doing this for us and.
[00:39:53] Track 1: You know, that I think has helped a little bit take the pressure off. 'cause like, look, everyone who started a business, I'm sure you're no different. You know, there, there is. Do you have some of those hard conversations at home where it's like, Hey, you're not present. You're more focused on this and this and this.
[00:40:10] Track 1: And we all have those discussions And so I, I don't know, it's just part of the deal. You just have to accept it and, and try to, you know, figure out, uh, what works best for everybody.
[00:40:21] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah, uh, you're spot on. You're gonna continue to grow in that area because I already know that you have a belief that there's another level, there's another level to go to in marriage with your wife and, and in family with your kids. Um, same thing for all the other areas. And so it's like, you know, they may not all be on a level 10 all at the same time, but there's always another level.
[00:40:40] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: And so I'm always constantly pushing. I gotta push this one up and then I push this one up and I push this one up. And, uh, sometimes that just looks different, you know, at different times. Communication being one of those, uh, very key components. I mean, come on. When has communication not been the component in leadership in business basketball?
[00:40:57] Track 1: Absolutely a hundred percent in everything
[00:41:00] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: and literally everything. All right. Well, let's talk about, um. Let's talk about the, the team building aspect of your business. Your, you've got kind of several components. I wanna know your, yeah. I wanna know your, your idea on team building within your business, but then how does that team then connect the other pieces?
[00:41:20] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: 'cause you're playing matchmaker again. So a lot of people, a lot of communication, a lot of team building
[00:41:23] Track 1: Love team building. You know, this has been one of my most, uh, the most my favorite parts. What I, the company I used to work for 300 employees. It was really frustrating because we didn't choose them. You know, I was a part of an organization, you're just gonna have X percentage of people who are gonna have a certain mindset.
[00:41:44] Track 1: This is always how we're we do things and blah, blah, blah. And you, I felt like I couldn't. Change or impact the overall organization beyond a certain point. The most fun part about starting a a company from scratch is that you get to choose everyone you work with and it's, you set the imprint. I have loved this part.
[00:42:05] Track 1: The number one thing for me is passion. Um, it's not experience. It's, especially with a, a startup company, you have to find people who share the passion and the problem that you're solving. 'cause you know it's gonna be hard. It's funny, like we brought in a couple salespeople. So we raised, uh, Silicon Valley Venture Capital was a huge deal for us.
[00:42:27] Track 1: Uh, and it was in August, it closed. And so we were able to start hiring salespeople and. You know, we, I wanted salespeople who were in the industry who knew the pain of the problem. So we found a few, and I remember, uh, early on in the recruiting process, they, they're like, oh, this is gonna be easy to sell.
[00:42:45] Track 1: I love this, which is great. You know what you want, but you know, myself and our head of sales, we told 'em like, look, I, we appreciate that, but it's gonna be a lot harder than what you think. 'cause we're changing people's habits and behavior and. I just, we hired a, we hired them and, 'cause we knew that they were so passionate about what we were doing, and it helped because they didn't hit it out of the park the first 90 days.
[00:43:09] Track 1: But we, we knew from the passion that, you know, they just, they were gonna stick with it. And it didn't matter how many noss they got, they knew the value that we are providing. So passion is number one. And
[00:43:21] Track 1: just, uh, being able to bring like-minded people in, uh. That you see, uh, they know that they're changing an industry and it's just, it's fantastic.
[00:43:34] Track 1: It br it brings so much energy. We're building the culture. Whereas like you, when you're in an existing organization, the culture's kind of set and it's really, really difficult to change a culture, you know, once it's kind of deep rooted. So like those parts have been really a lot of fun.
[00:43:50] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah. It, it, the, um, example that you gave a few minutes ago of stacking the little kids' football team, in essence, that's what you get to do in business now,
[00:43:59] Track 1: Yeah,
[00:44:00] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: but for the right reasons
[00:44:01] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: and, uh, not for, yeah, exactly. Okay. What, just real quick here, just tactical follow up on this. Is, is there a particular, uh, obviously you said relationships, you're, you, you're kind of reaching back into your previous relationships.
[00:44:13] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Any, anything else that you're doing, whether it be recruiting, hiring, culture, building that you can just give as a couple of nuggets here for the listener.
[00:44:19] Track 1: Yeah. You know, culture building is really important to me. Uh, it's, it's important to set, you know, to lead by example, right? Like, you know, I try to make sure that, you know, I don't ask anyone else on the team to do something that I'm not willing to do myself. I think that's very important. You know, uh, I wanna set the direction, but I also wanna still get my hands dirty in every aspect.
[00:44:44] Track 1: Like, I think, um, you know, I've been a part of organizations before that are very top down and it's cancerous and, um, and I. You know, people, they respond best when they know that you give a shit about them performing at their top level. And I think that's what breeds really successful culture is, you know, our salespeople know that, you know, I want them to do well and that I will do anything that I possibly can to help them.
[00:45:14] Track 1: You know, and you know, at all different levels of the organization, you have to, you want, everybody want to feel responsible in the success of the organization. And so that's really, culture building is so important and, uh, something that I pay very close attention to. And, uh, you know, it's a daily, you know, kind of for me.
[00:45:34] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah, it makes me think of, um, there's a certain, uh, there's several points, but there's a certain point in, um, the last dance, um, and Michael's like, look, man. I was gonna, I'm, this is the way I played.
[00:45:47] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Okay. And I not only wanted to win, but I wanted them to win. I wanted us to experience championships. Um, and if you didn't wanna play like that, that's fine, but like when you're gonna be around me, that's how we're freaking playing.
[00:46:01] Track 1: and I, I remember that exact quote. I was a huge Jordan fan. Huge Bulls fan. And dude, there's nothing better than experiencing success in winning with a group of people. You know, I think it is better 'cause you have someone to share it with. You know, sometimes when you, you reach individual success, like, that's great, that's what you want.
[00:46:22] Track 1: But you look around and. You, it, it was just you. And so like, I still, you know, some of my best friends were my college teammates and we still get together and talk about, do you rem you know, when we achieve team success, it's just, uh, it's an incredible feeling. And that's, I think the best companies build that type of, um, organization where everyone contributes.
[00:46:45] Track 1: Everyone feels a part of it.
[00:46:47] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah. Yeah. It's powerful when the, when the group can get there, but we're also made for the group. We're, we're like, that's how we're designed is to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Um. There's always that one agitator like Jordan or like you in your organization who agitates not only the thoughts of the team, but is like literally raising the standard, raising the culture, raising the energy of the room.
[00:47:11] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Everybody knows when they
[00:47:12] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: walk in.
[00:47:13] Track 1: Yeah, definitely. And you know. We always, and I think we all have that example personally when we're younger. Like, you have to be pushed, you know, it's just human nature to seek comfort. It's human nature to like, you know what I did enough. And, but we all have those situations where someone was like, no, you've gotta keep pushing a little bit more, like I said, a little bit more.
[00:47:36] Track 1: And then you're kind of. You see? Exactly. Oh, okay. Well, when I do give a little bit more, this is what happens. And you need people like that in your organization. Who won't accept it and who? Who get the best out of you.
[00:47:50] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah. Yeah. All right. Last question here for you. Um, Alex, I gotta know that if we. Rewound the clock. You get to pick the age. 'cause I know you got some, uh, different, uh, segments of life that I'm sure you could probably pull from here. But rewind the clock. You get to tap on the younger Alex, uh, tap on a shoulder and you whisper in his ear. What do you say?
[00:48:10] Track 1: Ooh, what do I say? Um,
[00:48:14] Track 1: I don't know. Things will happen the way that they're supposed to. Like I, I think when I was younger, I was in a rush. You know, I wanted things to happen. Uh, I think. You know, it's common for you to measure yourself against other people, which is not healthy. Uh, and I just, I don't know. I've always been a person that had to learn, uh, through my experience, learn the hard way.
[00:48:39] Track 1: Like, I could read all this stuff and I could, you know, seek advice from all successful people, but I probably wasn't gonna follow it. I had to, I had to take the lumps myself. Uh, but that it will. It'll happen according on the timeline that it's supposed to. Um, and so, like I said, without certain scars, I wouldn't be in a position to take advantage of certain things today.
[00:49:03] Track 1: So as much as I would like to have played in the NBA, uh, it probably, you know, just didn't happen. And this is a great, uh, opportunity here that had I not had scars, I probably wouldn't be able to take full advantage of it.
[00:49:18] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: Yeah. Yeah. There's, um, a grateful perspective there, but, uh, a not done attitude for sure. Um, okay. How can, how can we find you, number one, if we're an entrepreneur and we just wanna connect with you, or maybe we need your service, maybe we're, uh, either buying or needing equipment repaired, or maybe we're the repair guy
[00:49:37] Track 1: I'm active on the social media channels like LinkedIn. Uh, my, my individual account, I'm very active. Uh, active on Facebook. Um, you know, my email alex@heathapp.com. I'm very active there. I I answer pretty much anyone who reaches out to me that's not trying to sell me something.
[00:49:55] Track 1: But, uh, yeah, I'm, I'm out there, you know, trying to, to, you know, build the brand and, uh, be the front face of the company so, you know, open to any and all reach out.
[00:50:08] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: yeah, I appreciate that. We'll put all that in the show notes as well for them to be able to connect with you. I hope that they do, 'cause obviously you're a top level guy. Just really appreciate you being here and taking your time away from your team, um, but to speak so highly of what you're doing and even just the pivots that you've made and the success that you're seeing.
[00:50:24] chaz-wolfe_1_12-18-2023_101034: I just, uh, I love the authenticity that you brought here today. So thank you for that, Alex, blessings to you and all that you're doing to your family and in your business, all the, uh, impact that you're making in an
[00:50:34] Track 1: Yeah. Thanks Chad. I appreciate the opportunity to come on and tell our story, uh, to your audience. It's been awesome.

Join Chaz Wolfe in this insightful episode of Gathering The Kings Podcast, featuring Alex Kraft, the dynamic Founder & CEO of Heave. Dive into a captivating discussion about the heavy equipment industry's unique challenges, innovative solutions, and the entrepreneurial spirit that drives success. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, team building, and solving industry-specific problems.

Alex Kraft:

Website : https://www.heave.co/

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/heaveapp

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/heaveapp/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-kraft-531408146/

Website: https://heaveapp.medium.com/

Email: alex@heaveapp.com

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