Take the Elevator
This podcast is purely about elevating people through individual life stories and experiences in the Elevator. In the Elevator, what's key is maybe changing your perspective; having self-actualization; embracing your purpose; and acting on it as we grow from one another. There is a whole different point of view when you look up to elevate.
Take the Elevator
Sustaining Hope in Healthy Partnerships
What happens when hope and creativity are your guiding lights during tough times? Join us, GentheBuilder and Kory, as we recount our personal stories of how the spark of creativity and unyielding hope kept our dreams alive. We celebrate the imminent release of "Oswald the Wise Old Owl," a tribute to all visionaries and dreamers, underscoring the transformative power of literature, poetry, and illustrations in connecting us with the shared human experience.
Ever wonder how childhood experiences shape your creative spirit? Kory opens up about overcoming bullying, and together, we discuss the profound effect these moments have had on our work. We stress the importance of safe spaces for children and explore how love languages often reflect what was missing in our early years. Our book series comes to life through organic storytelling and constructive feedback, which we believe will leave a lasting impact on our readers.
What's the secret to a successful partnership in chasing dreams? We share insights from our journey, highlighting the magic of communication, shared values, and adaptability. Taking you behind the scenes of our collaborative process, we reveal the significance of calculated risks and embracing opportunities as they come. Plus, we dive into the symbolism of our writing, revealing the mystical significance of the number eight and the character Oswald, reminding us all that wisdom can appear when we least expect it. Don't miss this inspiring episode of Take the Elevator!
Every day. Elevate Every day, elevate Every day. Hey, it's Jen the Builder and Corey, and we're alive and well. In here today, yes we are. And here today, yes we are. I have been missing and dying and wanting and desiring to be back on. Take the Elevator, and I am just not going to push off for another date and time to do the things that we're so used to doing. At the same time, it throws us off it throws me off.
Speaker 2:At least it does me off, at least it does me too. I have to agree with you on that and excited to be here, Jen, Things are happening, Things are moving and I know we typically use that language. You know moving the needle and making things happen, and it's not a lie or a myth. It's just that when things are moving and happening, we like to state them.
Speaker 1:Right, right and well, yeah, and it's the beginning of August. So I was thinking, Corey, you know how do we make this episode to where it's not just so much about the fuzzy furry forest, which is a powerful concept in itself, and about the books, because it very much is going to be about that, because it needs to be but how does this relate to other people and what they might be going through in life? Right, Because that's what we're about is. We've always been about other people and that's what I love about the book series because it's about the reader. Who's going to get to jump into big announcement here Oswald the Wise Old Owl, which is released August 8th?
Speaker 2:Yeah, 8-8-24. It will be here and nothing can be changed about it. It's like in the books.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So I wanted to go here and touch on this. I'm looking right at the dedication page and here's what it says. So if you're wondering if this is a book that you should buy for your kids or even for yourselves, family, friends, here's the dedication. Says this book is dedicated to the visionaries and the dreamers. Never stop seeing, never stop dreaming, take time to enjoy the special moments and, above all, trust your creative instincts.
Speaker 2:Hmm.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. So I kind of want to do an episode on that piece, sure, and especially this word. So the word hope has been coming up for me a lot lately within my team. Just the work that we're doing, the work that Genco is doing, a lot of it is based on the hope of something. Corey, how does that word speak to you?
Speaker 2:Oh, it speaks volumes, let me. Let me tell you something, and we've we've delved into this just a little bit in the past, but I think it's key to always remember where things come from. You know, years ago, jen and I was, uh, living in a very small apartment with five people, and those five people we all were related to. Of course, they were our children. And I'm not using this as a sad story. I'm using this as a hopeful story, as a growing story, as a encouraging story, because, basically, jen and I began to dream, hope and wish for things then that we wanted to come true and that we wanted to develop and happen in our lives.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry, I don't want to use, I want to use specific words, but I don't want to bridle what I'm trying, the point I'm trying to make, by picking certain words. So I'm just going to speak freely and hope that it translates properly. So Jen and I had decided that, you know, eventually we would love to have our own company and our own business, and that just did not seem like it was something that was obtainable at the at the very moment. Um, we had been laid off from the aerospace industry and we were struggling to make ends meet, but we still had hopes, dreams and desires, and so that's where the birth of hope comes from Just having something you you desire, something you want to try to achieve. So that word speaks volumes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think, with hope, it means you acknowledge the space that you're in and you know that this isn't the forever space. So I remember, corey, when we were living in the apartment and because everything was based on budget, the lack of money, we found really creative ways to do things, to continue to hope, and also that we're free. So we would look at model homes. We would pretend if we had this space, this is what we'd use it for. If we had this space, it would be a theater, oh, this would be your office, right, and things like that. And sometimes we brought the kids, sometimes the kids were doing their thing with youth group or school or whatever. And that's what the book represents to me is the hope to use your creativity to get a message out to people and truly to be your true self, right. So I've always been fascinated and have been an avid reader. I love books, I love poetry, I love illustrations, right? Why?
Speaker 2:jen tell us why, please why?
Speaker 1:yeah, why, do I like books? Yeah, well, I think it's plugging into other people's experiences and their wisdom and their insights and their stories. That makes me feel connected to someone I've never met. I mean, this is their work on paper. It meant something, so much so that they decided to write on it, share it, take the risk for a stranger to read their work and criticize it, praise it, you know.
Speaker 2:Man, you went real deep and now I'm scared Because now you're the.
Speaker 1:Author.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I asked for it though.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and so I always think what was this person thinking when they did this and what were they hoping for in doing this right? So I consider it a gift, whether the writing style is for me or not. For me, that's preference. Yeah, it doesn't make it a bad book or something. It's just not relevant to me and that's okay, because guess what, everyone? It's going to be relevant to someone, yeah, and it's just a matter of the right person getting what they need from it oh, jen.
Speaker 2:So I'm so glad you said that I'm gonna jump in here real quick because, um, I watch a lot of motivational things as far as book writing and why write books and who you're writing books for, and so a lot of motivational things as far as book writing and why write books and who you're writing books for, and so a lot of times people stop themselves from doing this act of writing a book because they say, oh, who wants to read my book? And why would I write a book and try to market and sell it? Because I'm not that interesting. I don't have that much to say. I'm not that interesting. I don't have that much to say.
Speaker 2:The thing that is known in the marketing world is that your book or your piece of work is going to be in someone's niche or wheelhouse that wants to get a hold to it and read it. And this guy gave the most absurd description. He said the most absurd description. He said you could be writing about dinosaurs floating in space and doing scientific experiments on how Mars got its rings. Someone's going to be interested in that and want to read it and then talk about it. So you know, never count out your hope or your dream.
Speaker 1:Right, and it's like the podcast world. Over a million podcasts are out there, yeah, and one could say why would you get into something that's so heavy with everyone else? That's what life's about. It's a collective, and when you can be a part of something so big and just be a small piece of it and know that you're going to touch at least one person, or even okay, here's the thing too. I read this thing and gory, it was so sad but so true. In 100 years from now, everyone listening to this will more than likely not be on this earth. Right, right. So it we're 2024. This would be in the year 2124.
Speaker 1:You and I will not be here, no, and so the things that you leave behind and they say that you know after a generation or even two people don't know about you they forget about you, but when you have written pieces like the fuzzy furry forest book series, they take the elevator podcast that can be discovered at some point when you are google bullable and you know that's not what this. So what I want to make sure to say here is that your story is so amazing and so needed that it needs to resound, and that's the thing. Like, a hundred years from now, what's going to matter? The meeting that I was just in, seriously, or the outline I just created?
Speaker 1:Now, my hope is is that the outlines and the curriculum and the content that I do create for leadership and teams does continue, and that's how. That's what's in my mind. How is this being recorded? How is this possibly going to be forwarded? And is it true to who I am? Is it something that, a hundred years from now, if I were able to say, yeah, I'm still here, that that would be the person that's true to form, who I was then, who I am today, you know that kind of way I know exactly what you're saying, and I tell people that all the time, because I'm a big proponent of legacy.
Speaker 2:I believe that you should leave some form of a legacy to be remembered by, to be thought of, to make an influence yeah, some shape or form. You should be able to leave something to your family and to people that knew you and people that didn't know you yeah, and so when I see words on paper.
Speaker 1:Going back to the book, question yes, and I see that, man, this is a book created, written by my partner, my husband and I know your life story and I know the stories about what you're like as a kid and a lot of people don't know this and we will unpack this one day that you were bullied in major ways, in multiple ways, and that had an impact on you very traumatic, and so I think it's funny if anyone were to say man, corey and Jen sure do a lot of playful, childish things. Here's what I'm going to say to this is that when you haven't had a chance to really play or be child or children, I think that really comes out in life and it's very healthy to be that way. In fact, where I was just reading this thing and I don't know if I was reading it, that's a lie.
Speaker 1:Actually it was a real, and so you know we get these bite-sized pieces of information right that speak to us, but I have not done any research on this, so don't hold me to this, guys. Okay, but they say that your language of love or appreciation is because that's what you went without as a kid so I could see how that yeah?
Speaker 2:yeah, I was like wow, I don't know how factual that is, but I could see how that could play a big role in in you become.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So an example here is as a kid, if your parents or if you were in a single parent home, whatever that's like for you didn't have a lot of time with you into adulthood, your love language is quality time, yeah.
Speaker 2:Right, good quality time. Isn't that something? It is. And I'll say a little bit about what you mentioned, as far as you know, being bullied, and then, um, what we write and what I write, what I, you know, think about and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2:And it's not so much that I don't want to be an adult, it's not so much that I'm trying to relive a second childhood although I wouldn't mind reliving a second childhood but it's not about those things. What it boils down to is that you typically write or think about safe spaces. That's in adulthood or in childhood, and when you learn that you can give a message to people being children or adults, it's important to get that message out. And if you can get a message out to children that are positive and pull them away from the horrible examples that I was given as a child as far as bullying and we know that there's other forms of abuse If you can pull them away from that stuff, how much better is it to do that than to just focus on all the adult things that's going on in life?
Speaker 1:and that's what all I'm going to do Right, and I'm glad you pointed that out, because even though this is playful and okay, so yeah, I have a bias. It's a book series written by you and I'm also let's be honest, corey, with the way I love people. I can be super critical, brutally people, I can be super critical.
Speaker 2:Brutally.
Speaker 1:Right. So because I care about you so much, I want to challenge, champion the work that you're doing. Especially when you invite me in that space, you say hey, jen, can you look at this, tell me what you think? Are you really sure you want my feedback? Like, are you feeling constructive criticism or do you just want me to share what I loved about it? That's really important for me to know what space you need to be in for feedback.
Speaker 1:I've learned that the hard way, but there are some really strong pieces in here, and if you were to take the whole series and I've had the privilege of reading the three books so far and, by the way, we're only releasing the second book august 8th the themes, the commonalities, the connections, what each character, what each part of this series symbolizes and stands for and represents, is huge, and I know I can't talk about it right now, but I really hope that even my, our friends that are buying these books will go back and read it again and then read it in the series.
Speaker 1:So first one, second, one, third, one, as they come out, just kind of take them all in. There is powerful messaging in here, and so here's the thing when we wrote, when you wrote these books and I got to participate in it a bit not everything was as strategic as it's appearing to be. You know, that kind of way Like we didn't know that. Ooh, this is what this is going to represent, because the books have just kind of taken a life of its own, and I think that's the hope is like here's the little bit of gifts that I have, here's the talent that has been given to me by the creator, and now I want to give it back to the world, put it back into the universe, and it's trusting that journey that I that just has me so excited, because you mean to do good, and then what comes of it is something that you couldn't have even planned better yourself.
Speaker 2:Right, and I'll give a more applicable uh definition of what jen just described when you're more applicable to you more applicable to the entire world no, you're absolutely right. More applicable to me, I will say this when you um have a child, you have every intentions on creating a great child, a beautiful child to you. Yes, that's the hope. If that child should be beautiful to everyone else and creative to everyone else and doing good with and for everyone else, how much better is it? And that's what happened with this book.
Speaker 1:It was just created Well because it's selfless at that point, right. Well, because it's selfless at that point, right. So to your point and the analogy you bring up. If I'm hoping that my kid is creative, at least to just me, that's very self-gratifying, yeah. But if then the hope is, what could my kid or my child do for the world he or she lives in, that's when that becomes the next thing, right. And so I think that for me, if anyone asked me, why are you plugging these books? Well, number one, it's what we do. Number two there's so much passion and love and care, and I use the word love on purpose because remember when I was in leadership years and years ago, and I would talk about things like what do you love to do at work, what you know?
Speaker 2:what inspires you and people would be like jen knock it off like they're getting paid.
Speaker 1:That should should be enough. And I said no, I don't think so. I think that in everything that you do, it should speak to what brings you joy. I don't know if you all have ever done an inventory, but if you can do this, it's so powerful when you really notice what things bring you joy in your life. Those are the things you should be plugging into. So I love to read. I didn't know I was going to get to be a part of the writing club and again, because that's hope, I feel that is the true definition of hope. There is more than one way to get somewhere, and sometimes you don't even know what that destination is, and if you're not clear on that, that's fine. You can go broad and expansive and play in that. But we have the power to create these paths, and I know we've talked about that before.
Speaker 2:Is there a reason why you're staying away from the fact that you're writing?
Speaker 1:Well, I thought it was going to be a surprise. It is a surprise.
Speaker 2:I'm sure everyone will be surprised that I just asked you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so here's what we've learned too. So, yes, I am the co-writer, so I started off as more of an advisor. Yes, then the second book, which is Oswald you can start to see my buy-in a little bit more, like I just got more involved in the details of some of the things. And, corey, you and I have always partnered in everything together. That's how this was supposed to be designed, and so you and I have gone into projects and like who's going to be my partner in this? Who should I do this with? Who should I bring in? And it's always brought us back to each other.
Speaker 2:And people may be like why is he not saying anything? I'm smiling and laughing because this is the natural progress or process this is what typically happens.
Speaker 2:I'm going hardcore into something that I'm like, oh my God, I got to do this and I want to do this and I, I, I, I, I. And then, before I know it, I'm like man, I really really could use some assistance and guidance and someone that can think like I do and I can partner with, and then the natural thing for us is each other. So it just makes sense when it, when it shows up and comes together that way.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think that's the strength, though in partnership it hasn't been forced. So when you started writing the book, that was a you project, that was Corey's thing, yeah, and as your best friend and wife, of course there's going to be conversation around it and I'm going to support it to my capacity Cause. Then I say that on purpose, because years and years ago when this came up, I was in school, yeah, so I wasn't able to dive deep. I thought great project, another passion project, have at it, have fun see you when I see you yeah, exactly and it was literally like that because school took up like literally 90 of your time.
Speaker 2:So you were coming home and you didn't want to hear nothing about no book. You hear nothing about no fuzzy furry forest or ruffles the rabbit. It was like I got homework, I need to eat and then I need to go to bed because I got school tomorrow. So yeah.
Speaker 1:So all that to say that man. If someone were to say, jen, what were your biggest takeaways in this journey of co-writing books with Corey? Number one when something works, I'm not going to spend energy and trying to find other ways to make it work. This partnership works period. People are like y'all work together. You all do Genco together. Now you're writing books together. Corey's a shameless band, jen. You're in it. You're at every gig almost. Don't you get tired of one another?
Speaker 2:Whoa. And people always say that I get that question so much and I'm like, well then, I got married for the wrong reasons. If I'm getting tired of the person I said I wanted to spend the rest of my life with and I don't, I don't get the other end of that. That is strange to me isn't it?
Speaker 1:so I think those things come to life too in the book. It's definitely not a book about marriage or anything like that. No, it's around relationships. It's in life. You're given twists, you're given opportunities to learn from something. You're either going to grow from it or you're just going to squander that moment, and so I love that these books really speak to events and what people do around it. Right, and it honors all sorts of different types of personalities and all the things that could come up.
Speaker 2:Right, I got to do a sidebar. Sorry to the men that I'm ruining your me time and football time and all those other times you know. Um, I was single and you decide whether you like it or not, and I decided I didn't like it and I wanted to find a partner that was like me, understood me, and so that's why the big push for the collaboration and and it works for this project and every other project that we've ever, uh, jumped into so, and I love that sidebar yeah, you gotta tell the truth, you gotta put it out there and so, with that sidebar too, is yeah, I think I'm a lot like you and yet very different, and that's another takeaway I've had in these projects is that, at the end of the day, communication is about finding common ground.
Speaker 1:If you and I are in something and we're on different pages, then let's stay on those different pages for right now. You know what I mean. So I think that's the thing too. In the hope of everything, choose who you're partnering with on these things and go back to your roots, and what I mean by that, and I've said this so many times. And then, because it's so true, sometimes the answer is right in front of your face, but we want to discount it, or because we're so in it we don't see it anymore, or we think, ah, you know, I want to try something new.
Speaker 1:You can try something new, and it doesn't mean it has to be completely new formula Like if, if it works for you, let that be the thing, and we and I've said this time and time again too thing and we and I've said this time and time again too is that your values, your principles remain and your beliefs can change. The, the method in which you do the thing can totally change um, and I don't know if you can all hear me smiling as I'm speaking I can hear it yeah because here's my hope for anyone listening to this is that you chase the thing that you know you're supposed to do.
Speaker 1:And chase is even too much of a word, because if it's a thing that you're supposed to do, you pursue it.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes.
Speaker 1:It comes to you. We just, you know, don't take the offer when it comes. Can I share this one story? Sure, it's an analogy kind of thing and, man, if I've repeated it I mean we've had over 300 episodes we're bound to repeat guys.
Speaker 1:So it's like this story right, you have this hope, and right now you're in the middle of a flood and you're like I hope to get middle of a flood and you're like I hope to get out of this. I wish that I was not here. I need to be rescued. So it's like that family who gets on top of their roof and they're crying for help and people on a boat come paddling over and they say you know, come down from the roof, come here so we can help you. Oh no, I, you know, come down from the roof, come here so we can help you. Oh no, I, you know, I'm waiting. I prayed about this. I'm waiting for an answer to my prayer. Thank you, though, please send help. I hope that I can be rescued.
Speaker 1:Here comes the helicopter trying trying to save that person and, um, they want to bypass that cause. They're waiting on something. And so those are the things we think. We know what we're waiting on and try it out. Test it out. My rule, and this is just what works for me if I have 51% of it planned, if I've done the risk assessment and 51% says go and do it, I'm going it and I don't know. I know that makes people feel uncomfortable, but you've got to experiment, you've got to play with it.
Speaker 2:It's never going to be at 100 oh, I need a lot less than that for me to go.
Speaker 1:I oh really oh my goodness man. So you're more of a risk taker? And yeah, you are, I'm all risk.
Speaker 2:I'm just being honest, I'm all risk and I took a risk on you and it paid off. I mean, you know where we come from in the background. That's why that dedication means so much, you know. It's for the dreamer, it's for the person with hope, it's for life. This is what life is about. If you're basing life on anything else, it's scary to me and that's a personal thing that I deal with on a daily basis. If I'm not hoping, if I'm not hoping, if I'm not dreaming, the dreams perish, the hopes perish. Yeah, the people perish for a lack of a vision. Say that can't have a vision without some hope that's right that's right.
Speaker 2:At least I can't yeah so don't fall asleep.
Speaker 1:Everyone like you are just way too um, special and valuable for that. And, man, anything you all are doing as far as passion projects, let us know where you know. We're all about that, but check it out. Eight, eight and yes, I picked that date on purpose. So if you didn't know this about me, fun fact about jen I love numbers, oh, and so when you take a powerful number, eight, which means completion, and you double that up, I just feel like man, what a beautiful date to bring this book out. It's going to be on Amazon.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:We're looking at other things like Kindle and Audible, but that's not happening. Not yet looking at other things like Kindle and Audible, but that's not happening.
Speaker 2:Not yet. We are definitely working on, because Ruffles is in Barnes and Nobles, and so we're working on the same thing for Oswald. Hopefully all goes according to plan, and if you thought eight eight was a good date, then wait to eight eight, 28 comes about. That's going to be something special too. Can't wait to tell you guys about it.
Speaker 1:Love it. So, corey. My last question for this episode is what's one thing that you want people to know about Oswald Like? Give them an insight to the character Like give them an insight to the character.
Speaker 2:Wisdom does not have to come at an old age and wisdom can come from some of the strangest places.
Speaker 1:You just got to have your eyes open, yeah, so you can see those things. Right there you go. All right, well, you know us to take the elevator. We say look up and let's elevate Every day, elevate Every day, elevate Every day, elevate Every day.
