Empowering & Caring For Veterans
USMC Veteran Joe Palacios, part of Maxwell's Soaps, comes on the podcast for this special July 4th edition! Joe and I talked about soap and how the company provides one bar of soap to homeless veterans with each purchase. His love and passion for his fellow veterans also translated into the first HAVE mission. HAVE stands for Humble Alpha Veteran Empowerment, developed by Lane Belone and Stephen Kuhn. Joe's mission, which was the first of its kind, helped a fellow veteran finish his new coffee roasting building.
Guest Links:
Transcript from Episode 19 with Joe Palacios:
Keith McKeever 0:05
Welcome to the battle buddy podcast with Keith McKeever. And welcome back to another episode of the battle buddy podcast. This one is our fourth of July special. I've got an awesome guy here, who's also given back to the veteran community in many different ways. And that's what we're here to talk about today is giving back to the veteran community and empowering people. And just just being a good person, right, Joe?
Joe Palacios 0:31
I mean, our, our logo does say, Don't be nasty.
Keith McKeever 0:37
Yeah, well, you shouldn't be nasty. That's pretty sure. We've all met a few of those people in the world. But go ahead and tell us a little bit about your story growing up and your military journey?
Joe Palacios 0:45
Absolutely. You know, I think of just like every other well, I won't say everything, for my journey to military was, it was one of escape, right? Like Southie, I grew up in the southeast of Houston. But not to say that there wasn't a lot of love, and people didn't care for me, because he did like, there was so many like, now that I think back and I let go of like false beliefs, right that about that. And not knowing what I didn't know. I never felt a lack of love growing up, but I just didn't have any purpose. I didn't know there was like, there was really no direction. So and I think, I think the example I always used to get back then was you just try something else. Just just move on. Don't even think I just go to the next thing. And a lot of times, I think you got to face some of these things. But anyway, so that, that what got me in the military that because my whole life was like trying something new, get disappointed, not really looking at why there was a disappointment in it. And then just go, Okay, well screw that I'm going to do something else.
Keith McKeever 1:50
And focus kind of thing. That is how I
Joe Palacios 1:53
got in to the Marine Corps. Like my plan was to be a Coast Guard with us. And just like everything else, like I kept trying to go, I kept trying to go and it just wasn't working out. And I was like, screw that. And then the recruiter was like, Hey, call here. Talk to me for a minute. You know that, that Coast Guard guy, man, he never shows up, and I'm here to help you. You know, we have rescue swimmers in the Marine Corps. So then I was like, yeah, man, I'll totally do this. Let's do it. And then I joined the pool program in like, Man, I want to say was like, early January, but I wasn't going to go until December. And then, just like everything else, like I was actually I actually wasn't and then I was starting to contemplate not going because my martial arts Korea was getting really good. Like, CG, I'm gonna drop nuggets, people are gonna get martial arts. What?
Keith McKeever 2:48
Yeah, that's, to me.
Joe Palacios 2:49
I started as a young kid that got well here in Houston. And then like I said, a lot of stuff was like, try something new and go somewhere else. So I grew up with a lot of different family, right. And then And then, just before high school, my my mom and I, we started to have a relationship again, and I was like, alright, I'll move with you to Colorado. So I like literally for high school. I left everything in Houston, went to Colorado private school. And I also like started doing martial arts then. So I started kind of, I didn't I didn't start early. I started later, but my freshman year, I started that and I was really cool school. We're jumping around, but it's okay. My slogan, my story is your story. My story, what's more was what's better than martial arts than America. Right. And it was a mixed martial arts type of program. It was a what I like to call it was American martial arts because the guy that taught us was like, I'm gonna take a little bit of this Japanese hardstyle a little bit of this Korean Taekwondo, some of this some of that mix, just do the best that everything because anyway, I'm not gonna get you what we do in America. Right. So anyway, so like I was going, so my whole high school career was either go to the Coast Guard and be a rescue swimmer, or started martial arts studio of my own. Right. I was even like, competing nationally for a couple of national tournaments. But anyway, that's a long story. But then something happened at a thing with our karate school. And I felt like, I felt hurt. I was like, screw that. So I told the recruiter, Hey, can I go next week? So I was supposed to be December, I ended up leaving in early September. So you know, I ended up going sooner than I supposed to go. And then that's what it was. And then then I just kind of found family there. Right. And like, what better place to find a community and with other service members, because we just put everything into each other. Like I used to think it's like, oh, it's the Marine Corps. It's or it's the army or it's the Navy as an organization. But really, when you break my when I started to break everything down, it's just the people, right? It's the community that we develop as service members and veterans. So, so I was stuck. And I was hooked. And I just love being I love being a Marine. I love training Marines. I love
doing marine stuff. When you were doing it very clear on that point, right? You wouldn't love doing it now.
Keith McKeever 5:31
What's that? You wouldn't love doing it now? Your body wouldn't want anymore?
Joe Palacios 5:36
It's just you got to get me out there first. Right? Like, absolutely. Look, man, I love going to the field. And I love doing all the training. It was just amazing. Like, it's you, when you do those kinds of things. As a service member, when you're when you're doing your job, like in the field doing it. It's beautiful. But it's the fact that you realize before you're going like, Hey, you got to go to field tomorrow. So then you're thinking, Man, I gotta get all my gear ready. And it's like all of these like, so I didn't used to like to plan to go, but once I was there, it was like, this is badass, right? This is why I joined. And I was in a small boat unit in the first part of my career, which was even more super badass, right? Like, envision Navy SEALs, but cooler because we were Marines.
Keith McKeever 6:23
Oh, man. That's a tough one.
Joe Palacios 6:30
The reason I say that, it's like people think of Navy SEALs, you think of CRR C's? Right? The road. The Zodiac raid crap, like the little rubber boats and you'd like slow, low. Sneaking onto the beach. That's what I did, like the first part of my career, which was super awesome.
Keith McKeever 6:51
Sounds like too much water for this airman.
Joe Palacios 6:53
Yeah. So that's what stuck in and, I mean, I just, that's it. And I feel like even now that as I start to grow, and I realize it's my passion is just people, and it's just building community and growing together. So yeah, that's my story. I mean, I, I didn't start out with soap. It's, this is actually, me. It's a collaboration, right, which is perfect for how we met. And we're counseling veteran, right, which is all about, you know, support, collaborate and elevate. So, Maxwell soaps was definitely a collaboration, it was started by a buddy of mine, Max Moore, who was also in US Navy Corpsman, but we served together in Iraq. So we were just kind of different paths. And then we decided to combine and collaborate. So I really think there's a there's an opportunity to use this soap company, to spread a message, and to really kind of expand, bridging the community the gaps, right, the cultural gaps, which is what my real passion is, is bringing veterans to truly be that next great generation. Right, like, and I think part of it is that we haven't really figured out how to integrate ourselves back into community. And and which leads us right into this hat thing that you were bringing up. So I'll let you ask a few questions. Yeah, into that. But that's my story.
Keith McKeever 8:24
We'll get into the half thing here in a minute. But I kinda want to peel back some layers of the onion, so to speak, on the soap. So where did the idea come from? Well, someone was somebody being nasty. And you're like, oh, let's make a soap company for these. No.
Joe Palacios 8:38
Again, don't be nasty, right? That's the logo. But the way I remember that is, is a maxi to have this thing we used to walk around and you say don't be nasty. like, Yo, so talk to guys about washing your hands, right? Because it was very hygienic. Keep your hands clean, especially more important. You know, one of you guys are crapping your pants all the time. You're not washing your hands enough and you're putting that nasties so you always do that. But it actually evolved right? That Don't be nasty. It's not just about cleanliness. It's it's evolved into it's more about participation. Right in being nasty in the military wasn't necessarily just because you're dirty. It's like, you're you're not being a part of the team. You know, you're you're not really kind of pulling your weight. You're not You're not participating. You're not being cognizant of what others are probably going through. Like it's just taking that whole encompassing of being a decent person, I guess.
Keith McKeever 9:40
Yeah, right. We call them dirtbags in the Air Force. I don't know if that's what you guys call them or if you had a different term, but we refer to him as dirtbag airmen. You know, just yeah, there's low speed high drag, kind of guys that just tear always fucking something up.
Joe Palacios 9:57
And then what I love about okay, this is gonna To Blow Your Mind, and then what I love about incorporating that into is so right, because it's just a symbolic thing. Like, what I love is that you don't have to always be nasty like that, that you can literally change your legacy Your, your reactions and your actions by just not being nasty, right? And then and then I thought, man, well, that's kind of cool because it take the soap, it's like you can wash it away. And all of a sudden, like, you can choose to do that. And that's what I really love about putting that kind of thing with the soap.
Keith McKeever 10:38
Right? It's a lot of symbolism there for sure.
Joe Palacios 10:40
Yeah. And not only that, I'm again, again, there's a lot more to it, right? Like, than the soap, we can peel back a little bit more onions, like, Max was really suicidal before he started this so and somebody asked, Hey, what do you do? Like, what can you do? And he's like, Well, you know, when I was a kid growing up in Tennessee, my family made, so I want to make soap. So he was actually, he actually initially started making cold process. So so like, literally back all the way, like what we do right now is a melt and pour. And the reason we're doing that is just because of, of the mission of the company. Right? Once we start to to, to bring on veterans, which is my end goal here is like a production where it's like a therapeutic work, right? Like you're getting paid to kind of feel better about yourself, and to kind of grow and to transition and to do other stuff, right? Because eventually I see that, but right now, the Melton port is easy, because you just melted down, we add the specific ingredients that we want to use for a scent or an exfoliator. And then we just let it harden, and then we cut it into molds, or we pour it into a specific mold, right. And it's just because it's fast, but there's still like processes and steps to go through it right, you have to monitor temperature, you have to make sure your your formulation is right, because even even natural essential oils can burn your skin if you don't do it, right. So there's man, it's I feel like I'm going too much. But I'm kind of like, make the process it's it's it's a step by step process, which has shown if you do a repetitive step by step process and kind of helps you kind of open up it gets you out of your own mind. And the way I look at it is we used to clean rifles. When we were in the military, get it hard training thing, or even after combat patrol or any type of thing where you actually were out there doing your shit and you come back, you got to find your weapons, you do it on a table, you're surrounded by your brothers and your sisters. And you're doing this tedious process where you have to be focused, it takes you out of your mind. And it allows you to open up with the people to your right and left to talk about what's going on. Like, oh, man, you remember that thing that happened? Yeah. It's just kind of like a way. So I see that same thing with the soap. And I think like, man, imagine, you know, I could do like a squad of guys at a time, right. And they're around a table, making soap decompressing and still having a job that they can enjoy with being other guys. But then it's not something that, you know, I'm hoping 10% of the guys want to stick with it and help us grow. And the other guys move on to something else. But at least it's kind of taken some steps. So yeah,
Keith McKeever 13:31
maybe you can take that take some steps to better themselves and, and go go upon their life and a little bit better shape than when they entered your bars, right? You get a good point about the you know, repetitive process and cleaning because it was nothing worse than kind of cleaning, cleaning your weapon by yourself. Because you're the only one cleaning your weapon. It sucked. And it seemed like it took forever in reality, it took probably just about as much time as when everybody else is around you. But when you're just laughing and joking and swapping stories and you know, some dirty comments and you know, things like that, like before, you know you're done. Yeah, you know, or you're done with yours and you've turned your weapon in and you know, you're helping somebody else, you know, clean when the heavy weapons or whatever, just kind of go through the process makes it so much smoother, better. You know, more more connections. So but that's not the only thing your your soap is doing. Right? You know, you're when you're selling them you're taking
Joe Palacios 14:25
Yes, what we do is we use every time every bar we sell, we donate bars. It's like it's like a model of like TOMS Shoes, like you buy one, you get one. So it's the same thing. So you don't need a bar for every bar sold. And so far, like the only right now the way I've been doing it is I give them to the guys that I see in need, especially in this last pandemic. The biggest benefactor of our soaps was lava me and you know what's great is that they were in San Francisco and I haven't had a relationship with them. For a while, so I've been getting a lot of these books, what was great is that I actually reached out and I found another guy that's doing a mobile shower. And in a reach, I sent them a message I haven't heard from them. This was like literally like two days ago. And because that's been the next step, right is like, I want to bring a mobile shower to this area. And then another area, it I didn't want to. I didn't want to, I didn't want to spread myself thin by trying to solve something that somebody else was already doing. So And what's cool about that is they're actually a part of lava may again. And so now I can actually have a call with the people with lava May, again, that are local. And they do some, they were doing some really cool stuff, they were showing how to make some portable handwash stations, which is, which is a project I really want to get into as well. You just build them yourself, and you set them out there and homeless guys will be able to wash your hands. So yeah, again, I don't want to get too far out, like if somebody else is already doing it, which is, which is another new thing that I'm learning in this journey is I don't have to do everything. I just have to know the right people and put them together,
Keith McKeever 16:13
your find a way to stay in your lane, because I don't know if you've heard him say it. But Travis Johnson has said many times, you know, to kind of to people about like nonprofits like there's something like 50,000 veteran nonprofits out there. And so some people are doing some really good things, and they have a streamlined process. So why reinvent that wheel? When you can just partner with them? And find out, you know, however, that looks, yeah, the next step in the evolution of that service?
Joe Palacios 16:42
Well, you know, and I've noticed, like lately, like, in the last few months, I've actually had, I mean, really well, I really like sales increase, and I'm getting my systems in place, but in sales are going to be huge. But what I really, really learned lately is that is that if you just focus on the people around you, like you find that support structure that you need in you don't have to do everything. And the people if they believe in you, they're willing to help. And they're willing to take that step, which again, as we get to the hab, we get to talk about how which is phenomenal idea. And and, and it's a learning process, right. So we've only really done one mission. And if you have what I call, what have been great have relation kind of things, right, actually building networks and getting together but not not building anything huge yet, was the one with Jose, the coffee, which has been a great learning, as we move along and move forward with these, which I think it's gonna be, it's gonna be amazing. It's like, I don't know, I just really feel we're on this cusp of this huge movement of like I said, being truly being the next greatest generation. I mean, you know, what is insane, and we're going to share this on Fourth of July is that this last war, you could have had a father and son fighting in the same exact war, like it's gone that the father couldn't go into combat initially, and not have kids, and then had kid who is old enough to go back in the same theater operation
Keith McKeever 18:29
is kind of mind blowing. When you think about it. I was thinking the other day, it's like, we're in 2021. So we could be without doing all the math in my head. We could be having people separating from the military now, who may or may not have deployed but still served during Global War on Terrorism. who were born after nine 911 Yeah, we're at 20, almost 20 years here this fall. So you could have somebody, it was an early separation or a medical discharge or something. So we're right on the cusp of that, of that happening, of having a generation of veterans coming out of service, who were born after that did not experience the horror and the tragedy of that day, which is kind of mind blowing to think about it is it is in that sense, to think that there's people that young, I've got a nephew that's got a couple of nephews that are you know, almost 19 years old. And just to think that they're they're old enough to be out there, you know, fighting fighting the war now.
Joe Palacios 19:34
And at the end, here's the thing is, when we step into that mantle, it will be even even more phenomenal because that first Greatest Generation was a conscript army. It wasn't an all volunteer force, right? We're an all volunteer force. That means that guys that signed up after 911 New. Oh, we're saying amen. I'm gonna I'm kind of risk myself for an idea and something that I believe in, right? Like, it wasn't that the government and say, Hey, we're gonna pick you and you and you and you, everybody there chose that. And that is amazing that that I mean that is just like I was blown away because I was already in after 911. Right. So like, I was blown away and when guys go Yeah, man, I saw that and said I want to go join. And I'm like, Man, that's that says a lot for the character. And I know we like to razz on the millennial. Those were the guys that just they said, Hey, I'm going to do it, you know, at least. Yeah, I
Keith McKeever 20:43
mean, I mean, nine 911. So I was I was a sophomore in high school when it happened. I was in Spanish class. Yeah. And came into school. And you could tell something was different. You couldn't quite tell what's up know, the teachers were in the hallway. Nobody had a smile on their face. But none of the students paid attention because it's obviously 2001. Right? It's not like we had cell phones and alerts on our phones and Facebook notifications going off. So but you know, atomic came to go get to that first class, we go and we sit down and the teacher, just look at everybody. She's like, I'm about to turn the TV on. And there's something going on. And I don't really know what to say. But this, this doesn't look good. And then so she turned it on. And there's the news coverage. And then, you know, we all know what happened next, the second plane and the Pentagon and all that stuff. And we just kind of sat there. I don't even know how long we sat in that class. I think the bells went off and nobody moved. We just kind of sat there just glued to the TV for a couple of hours. Just like wondering, you know, it's what the hell is going on with our world. You know, when you're 16 years old, you're in high school and you know, you've lived this world that's been peaceful. But yes, we had Desert Storm. Yes, we had Kosovo and, and some other little things here. And there. We had some military, but we didn't have like, we didn't have a long war. We didn't have a huge terrorist attack. We had nothing like that. And you know, it's just kind of crazy. I remember going my father died that year. He was in the hospital during that, and I remember going up there. It's one of the last great conversations I had with him, is kind of sat there and I was like, Dad, what does this mean? You know, he got drafted in Vietnam. He was allergic to penicillin. He found out by getting the shot and he took three steps, went out the door and faceplant and woke up in the hospital three days later found out he was allergic and then they, you know, that gave him the boot because he can't have somebody allergic to penicillin in a combat zone, I guess back then, so. So, you know, just talking to him, like, what does this mean? You know, I'm confused. I'm 16. What does this mean? Like this was obviously a terrorist attack. But that, you know, by the evening you know, I could just tell the fear in his eyes of you know, gotta hope who Enoch I can't believe we're here. But he knew that he was dying, I think and he also knew that I was 16 and just a couple of years away from cert now I didn't enlist 21 But but you know, it's never I would have never expected that point in time just a few years later I you know, I'd be sitting boots stepping boots in in Iraq myself. But yeah, just changed just changed the world so many crazy ways. Why it's it's weird that people could be serving now that didn't experience that.
Joe Palacios 23:26
I always thought 911 was was a lesson and people not studying history. Right? Like, an overt attack against this nation like that. It's like, it's just your it's the one way to unite. I mean, at least historically, that was the biggest way to unite us. So I mean, I always thought that was like a futile attempt because then we're all the same right? Like we forget about all the differences at that point in what what my goal is and it's always been is to maybe we can get back to where we don't need an event like that to realize how important our community right and when I say our community I mean like as a nation, my neighbors you know, the guy on the block way like we don't need an attack on our country we don't need like some huge pandemic or some huge like, tragedy to Unitas like we could unite under like cool shit to you know, like absolutely.
Keith McKeever 24:36
I think we're very uniquely very uniquely situated because you've tied it to the greatest generation and much love to the world war two guys I've met so many of them in my life. I mean, we we literally owe them everything. I mean, it took on you know, as reference still video games and 80s 90s Right, they took on the boss level for us. They took on the boss level and And they worked on and they went to bed, and so much love to those guys, but they kind of came back. We all kind of know the prosperity in the 1950s into the 60s, they came back, they settled on their jobs. They didn't say a damn word about their experiences. They didn't know what PTSD was. There was no talk about mental health, no counseling, nothing. It was come back, get a job, start a family live in a suburb, I mean, you know, stereotyping here, but that's what they did. They just kind of came back. I agree. That's so much.
Joe Palacios 25:33
One, same thing. Same thing with Korea and even even Vietnam guys, like some of them, were more vocal, I think, the Vietnam guys about the combat traumas and all that, but like before them and even some of them in Vietnam that were there, like they didn't do anything. What they do was they found a new mission, and they just stuck with it. And they put their nose they compartmentalize it shoved it down. So I mean, I don't know which of us is better off. Let's get in the room, and I see it as like a he go to a Vet Center in southern California, South Orange County events. And I was privileged enough to do a Oh, if Vietnam veteran combined group, like there was a Vietnam there was huge Vietnam. Following in that, that center, and they had their own group, and they went in there, and they talked to one of the team leaders of the Vet Center was it was a was a was an 18 guy Greenbrae back in Vietnam. And he was a team leader of that, that center. So he had a Vietnam group. And then they had started an oil F group. And we were going side by side for a while. And then they wanted to put us together to see what the similarities were and what the differences were. And the similarities were that they all had nightmares. They all use the wrong substances to cope, they all like had like, just crazy stuff going on. But then they also just ate that for 30 years. Right? Like they just suffered through it for 30 years, they just put their nose to the grindstone and and then what they were finding was as they retired, that's when they were coming in, like, there were new guys coming into their group all the time. And they were retirement age, because there was like, idle hands, man. Now I don't have anything to unfocus my mind. And they they I remember David Roth, and Bueller was the guy's name. And he had a hidden nonprofit, it was really helpful to me and Max early on, he ended up passing. He used to tell us when I used to feel like shitty about something nonsense that we did in the military, like, so hard. He used to tell us the story that he was up when he was in Vietnam. And they were up near the DMZ zone, and it was hot as shit and spraying Agent Orange to kill the foliage. And then he'd grow back like in two days. And he's like, it's so hot. He was man, we wrote kerosene on our bodies, because he did evaporate faster to get you out. We'd be rubbing kerosene, and I was like, I'm never going to complain about an OP again, because I've never had to rub kerosene on my body to keep cool.
Keith McKeever 28:25
Yeah, no, there's so things they had doing in Vietnam. I read a lot of books about Vietnam War, when I was a kid. And that's, that's something else. And I know a lot of guys that are leather like that. I'm involved with the otter flight program. been involved for I don't know, six years here locally. I've seen a lot of guys cry when we bring them home. Because they finally went with a group of guys to DC, they saw the wall, they had an opportunity to open up the floodgates and let all those emotions out. Yeah. 3040 50 Well, 50 years now worth of, of emotions. And the changes have they they're just drastically changed. I've talked to some women who, you know, said that, after that flight, their husband is just a night and day difference. Yeah, totally different. And is this crazy? What one little trip or one little counseling session to kind of better yourself can can do? Absolutely my power in that. But yeah, there's a lot of a lot of things. I mean, luckily, we talk about mental health stuff now. You know, that's, that's a generational thing. You know, greatest generation. I certainly hope we're never referred to as the greatest generation. Because those guys really do deserve that tip of the hat. Yeah. But we don't have opportunities, though. You're damn right about that. We have opportunities to face the things that we faced, to talk about it to get help to make mental health in our community. More Normal, more accepted. I mean, I didn't seek any counseling myself until last fall. 13 years, I had a buddy buddy battle buddy of mine. I talked to him on the phone. And he's like, What the hell do you mean, you have a second seem any counseling? And I said, No, I haven't. He goes, dude, you should have done that 13 years ago. I don't know why you did? Well, you know, the whole stigma around mental health. That's all it's gonna take your weapons. And then once your weapons are gone, and military, your career is over.
Joe Palacios 30:26
There's, I mean, it. Look, I don't fault them. I don't fault the military for how they do things. They do things for a reason, right?
Keith McKeever 30:35
You gotta have your mind set on the mission. Yeah.
Joe Palacios 30:39
There's, it's a mission. And that's, it's fine. I think as long as we recognize that, and I think in the end, one of the biggest I think services that I think we could do, to guys that want to go into the service is to teach them to, to, to have like, I always get this word, okay. It's always on the tip of my tongue. They need to advocate for themselves more, right? Like, yeah, hey, man, I got that on Mission First, too. But I do need to go to sit call. Because if you want me fully operational, then I need to make sure I'm okay. And I think the military, they're not gonna they're not going to go, Yeah, everybody go to a call. You got to you got to advocate. Yeah, that's one of the things we need to do. Especially, we all again, another thing, because you're, no matter how long you're in, you get into the mindset that we're replaceable, because we switched units, and you just fit right in. Which is not it's not that they don't care about you, but it's just that's the nature of the beast, right? Like, you go from one unit, and you just fit right in, when you go. They fit somebody else. And
Keith McKeever 31:48
so you don't have time to sit there. Think about that person. That's not there anymore. Yeah, I mean, you got social media and stuff, you know, you're friends with them, but you have to get to know the new guy. Because your life depends on the new guy, that his life depends on you. You got to you got to build that you don't have time to, to stop and smell the road is horrible. Whatever analogy you can come up with. I think I make you know, that doesn't help us as veterans. Sometimes, too. We got get stuck in our own head and we bury ourselves in work, and it's just Okay, so what on to the next thing? You know, sometimes we don't take that time to just kind of decompress a little bit, stop and enjoy the journey. You know, whatever, whatever the case may be. But we got to start doing and know, a little bit more of that sometimes. But, you know, sometimes there's some there's a way you can do that still be around your battle buddies to, like, you mentioned earlier to have missions. Yes. So that's, for people who have may not have heard about it. I know I've, I've talked about Steve.
Joe Palacios 32:56
To the have mission, you have to talk you also have talked about the the Steven Lee at least Chambal alpha, because that's really what it was just is just an offshoot of that. So as a, as I've gone on these journeys, right, I'm actually I'm doing multiple things, like I'm learning all these new ways to kind of reset and focus and stay on track. And, and, and Steven lanes book is almost like a guide. It's not a how to but it's like a it's a, it's a more what you can be right if you really kind of take the lessons and you apply them. And then I'm also kind of following this 30 days of intention and really being more intentional. setting intentions in the morning. Really kind of letting go those old beliefs, meditating more, and then really getting back to setting up a routine. Like it's funny as I do in all these journeys, like no one is no one is sharing anything that we don't know. But I think they're sharing it in a way that it really applies to where we're at right now. Right? Like we're, we're really recognizing some of the things that we've moved away from, for the, for the lack of for either progression or ease or whatever. And then and then it's been rebranded so that people don't so that there's like a change, like, community building is awesome. Right, like, man back in when we were a prosperous nation, and it was not frowned upon for people to pull together and build something together, right for the common community. As raisings all the time. Yeah, exactly. Show up. Somebody would bring food and you'd all elevate each other, right? Hey, hey, these are some lessons learned from when I built my barn. And here's some ways to do like, or just like community itself was always They're in like, as I'm on this journey, and I'm learning these things, right? I'm hearing all these people talk and it's all coming back to that one thing. It's about community. Right? My buddy Tommy Chase, who also has a podcast and Keith, you should hit him up so that you can get on his podcast. Okay? It's a after the battle campfire. And when he talks about is how, after battles or after whatever, these warriors used to come back to the campfire, and they used to sit in, they used to talk about the battle. Like I said, when we used to clean our weapons, right, we used to be out in the field, you come back and you develop community, and you share these things, and it helps you decompress. It helps you reconnect, it helps you to let go of those things so that they didn't they weren't compartmentalized and shoved down. Same thing like it was so like a so let's talk about this hat is humble, alpha. Veteran empowerment. Like I said, it was it's an offshoot of the book that Steven in lane, Steven Lane wrote, If you don't see me, Steven Kuhn in Maine, Bill, they wrote this really great book. They were in Peru there, doing some meditation and, and, and consuming some plant medicine really kind of really been helpful in so many ways. And it allowed them to receive kind of this great message of how to share what a humble offer was to begin with. Which, which really, it's just comes back for me, it's like just being a decent human being right? It's not being nasty. It's not being the dirtbag airman.
Keith McKeever 36:42
You know, humble, the best person you can be. Yeah, it's a great book. I don't have a physical copy. But I, I had the audio version of it. I actually have shared it with my wife, I'm sure, son. It's just It's number one on my reading list on my battle buddy podcast website.
Joe Palacios 37:03
I actually have a have an intention on my clubhouse, like, if you because I do clubhouse now, which I'm connecting, because what I'm finding is that I'm really kind of in to steal another guy's term, when he's talking about community is like, there's different roles in the community. I actually, I feel like I'm like an expansionist, and like a pollinator of communities, right? Like, I like to go out and find other communities to see what are the similarities? What are they? What are they sharing, that we can all bring together? And now like, what ends up happening is in my head, it's like, it's like a hybrid community now, right? Like, because now and that's been my goal, is to really bridge this cultural gap between the veteran community and civilians. What I'm learning is that as I listen to that civilians talk, as I kind of embed myself, right, it feels I feel like I'm on a team, right? I'm doing reconnaissance or something,
Keith McKeever 38:03
it's a good way of looking at it
Joe Palacios 38:05
is what I'm learning is like, man, their passions are like our passion. Right? Like, I know, I know, we hear that they're so different, and all that, but I think it's just kind of like, the outside. But when you really listen to the people talk, you know, they talk about building community and sharing a common purpose and, and higher purpose and like, it's just like, Man, that sounds just like, my veteran brothers talking. Right? Like, bringing people together, having a higher purpose. Living transparent, like being having the honor, courage and commitment, right, like, this whole motto of things that we don't think that they believe in, I'm seeing that they do. And it's like, like I said, we're we're at this point.
Keith McKeever 38:51
And they just came to a different a different perspective. Yeah, they just came through it through different environments, different experiences, than whereas ours is kind of tied to you know, military service and it you know, core values and things like that, it's kind of just built and fostered there.
Joe Palacios 39:08
So as they went back to where they actually got the download for the book, and they went through another ceremony, they really this humble Alpha veteran empowerment or have kind of came up and they shared this beautiful video about what they saw as as like a like a way for veterans to empower each other. And, and then and, and really uplift, right like really kind of be a part of there where there's like investment to help each other where there's like, resources where there is like a place that you can go to that got no ulterior motive other than to elevate you. Right. And then I and then that was man, this is beautiful, just sounds like it was like they were talking on things that are thought of like 20 years ago? Actually 20 years is too long winded. 2012. So almost continue to Yeah. Right. So I was like, man, they're talking right at me. And then I just happened to get on a call with with one of the other guys in the tribe and I said manage yet did you see I was just sharing it. They had seen Steven Lee in the video. He's like no, Zan trying to get it. He's like, No, I was just thinking, got my containers and I want to get my coffee shop. And in like, boom, this light hit me. I just heard what they were talking about. And I thought, What about a great physical manifestation of bad idea? Support collaborate lb humble Alpha veteran empowerment, everything that they had taught the Senate that video as well, how would you like physically manifest this now? And I just took that that action, that imperfect action is Jose, let's do this man, why don't we get a group of guys, we're going to come over there. And we're going to help you build this thing. And we're going to we're going to get it done for you. Like, let's get the walls up. Let's get the power in it. Obviously, it was a huge undertaking, in such a short, imperfect action of time. Hey, but you made progress. Amazing lessons learned, right? We didn't get to finish the first time. And actually at first Jose, I think Jose, his his right brain thing, right. The logical part was like, well, actually, I probably don't have everything ready. So it's probably not, but then I was like talking about it, man. We just got to do it. Like, you know, because Jose, Jose is a very, very Christian me is the third day coffees again, right, the third day, all of his things have a scriptures written on them. And, and he had shared with me, I don't know, not even two weeks before that, how, how he has tried to let go and let and let God lead him. Right. And, and he had shared that one scripture where God says, The the yoke of life is mine to carry not yours, your job is to live life. So when he was pushing back, and I really wanted to it was a man gotta just make this happen, right? Like it's got to happen. Because if not, I was thinking to myself, if I don't push this, and if somebody doesn't push it, now, it's just going to kind of fall back. I'm going to forget about it. I'm not going to write it down. And in a great opportunity in momentum, and growth and and just sharing this beautiful message and power is going to get lost. So I just do that back in a message didn't you just share with me? Putting it in God's hands? And he said, You're right. Alright, let's do it.
Keith McKeever 42:49
And then make it happen, man. I put imperfect action, right? Yeah.
Joe Palacios 42:53
And then he we put the post out. And at first, I didn't think we weren't sure how many we're going to show and then like, you know, luckily, we had some cool Texas dudes that showed up. Chris showed up Chris shivers, JD Tierney from down in corporate Kennedy Paige who had not he had just come on the scene on the veteran. And like nobody, he was just like a new guy. And we connected the connected a little bit and I mean, him shared that he wants to do an urban farm I have a passion to facilitate an urban farm in the Houston area, which which is all tied into this community. Because building the community and having a place where people can come together and like do community stuff, right, like, do old time stuff in a new time era that heals the
Keith McKeever 43:48
soul. Yeah, take it from online to, you know, in person rolling up your sleeves doing things I was jealous, honestly, you know, I wouldn't be down there so bad. But it's a little a little ways away from
Joe Palacios 44:02
you know, what the timing, and this is what I'm learning, man. Timing is when it happens. Like, we were supposed to do this. When do we first talked about doing this podcast, and it probably just wasn't the right time. We probably wasn't in the right mindset, we probably didn't have the right amount of time. Now we're having this beautiful conversation right now. Right here,
Keith McKeever 44:24
that's weird things happen for a reason. And if you reflect on life, like you'll you'll you can notice a trend of just sometimes things happen in a certain time. Yeah, good things. And sometimes bad things happen at certain times. But sometimes out of those bad things, good things happen. And so for the positive when you know, at all times, look out for opportunities.
Joe Palacios 44:46
There was an unknown shared to me, as my See, I don't call my I don't call the people that I bring into my life network anymore. I think it's kind of a network. To me the way I defined a network or People that know me, right? Or people that know, of my business. And what I do, right. Everybody I bring into my life is a community because for me the community are the people that know, Joe, and what he's passionate about. But there's a difference there, right? Like, they're the people that are going to go. Hey, you know what? We haven't seen Joe, while he's probably Is he okay, and they can reach out into the Hey, man, are you okay? Not because? Because they, and I'm gonna say it not because they need their grenades, right? Like the grenade. So it's like, I was struggling for grades. And, and I'm still not complete with that whole quarter. But Nick knows that I'm true to who I am, and that I'm going to get them to him. And when he gets to, they're going to be the best that they're going to, that I can provide. And that it's not coming that there's something going on, and he could reach out because it's me, it's Joe. And he he knows Joe not Maxwell soap. Right? He knows that? Did I have that? Did I struggle? We all struggling? No, you know what I mean? Like, those are the people that I love in my life. Right? Because they know it's, it's it takes a village and that when we get there, we're going to get there and it's going to be phenomenal. It's going to be beautiful. And it's going to happen when it happens.
Keith McKeever 46:17
Because a lot of joy back watching people, you know, I guess for for anybody who's you know, who'd be watching or listening. You know, we are members of the entrepreneur tribe. And then there's the warrior Council, which is a paid mastermind kind of group. And we are like a, like a family in there, there may be close to 100 people in there. But we're, you know, kind of like, you know, a family, but very distance family through the screen, in most in most part, or like, you know, a family. But when you hear about other people's businesses, the successes and failures, the bumps along the road, you know, when somebody has that breakthrough moment, man, even if you had nothing to do with it, it's amazing to sit back and be like, Wow, because we know and appreciate the hard work that goes into an all, you know, may not know the actual steps. But yeah, you know that there's a lot of bumps to get over. To get that success.
Joe Palacios 47:10
And lucky that I really, there's I'd like to see an evolution of the word counseling. And I think I don't know if it I think it's happening, because you see, Steven Elaine, more open about talking about energies and powers and vibration, which I didn't I didn't buy into at all, like seriously, like, I didn't buy into any of these things until I did. Right. And that's how we all right, like, you don't know what you don't know until you know. And I there is something to it, man, because I shared an Instagram post. And I'm going to share, I'm going to talk about this. And you can go back and look at it today. You share when we filmed this one, you
Keith McKeever 47:53
know I don't but
Joe Palacios 47:54
it's okay, you'll go back on my Instagram post. And I really believe in this vibrational energy. And that when you what you put out there, you get back and a part of the thing that I'm working on and the reason I'm also going to talk about sales, hopefully here and hopefully you guys can help me hit my July goal in June, which is another 25 single bar subscriptions. And I'm going to because I never share that. I never share those things. But anyway, I'm sharing my journey. In one of the things I'm looking at is financial, because I used to growing up the way I did is like I didn't know what I didn't know. And a lot of it, I used to let finances run me and not really take charge. So I've actually been taking those steps. I have a true bill now. So that I see what comes out. I actually look and I pay attention. I look at my bills again, which I know don't get me wrong. This is they have been in the last two days I'm on I'm on day 16 of my 30 days of intention. So I'm halfway there. So it hasn't been a long time. And it wasn't until probably the last four or five days where I'm really focusing. And I was looking at my Verizon bill today. And I noticed and I'm like oh, it increased on my google adsense rising Bill increased by $14. And I'm gonna go that makes sense because I upgraded my phone. Because if you guys know my phone's always terrible. We're in Warrior Council calls or if I'm on things my shifts home is breaking. So I was like, I need it. I need it because I'm like, Man, if I can go without I would I wouldn't know. So well that makes sense. And I was not going to look and I thought to myself No, because that's the easy way out and that's just given me an excuse not to look at my finances which has not gotten me anywhere in the last four years. So I look in there's no mistake it's right it's it says what but then I look closely and I'm like believe me there. I'm so on Verizon because it doesn't give me any money back but Abby's other programs that I get savings somewhere else. So I think I better call. Long story short, I share with the guy on there, what I'm doing and why I'm calling and I'm on this kind of journey. And you know that I'm really growing, and I'm taking charge. And he's like, Well, let me look on here. And he says, Okay, go on this thing. And he kind of walked me through this long story short. There was a discrepancy. And then he said, and then and then I said, Oh, cool. And I go, also, I noticed I still have these twice dollars that I wanted to put when I upgraded my phone. And he was well, hold on, Mr. Joe, let me check this out. He goes back long story short, he comes back, and he goes, Hey, I'm not going to be able to use that. But there was a discrepancy in your account a couple of months back. So we're going to give you a $500 credit on your account. Wow, what? A credit. Yeah. And I'm like, Man, that's amazing. And he's like, No, he goes, You know what, Mr. Jones, I really respect your journey was about two years back. He goes, a family emergency required me to take out a $25,000 loan. And he goes, I had no idea how I was going to pay it back. I had no idea what I was going to do. I used to live in that where finances ran me too. And I said, You know what, I'm going to take this loan out, and I'm going to study and I'm going to learn what I need to know. And he says, I took control of my finances. He goes here it is like, it's not even two years. I paid it all back. I've increased my wealth. I'm happier. He goes, you're on the right road, man. He goes, keep what you're doing. Stay the course do the work. He goes set that intention every morning because I'm very intentional with my money. Now he goes, I don't want to say I have more money. He goes, but I am wealthier, happier. I spend more time with my family. I'm more purposeful with my spending. He goes. And I was like, man, thank you for the validation. Because we were supposed to be on this call. I almost didn't want to do it. So I wanted to share that with on this thing that that really shows man you what you put out there, you get back, I shared this. And it allowed this person who doesn't know me, from Adam, to go, let me see what I can do for you. And that is the power of community is guys it Ness. New friend. I literally I said man, I know it's recorded, take that myself connect with me, man. And and it was just it was just a beautiful experience a beautiful learning experience for me on my journey, and how to build community and how to really just be you. You know? So not because timing is everything key? Yes, it is you would have done this podcast, I wouldn't have been able to share that message of vibrational energy and power and just being you. There's a
Keith McKeever 52:57
lot of energy things I must admit that I don't necessarily believe in. But I've always believed that if you put out good, good energy yourself, and you try to genuinely do nice things for other people and be there for people when they need it. You just put that positivity out there. stuff will come back to you, you know, in in who knows Billy, what shape when, but those kinds of good things just kind of have way of coming around. It's just a totally different mentality of being around thanks. You know, it's just just like, you know, what you're trying to remember the, the actual term, but in terms of net wealth, like it's something about who you hang out with, or something like that's tied to your net worth something along those lines, like, you gotta hang out with the right people with the right mentality. And joining the water Council last fall, like I feel like I am every week, I with a group of people who are trying and doing every single week to grow personally, professionally, whatever. There's constant growth, and I get to witness every single week.
Joe Palacios 54:13
And keep keep I heard you wanting to you're you're thinking of doing your own have have mission, I gotta tell you Look, I'm the value in the value in the physical in getting in it in the proximity, physical proximity, of that shared, like, how you are right, like the way you present that energy that you give, and then getting in the proximity of others that have a similar kind of like, service first, right kind of energy is it's like multiplied when you're in that presence. And it's just it's it's like I mean what you know, like if you ever get now that now that people are actually venturing out more and you're getting to be around people. I find that that The that I lead without more rather than a more open that more friendliness and other people are starving for it. So you just feel that in those quick interactions like man, like the just saying, Please and thank you and hope you have a wonderful day, big people weighed up again. And it's just it's just beautiful to see. So anyway,
Keith McKeever 55:21
yeah, you know, I'll say my, my personal opinion with these have missions as soon as, as soon as I watched that video and actually watched it with my family. And I was just like, on the edge of my couch just like I get it. You know, I had like, maybe a week and a half before that had just finished the audio book. Yes, it's on like, this is this is perfect. It makes too much sense. Lane is always, you know, is his go to thing, it seems these, you know, imperfect action. And it's like, that's almost like the manifestation of what this is. It's Be humble, Be good person, grateful, all those things, everything that they talked about their book, but then it's it throws in the action aspect of it, you know, specifically for the veteran community of like, okay, be humble, be a good person, but, you know, look for these things. So I was really excited about it. And when you came up with the first mission, I found myself consciously, I shifted my mindset to be looking specifically for opportunities to have a mission.
Joe Palacios 56:20
No, absolutely. That's exactly it. Like I said that lessons learned, like, and I think what the next plan is, is is I really in here's the thing is, is it as I as I'm growing, I'm realizing there's there are certain tools that I need to reevaluate and bring back. And one of them is the planning phase. Like I know, we've been talking a lot about imperfect action, right, and, and everything in. But we also still have to remember that we need to have some planned actions to write. So. But I think a lot of so wrapped up in the five paragraph order as veterans, because for those that aren't veterans that are watching a five paragraph order is an operational order that's usually issued before you conduct the huge operation. But it's just a huge guideline. And it's huge. It's defied paragraphs, and it's got so much information. But it's a guideline, what I think we should really kind of start looking at is conducting imperfect action, but at the same time, maybe started looking at conducting maybe a Warning Order, or a Friday, right? Because because I think I think we have to have a little more planned as well, like, there's got to be a balance, I think. And that's what I learned, as my after actions for the first half mission is that you should have some kind of guideline doesn't have to be perfect, and whatnot, but we got to have like, there's got to be at least a little more structure. And again, not to the point where like, Hey, guys, now we're gonna have a breakout session. But let it be organic. But really, I think that that's kind of where I'm at, on the hand. And, yeah, that makes sense. We are going to grow and Keith it's going to be some movement, I think, really?
Keith McKeever 58:14
Yeah, it's got to be enough people. I think it'll build up steam, you know, when you have number two, number three, number four, whatever. And you see different examples of the way you can do it. Because honestly, we've just had your mission. That's one very specific example of coming together and and physically building a shop for somebody and doing the physical work, but it doesn't have to be exactly like oh, no, no, and once you see the multitude of different ways that that could take shape in more people know about it, hear about it, and read the book and you know, then you'll see you know, the escalating snowball effect is just pick up steam. So that'll be that'll be awesome to see. See how that goes. And
Joe Palacios 58:59
uh, yes, so that's right like I'll be honest man like at first I was thinking man I really love to do admission for what I want to do. But I always thought I need to get more clarity because I'm still not 100% Clear on on on what I want a mission to be like so as I as I want to participate in so many more just for that same reason that you're seeing as we see more examples we can kind of finite what they are and all that one great one great have mission that that I would really love to see that we could really do it's not a physical it's not getting together but some of us do some great stuff online in like could you imagine like a collaboration where somebody does like ads we're gonna all get together and we're gonna we're gonna get together really do ads and all the ads generate all the revenue from from this have AD mission will go to a physical house. Mission. You know what I mean? Like it elevates other people. I mean, it's just like, Yeah, I have a million of them. And it's just Yeah. Damn right.
Keith McKeever 1:00:09
You know me, that's just where I become shiny
Joe Palacios 1:00:13
objects. And I gotta be careful.
Keith McKeever 1:00:15
Yeah, no, it's, you know, do something on Zoom, and then invite everybody from the council in there and just talk about things throughout ideas, jot them down, you know, do bring little brainstorming. Yeah, here's some ideas and, and hopefully other people can kind of have that spark, like I did have been, you know, loving the idea to constantly looking for that opportunity. Because then you're gonna see, it's just,
Joe Palacios 1:00:44
excuse me. That's actually that's it. That's a 30 minute reminder to pick up my daughter from school. Yeah, I need that. 30 minutes, I unplug it because it's going to go up, like every five minutes, because I tend to forget to pick up my daughter too young to see this. So that's also, in my defense, my wife works at school with her. So she usually just goes and sits in my wife's office.
Keith McKeever 1:01:17
Yeah, well, that's good for that. Yeah. What do you need? She just sit there doing homework every day, right? That's
Joe Palacios 1:01:23
what she does. She got one. And you know, here's the funny thing, though. I mean, I know we're on a tangent. But if I go there, if I get there early, she's mad because she didn't get to do her homework before she came home.
Keith McKeever 1:01:34
You know, sometimes you can't win as a parent. You just can't. But, man, it's been a great conversation, you know about having missions and just empowering people. And I guess I'll just leave it at that, you know, at this next year, a little
Joe Palacios 1:01:47
bit more volume on evolution of yeah, for me, the evolution of the Hab missions, right, is our and the reason I like Jose for me as the first one is because Jose had a physical location. And for me, I would really like to see we do physical location have missions that we start to incorporate a like a have Resource Center in those places that are not just for veterans, but we're a veteran can invite civilian business owners or civilian entrepreneurs in and bridge that gap, right? Because that is in the what, as I realized my superpower and my passion, it's, it's, it's really is to bridge that cultural divide between our veteran community and our veteran culture, I'm gonna say culture is not we actually have a totally different culture to our veteran culture and community, with the civilian culture and community. Right? That's always been my thing. So I will as as these have missions, grow and maybe develop into have centers, right, because because, because my intention, long term intention is a series of veteran transitional work programs as a small urban farm, and dog training centers that have a shopes, soap shop, and other workshops in there to do artists and work and sell products. Right. But that also were a place for community to meet. Because I got I got the idea when I was working on my initial transition of work program just using the Dog Training Center. And I didn't have an urban form, I was just wanting to use dogs because dogs are good. They're they're good. defusing mechanisms, right. They take off the pressure of people meeting, because then there's a common denominator. If somebody comes up to Keith because they like Keith Pitbull. They're gonna go hey, Keith, is that a pitbull? And you're gonna be like, Well, yeah, you know, we don't call them pitbulls in this city. Because there's you just it's it's a way to strike a conversation with them, seeing them coming up to you and going Hi, my name is Joe. And what is your name? It and that. We're veterans kind of we tend to be like standoffish a little bit. Especially if, if you had a long service, and especially if you've had some combat service, right? It's like, well, shoot. I used to think of how I used to think all the time, right? Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody I need. That's kind of a weird kind of standoffish way to meet new people.
Keith McKeever 1:04:38
Yeah, it was kind of funny. You're talking about this wall because I was literally in clubhouse last night and I was in a room about real estate. It was it was all fellow real tours cross country probably 1215 people in there. So they noticed that was that they called me up there and I don't know what kind of prompted the question but uh, The ladies that were in there started asking some questions about you know, how should you address a veteran? Should you say thank you for your service, and certain things, and I actually applauded them after a great conversation, you're having the guts to kind of ask the question, because, you know, I share my opinion that sometimes it kind of feels good to be thanked for your service. But you know, you didn't do it for the things. Yeah, everybody had their own different reasons. But I was like, real short, but you know, my answer was like, you can add more to it, to give it more context, you can say something to the effect, like for a Vietnam veteran, hey, welcome home, you know, I appreciate your service. You know, all those years ago, doing everything that you did, you know, and glad you're here with us or, for other people, you can say, you know, I really appreciate your willingness to stand up for our country, you know, in all the blood, sweat and tears that you know, that it took for you to serve. And you'll greatly appreciate your honor, if something like that, right. Like you can kind of put your own little twist on it. And it comes out more, so much more genuine and caring, instead of this. Hey, thank you for your service.
Joe Palacios 1:06:11
You know what, Keith, man, this is also this last piece of our conversation really shows how how, like, all of us are right like it also it also like, I love that they ask you that right in thinking that that your answer is going to be the same answer that every veteran,
Keith McKeever 1:06:30
I didn't try to tell him I was going to be different. But it's a good guideline.
Joe Palacios 1:06:35
It's I love that it's the misconception that because we are service members, that we are all like, they do not realize that really the service are a bunch of individuals that choose to have a common purpose. We're not the same man. Like I don't I like when people say thank you for your service I got I think I got to the point where now I just say thank you, like I say, oh, man, absolutely. Yeah, you for thank you for appreciating that because
Keith McKeever 1:07:09
it doesn't bother me either. But I know some people it bothers and then they had a question. That's okay. And then they're like, should we should we think veterans on Memorial Day? And I'm like, well, that's kind of a loaded question. That's, you know, like, some people lost buddies in combat, and they're going to take great offense to it. But some people, it's just gonna roll right off their back like, yeah, for me. Okay, you know, I understand, maybe you, maybe they don't understand at all as a civilian. What are they supposed to, you know, how are they supposed to
Joe Palacios 1:07:42
urinate? right where you're at? Yeah. So I mean, I think I think I think the higher up and rank and the more that you were in charge of training and training other other people I used to, yeah, I guess you guys get offended, but I think we need to realize is that it's use it as a training tool. That's a training experience. You know, what, hey, I appreciate that. But Memorial Day is, is a remembrance of all those who lost their lives. Yeah, thank me on Veterans Day. And then and then you know, also, there's another thing that's called Armed Forces Day, that's when you actually can thank those guys who were still uncertain. Like I used to, I love the opportunity to teach people
Keith McKeever 1:08:24
I think it's a great opportunity to for some people, if they're obviously willing to do so. He said education moment, if they did lose somebody. Yeah, that's hard. You could use it as an opportunity to talk about veteran suicide. Just use it as an opera. Yeah, that's, that's, that's great. That is a great nugget right there. Because I think the intention is good. From 99% of people that attention is good. They just don't know what to say. It's just like, if you have a friend who lost a loved one, right, you know, I'm sorry for your loss. You are sorry for their loss. But it just kind of feels a little weird and kind of empty saying it sometimes. Yeah. So sometimes it's really hard to find the right words.
Joe Palacios 1:09:04
I hear you know, I struggled with that all the time. And I think, I think before also too, is like, it's like now like the new the new me is like if I struggle with with a way to comment on something. I try not to write, like if I can't get the right words. It's just, I don't want to be disingenuous, or I don't want to I don't want to say anything. I'll wait. Like, maybe I'll wait until I can kind of just vocalize it.
Keith McKeever 1:09:33
You're just yeah, sometimes, well, sometimes you can get misinterpreted really easy.
Joe Palacios 1:09:38
This is what I love about talking with veterans is that I know we talked we've had a lot of value in this conversation. And then we've probably had a lot of just let's talk about this and talk about
Keith McKeever 1:09:52
and I told you, we're just gonna just just kind of wing it. You know, we were just going to talk about, you know, the half missions and, you know, really just empowering You know, what you're trying to do with your soaps, you know, trying to get back and you know, give back to the veteran community. It's just perfect.
Joe Palacios 1:10:08
You guys, you've shared a lot about, you've asked questions about me and you've shared a lot. What? What do you got going on? And what can you share with your audience? With me? That's going to watch because some of my audience will be watching too. What are you? What would you like to share that can elevate and provide you value?
Keith McKeever 1:10:32
Odds are good one. Ah, well, my, my day job business is in real estate, residential, real estate sales, Central Illinois, I work in a poor area. So it's very, very hyper, hyper local type business. But I always tell people, I have two passions. One is talking about real estate. And the other was talking about veterans issues. Sometimes they overlap. But yeah, really, you know, it's, it's yeah, it's really my two passions. I mean, that's my day job. And in doing this podcast, this is just kind of my, you know, just, as of the recording of this, who knows, things could change. But I mean, I have zero sponsors for the show. You know, it's like, everything I do is just to give back. Yeah, because I just feel like that's, that's something that we need to do as a community of veterans is we need to find a way to give back and I loved podcasts. So I was like, why not, I'll grab a microphone, figure this out. I've had a lot of mentors along the way here that have taught me a little bit here a little bit there to try to figure things out. But, you know, between this and my website, trying to have resources, I'm just trying to be one person sharing some information. Because it just don't know when one episode is going to hit somebody. And they're going to be talking about finances earlier, hit somebody and be like, you know, what, I'm gonna get my finances under control, I need to look at it from a different perspective. And then they can take the actionable steps to go out there and make it happen, you know, or take a needle out of their arm, take the, you know, put the gun down, you know, whatever it is, yeah, no,
Joe Palacios 1:12:07
absolutely. You know, what's funny, is my wife was doing this 75 hard challenge. And then, and she completed to kill it. And then she did, then she did also the Phase One challenge, which was another 30 days. And now after that, 30 After that, one, you got to wait like 30 days. So she's like, halfway through the waiting period, and she's gonna, like finish this whole what's called the live hard challenge. Some guy out there. And she just, like, crushed it. She just kept kept pushing at it in and did it. And that's taking those steps, right, that was beautiful to watch. And, and so yeah, I totally get what you're saying and things, really kind of finding your passion and finding what drives you is important.
Keith McKeever 1:12:56
Yep. And it's, you know, it's gonna hit everybody at a different point. You know, I've told people before, shoot, I don't think I figured out life until I was 30. You know, I've been out of the military for a couple years by that point in time, you know, you just kind of start figuring out adulthood and life and direction and where you're gonna go. And I really had no clue till about 30 years ago, I'm in my mid 30s. Now, I'll leave it at that. Sorry.
Joe Palacios 1:13:22
I'm sorry. For those who didn't realize why I shared that is because Keith was talking about doing his podcast and people picking this up. And the reason I shared that about my wife was that I never shared anything, until I saw her killing this and then sharing it and then seeing people go, Oh, wow, I could do that. Just like Keith was saying. We talked about finances, maybe somebody is going to see this. Oh, you know what, I could do that too. And that's what I love about. I used to be the same way. I used to not want to share my journey or share that. And I think it's pot this. I've avoided podcast for a while. Because of the I feel like my Do I really need to share is it bragging but then But then as I see people get inspired. And then and then I feel like well, then maybe I have a responsibility to share. Right? Like, yeah,
Keith McKeever 1:14:15
because there's other people whether you're in a certain point in your career over the over the timeline of your whole life. Oh, you know, who knows where that time where you're at. But there's other people that are behind you. There's people that are ahead of you. And when it comes to podcasts, sharing your story, I don't know what next year brings, maybe I have you on next year, or maybe you're on somebody else's podcast next year. And you look back and you're like, Wow, man, I've grown so much since that point. Oh, man, oh, it serves that benchmark of like, this is where I am today. And next time you'll you'll be able to look back and be like, Wow, that helps me measure the growth.
Joe Palacios 1:14:55
So I went I went back and looked at a podcast I did with the with Tommy Chase like a long time ago like his first one and I was kind of like a trial cast I was like number two and I watched and I was like oh man I wonder if I've evolved since and I think I have
Keith McKeever 1:15:13
I think everybody does I can tell you I do after every episode is like a you know go back and figure out excuse me
Joe Palacios 1:15:23
Sorry son
Keith McKeever 1:15:41
oh wait for him to come back you can check out his his website, www Don't be nasty.com If you want check out some of the soaps. There's some pretty awesome soaps and a handful of different flavors. I'll try and get him to tell us what flavors he's actually got out there right now. Because they're all kind of small customers
Joe Palacios 1:16:01
worry about that. Now.
Keith McKeever 1:16:02
I've given you a website there man. I said I'll let you let you kind of let it let us know what your what you're actually making right now for your soap. Which what you get out there right now with flavors. Oh, right now in orange sage or something not
Joe Palacios 1:16:16
worse. Yeah. Orange sage P grapefruit, eucalyptus mint. And by the end of the hopefully by middle of the month I'll have a lavender, lavender, hip Java, I'm calling it which is just going to be a lavender essential oil. It's going to be a hemp base. And I'm going to put coffee grounds for the exfoliator. So it should
Keith McKeever 1:16:42
be kind of thing. That's cool. Yeah, pick up one of those
Joe Palacios 1:16:45
that it might evolve. Because I got a mix in the coffee. I've done a couple of them. And I used not have to try it again with actual expect coffee grounds that the first two I did that. I don't think I brew the coffee long enough.
Keith McKeever 1:17:03
As part of the journey, man.
Joe Palacios 1:17:05
Yeah, well, you have to you have to brew the coffee first. Because if not, the color seeps into the soap. And it looks kind of It looks kind of weird. It was like this, it was like this green, clear ish bar. And then you when you looked at it, it had like these brown kind of like, growth inside of it, which was just where the coffee grounds were, and then the coffee seeping it. It looked cool, but it was kind of like, I don't know, people are gonna like it.
Keith McKeever 1:17:35
Yeah, well, you got to think about the end consumer, right? They got to look at me like this is kind of funny or something wrong. But yeah, it's all about trial and error when you're making something. You know, it's my son's
Joe Palacios 1:17:46
journey. They felt fine when he used it. It looks It looks funny, but it feels good.
Keith McKeever 1:17:53
What's good, all it gives you a stepping stone so. So once again, for everybody watching, don't be nasty calm is where you can find those. We'll go ahead and wrap up here, Joe, but I got three questions for you. This is off, I ask everybody these three questions. So what piece of advice would you have for somebody looking to transition out of the military today?
Joe Palacios 1:18:14
Looking okay, do a pre when you go in there, take your medical record. And when you're going through your transition, and really validate like, look at your health, all of all of your stuff. And do if you have any service issues, make sure you do your claim pre separation. Like if you have the opportunity to do a pre separation VA claim, do it do before you get out, don't wait, you get out and then try to do it. That's one, two. Don't drop your pack completely. The things that made you successful in the military and to make you successful out your time management, your planning, keep your green monster if you still if you had one. If this was your Bible when you were in, find something that's exactly the same that you can use and still use it. Three, stay in contact with your brothers and sisters.
Keith McKeever 1:19:18
I think that's a huge one right there. Contact connections.
Joe Palacios 1:19:22
Contact doesn't have to you have to have long conversations, set up an SOP that says hey, man, if you call me all at least answer and say, Hey, I'm either busy or I'm doing something and also let that like pre emptive tell them hey, look, we don't have to have two hour calls. If you call if I call and you want to talk we can talk for like, just just do time. Hey, you know what, I got five minutes. Because I think a lot of times we feel like, at least for me early on. I mean, a buddy of mine actually started employing this and we actually talk way more now. Is that is that we said hey, if you want We got five minutes, you only got five minutes, just call for five minutes. He's a good. He's a we don't have to feel the need to talk for two hours. Because I think a lot of times we feel like oh man I haven't talked to so and so in like, three months. I don't know what to say, to say what's going on man. Yeah, be deep just just to check in.
Keith McKeever 1:20:21
But yeah, and the more frequently the better because they're going to expect it. And it makes those conversations go a little smoother as you get to know a little bit more what's going on in life and staying on top of it. So good ones darn good ones. How about advice for somebody who might be looking to join the military?
Joe Palacios 1:20:38
Do your research man like a research? What the jobs are, what they entail? What the guy is offering you? Do your own research don't don't? I know, really a job to do. And they're not. I don't think they want to lie to you. But they won't give you all of the information.
Keith McKeever 1:20:58
Well, they also don't know every job. You know, I mean, they know every job that's available, but they don't know that the intimacy of every job. So
Joe Palacios 1:21:05
yeah. If you if if you want to if you want to have a if you if your idea is to is to join the military to get a college degree, then then I would suggest join the reserves and get your degree as you serve. in active duty guys, tend to you'll get more done if you had enlisted time as an officer. That's just in my head. But I've noticed that it's not it's not I'm not saying that officers that weren't prior enlisted weren't locked on because I've had some fucking badass, you know, officers that that were. But if you're if you had prior service as an enlisted guy, and you're in your Mustang, you get the benefit of the doubt. I would say,
Keith McKeever 1:22:03
Yeah, I mean, I had some officers that, you know, loved and respected. But but some of those Mustangs man I'd run through a wall for Yeah, you know, they just knew, well, not only were they relatable, they actually knew your job. Because they had done it. They had gone through the ranks, you know, and then and now they're on the other side, kind of looking at it from that higher up angle. So
Joe Palacios 1:22:29
if you don't want to do if you don't want to do that, but you want to you want to be like an officer want to be an officer job, you want to get like a officer recognition, I would recommend being a loan officer. Those guys are badass.
Keith McKeever 1:22:43
If you can find
Joe Palacios 1:22:45
more awesome programs are badass.
Keith McKeever 1:22:46
Yeah, no, we didn't have an Air Force. But from what I understand sometimes it's kind of hard to find a Warrant Officer sometimes it's got to be in the good old boy club. Yeah, but I've heard that they are very tight knit group is from what I've heard so. So last question before we wrap up, give you an opportunity to I guess not really question but you know, what organizations would you like to give a shout out to that are doing good things in the veteran community?
Joe Palacios 1:23:10
Oh, man combined arms right now, combined arms I've been I've been having this tug for this organization is a nonprofit here in the greater Houston area called combined arms. And the I just like the premise, it reminds me of what Steven and laner talking about as a hab but they're actually a nonprofit. They facilitated like, a location where they brought in, but 10 other nonprofits, and they're all under one roof. And they just, it's like a combined arm exercise. Right? So combined arms is a really good one, uh, bunker labs. Oh, man. Another another great organization. I'd like to give a shout out to you. That helps veteran matter of fact, I'm even wearing a bunker lab shirt. This is a i i was part of the veterans and residency program, which is amazing. I mean, I kind of, I think our our cohort kind of, we got we got we got the short end of the stick because it happened to her in a pandemic. And we weren't able to utilize a lot of the services and things that they do. But if they bring that program back, and you're thinking of doing it, look them up and sign up because there was some resources in there that were amazing. And then again, you build a community there too. And what's great about is they partnered with we works when I did it. And I actually, if we would have had the opportunity. I had access to every WeWorks location in the United States, like literally the we had actually started a plan that we were going to do a tour of a Maxwell so we're going to do a tour. And we were going to start on the East Coast. We works and work our way west, but the pandemic happened
Keith McKeever 1:24:58
and always put a damper on everybody plans?
Joe Palacios 1:25:01
Yeah, that's okay. We're gonna improvise, that's gonna happen again. Because I got, I got, I got I got my eye on the Shortbus to do to do have and submissions and foreign missions and just a bunch of other stuff.
Keith McKeever 1:25:18
So that's a good idea. Yeah, that can be really, really helpful. I'll share that
Joe Palacios 1:25:22
later. Like, I mean, people will see people will know about the bus shortly.
Keith McKeever 1:25:30
Awesome. Well, a little thing, right? He said it's a small bus,
Joe Palacios 1:25:34
right? Yeah, it's a short. You have to wear a helmet.
Keith McKeever 1:25:37
You have to wear a helmet. Okay. All right. That depends on who's driving, I might want to wear one anyway.
Joe Palacios 1:25:43
I might even put on their Uncle Sam's misguided children's bus. So
Keith McKeever 1:25:47
there you go. Awesome. Well, there you have it. Joe. I love and appreciate we finally got together to do this. Don't be nasty calm is the website, go get your soaps, everybody. There. They're awesome. And, you know, you know, maybe, maybe come up with a new flavor soon. Under that flavor. style combination. The flavor was really
Joe Palacios 1:26:16
also in the future is plan a liquid. So to sum? Ooh, nice. Well, I mean, I think I think I think eventually if we really want to kind of really want to grow and be able to support more people that we really need to get into a b&b kind of thing. We need to find some, some b&b stuff. And I think a lot of the brick and mortar places are going to be looking they're probably going to want liquid so
Keith McKeever 1:26:42
that's good point. Yeah, absolutely. Definitely.
Joe Palacios 1:26:46
And I said earlier in the podcast, I was talking about hand washing stations for the homeless and I think liquid soap would be good for those students.
Keith McKeever 1:26:55
Probably easier than getting them all their their own bar soap. Yeah, definitely more more bang for your buck, especially when you're dealing with homeless people. You know, we know resources are sometimes pretty darn low.
Joe Palacios 1:27:05
It's just easier to source it's easier to keep it out there set it up and then
Keith McKeever 1:27:12
exactly,
Joe Palacios 1:27:13
because hey, you know what, like, gear drift is a gift if we if I left bar so to go hand wash station, it's going to disappear. And then everybody gets to use it.
Keith McKeever 1:27:22
Yeah, exactly. So you know, I suppose thing is more economical than getting everybody there. So because it's you know, one jug that's attached or however all that stuff works versus somebody walking off with soap in it. Well, good is washing your hands with soap right? Right. They still nasty
Joe Palacios 1:27:39
a Keith I had a great time. This has been awesome. Let's do this again. I'd like to. I'm gonna take you up on your offer. Let's do this again. In one year. Okay.
Keith McKeever 1:27:49
Let's do it. Alright, bro. Absolutely. Well, for you leave. I don't know if you want to drop any. Any. Like your slogan. I'll let you say I've said don't be nasty a few times.
Joe Palacios 1:28:00
Yeah, don't be nasty, man. Don't be nasty. Get out there and participate. Absolutely. Get a bar so to
Keith McKeever 1:28:07
Yep. bar so Hi. Thanks, Joe.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
