Episode 045 - Martin Hering, Founder of Entry Media

I can't wait to hear it. No pressure.

Welcome to out-of-home. Insider today's episode is brought to you by led truck media led truck media specializes in hyper-local street level campaigns. They get your message in front of the right people, whether your campaign is one day or one. With nationwide coverage, your campaign can be live in any major market within 24 hours.

If you want to reach a perfect audience in a truly engaging way, visit led truck media.com led truck media out of home advertising 2.0, thanks again for making today's show possible. All right. Without further ado, let's meet. Today's. These guests is Martin herring. Martin is the president of entry media, an out of home company that puts brands in the hands of their target audience and entrepreneur and pioneer Martin has a classical wisdom about not only business but life too.

And seeing as they truly are one in the same offers, practical antidotes for overcoming adversity and finding success despite their not always being. Enter media. Doesn't just put ads on turnstiles at big stadiums and subway stations. They welcome eager sports fans, greet passengers and bring the ordinary to life.

Martin. Thanks for being on the show today. Oh, thanks Tim. Um, I'm excited to be here. Well, uh, okay. Well, I think to learn a little bit more, I don't want to make this about, you know, just me or, but I think it's important to know a little bit where I came from. So hopefully it might resonate with some people.

Um, you know, my parents were, uh, and I'm not going to start with as a, as a small child, but, um, my parents were, were, um, I always thought a little bit different. My mom was from a Yugoslav. Um, she immigrated, um, as an adult. Um, I remember when she, uh, actually became a us citizen, I was, you know, in the, it was a really big deal.

My dad, um, was from Germany, came in, came here as a small boy, uh, fought world war II. Um, but really the time that, that, um, Um, that I grew up, it really was impacted by their, um, what they experienced in, in war. Um, and you just saw the, uh, um, you know, during the Nazi regime was, was, um, t-to, it was a very bad, bad time.

Um, I, you know, when I was growing up, I didn't, I didn't, I knew nothing about it. History was a subject. I really didn't care about it. It was just, it was kind of boring, but we spoke German at home. That was my first language. And I thought that was kind of. And it was pretty embarrassed about it. Um, I even wore later Hosen um, and you know, went to German socials with a broad worst.

Yeah. But I thought that was the strangest thing I wanted to be like everybody else. And yeah. So, uh, in my parents didn't, they were very careful about their money. Um, they, uh, and so I remember as a young boy, I was smaller. I was picked on a lot and I thought my route towards, um, being accepted would be to getting some nice clothes.

So I went to my mom and I said, Hey, you know, I'm tired of wearing all this hand me down stuff. Um, can I get some new clothes? And she said, sure. And I was like, really that's all I had to do is ask. Who knew, just go get a job. And I'm like, but I'm 12. And she's like, okay. So I was really ticked off and that, that wore off because that wasn't going to do anything.

So I ended up going, um, trying to think of, Hey, what can I do? Cause you know, Um, how am I going to get a job? I don't know anything, you know, I mean, I know how to cut a lawn with my dad's lawnmower, but what else can I do? I didn't know. So I went to the nicest part of town. I put together a, a flyer, um, hand handwritten and I went to the nicest homes and I offered to do anything for 75 cents an hour.

And, um, I ended up getting, um, a job. The prettiest girls house, her mom wanted me to, to, to do, you know, become like a caretaker and do whatever. And at 75 cents an hour, that's pretty good. And then, um, I also got a job in our neighborhood, um, with the woman who used to drive her BMW really fast through the neighborhood.

That was how we all knew her. We didn't know who she was, but it really impacted me. She, she took me on. You know, contrary to what was happening in school. Cause I was a little bit different. Um, and you know, speaking, you know, parents that were not American or they were American, but they were, you know, European descent speaking German at home.

Um, and um, this woman took me under her wings and everything I did. She did. She said you did, you're doing a great job. You are an amazing person. And that really. Um, affected me in a positive way. Um, she became a mentor of sorts and, um, I would go there every day after school. And I'd say, what would you like me to do?

And she'd say, I don't know, just walk around and see what, what, what you think needs to be done. And so I learned how to do things from, you know, building a patio to cleaning up to, um, you know, cut. I did cut their lawn. She trusted me. Um, and I, I kind of was forced to learn to live up to that trust. Same thing happened, um, with the, the, uh, the family in the super nice home, uh, in know where I lived in Connecticut.

Um, so that lasted and I always had money from that point. And I have to be honest with you. I was a little bit frugal with my money too, but I had nice clothes, but I learned a lesson. Um, that clothes don't really change. Who you are and how other people treat you. It's just, it's kinda like the emperors, you know, you've heard of that before where, you know, um, there's a story about a man who, uh, had a lot of money and, um, he started dressing like a homeless person and they were celebrating an event for him.

And he said, oh, he's coming to town. So they got everybody together. And, um, he shows up at this event and they kick them out and they're like, you know, and he's like, no, this is me. So they finally let him in and they realize who it is. And everybody's kind of really weirded out, like why is this guy wearing all this shabby clothes?

And he basically starts telling them that you didn't invite me. You invited my clothes. And that's what happens a lot of times it's a facade. So, um, the point is. Close don't make you, but it was a great lesson for me to find out, Hey, I got to find out who I am and that my actions are what people are going to judge me for.

So I ended up going to college was rejected by, you know, a ton of schools. Cause I wasn't really that great in school. I did go get it to one, um, in, in university of Rhode Island and I worked so hard there and, um, I kind of looking back now, um, it was a good experience, but it also, I lost my drive to be entrepreneurial.

I'd been doing that in high school. I was forced to do it, but in college I was taught by people that knew. Information. They didn't necessarily have, uh, they, they actually hadn't done the marketing campaigns that they were saying, Hey, you could hit do this marketing campaign. That's on page 7 45. So I left there, um, after four years I got my degree, um, ended up getting, uh, a, a job at Colgate Palmolive.

Um, and one of the reasons was because I spoke German and I was, I was hired, uh, for an international marketing training position, which was incredible. Um, and then as has life always goes, you know, one step forward or two steps forward. One step back, the position was, uh, put on hold because. Uh, for, for, um, there were some, some issues with financing and so on, so forth in the economy.

So they said, I'm sorry, we can't, we can't hire you right now. So I called them every day for months, and I ended up getting a job as a, um, an assistant buyer. And I bought, uh, I was the assistant to a woman that was pregnant, that was leading the next week. Um, her name is Paula and, uh, I ended up buying all the labels for Colgate Palmolive from Palmolive dish liquid to, um, Ajax.

I mean, all of them. And I was wined and dined by all these sales people, trying to get the. Which was great in New York, but I'm living in Connecticut and I'm driving, I'm taking the train four hours a day. And, um, that, that just goes so far. Um, and I mean, it was great in the beginning, but you know, getting up at five in the morning and I'm getting back at eight o'clock at night, um, anyway, But I didn't realize it at the time until, um, a gentleman had a heart attack in the train entering grand central station, and I was taking his pulse while they were working on him.

Um, and, um, and he died and that to me was like, you know, there's an inflection point where I was like, I can't do this anymore. And I was sent down to Orlando for sales training, um, right after that. Um, and I did. Um, and you know, here I've been working with a huge company, wined and dined, you know, it was all great.

It was a wonderful experience, fantastic people. Um, but now, um, you know, I, I ended up finding a job as a sales manager. Um, didn't work out. I left there, first thing I'd, you know, No, not fulfilled. Um, and so I had to get a job, so I got a job working at red Robin restaurant as a way as a waiter. Um, oh yeah.

And then, um, during the day I worked, um, for the Orlando magic was the city of Orlando was trying to get an NBA team. So I, uh, I helped sell, uh, pre-season team. In order for them to get to qualify, to get an NBA team. So that was, you know, the, I don't know if you remember the Harlem Globetrotters, there's a guy named curly Neal.

He was part of that effort. He was, um, you know, one of the best dribblers in the world. And pat, pat Williams was making a huge effort with that. And then, um, the mayor and the chamber of commerce. So I just crushed it. I was selling those things. I was so excited about it. And at night I was humbled. I would go and I'd work as a waiter.

So. On the outside, it seemed like kind of step down, but it was, it was really important for me to, to understand the bottom. It's not. You know, you graduate and you never, well, I don't have to do that anymore. Right. You always have to do that. You always have to take care of and do the menial stuff or whatever.

So I've worked as a waiter and I'm really proud. I mean, I, I worked really hard and I was fortunate. I had a lot of happy customers and one customer said, you know what? I want you to call this guy. And, um, I want you to, I want you to see, I think he, he could hire you. You're what he's looking for. So I called this gentlemen, he was Bob Tacomas in a magazine in town called central Porter magazine.

And I called him and he hired me and I worked for red Robin for the next year. Um, and, um, I was paid a draw, which means you get certain amount of money for your living expenses and, but you got to pay it. So for a year, I was getting this draw and I paid it all back, you know, through the help of, because when you sell something for a magazine, you'll get paid for months because it takes a while for it to run.

So that became like my own little business. I mean, I really hustled hard. I loved it. And I did that for seven years until, um, the company was sold and they ha they fired every salesperson. Um, But while that was happening, I kind of felt a little bit, um, I wanted to start doing my own thing again. And so I, I, I remember reading about a gentleman, um, who in Phoenix, Arizona, that had come up with an idea about advertising on a baggage carousel in airports.

And I called the guy and I said, you know, man, you have such a great idea. How did you do it? And I talked to him a little bit and he's like, oh, you know, gave me some good suggestions. So at that point, um, he said, call me anytime. So I started looking around, I had a list, I had a notepad with me and I was looking for problems.

That's every day I would look around and I would look for problems that needed solutions, not to be negative, but okay. Here's some, here's a problem that could be solved. And then I started analyzing it. So there was no, you know, like, oh, that's a dumb idea. Write them all down for 30 days. And I was waiting for a friend of mine in, uh, at the Orlando.

Um, uh, right at the, at the turnstiles and I was waiting for, um, this friend to come through and it was almost like it was an epiphany. It's like, I remember it now it's slow motion people walking through, you know, kind of like ever watch the movie 10 or Bo Derek's running. It's kind of like that. They're running to the turnstiles and they're grabbing it and they're looking down and I thought, oh my gosh, this is it.

There is nothing on there and they're staring at it because they're coming in contact with it. And I thought, wow, what a great idea. And you had trained your mind over that 30 days to look for opportunity, right. And they're like, yeah, yeah, it's cut. It's kind of like, if you're interested in buying a car, you're looking for a, uh, I'd love to get involved.

I love. Yeah. Maybe I'd get a green one. And then all of a sudden that's all you see is green Volvo is you're like, oh my gosh, I never noticed they're everywhere. So what you see what you look for that expands? And so that's, I found it and I'm like, okay, this is it. I got my idea. But then what happens with most, every, every other, you know, entrepreneur or idea person is like, what do I do now?

Now? Yeah. I don't know. I don't, I'm not an engineer. I don't know anything, you know, put an ad there, go, you know, so, um, You know, did a little bit of research, but I was just kind of, I was a little bit lost. So I called the gentlemen back in Phoenix for anybody listening like Martin, what year was this?

Cause there was no Google. You weren't, you weren't pulling up Google to ask Google. Wasn't. Well, yeah, that, that, that was, yeah. So, no. Um, but what I did have, I had resources and those resources, you know, during that time of discontent, when I was selling and I was making, um, you know, 88% of, uh, I shouldn't, I was making 12% of what I brought in and I thought it started going, man, I'd rather get a hundred percent.

And I started looking around. Yeah. Instead of being angry and blaming, I said, you know, this has been a great learning opportunity. W what else can I learn here? So I started reading biography. A ton of biographies, but not just entrepreneurs, but you know, people that have been, you know, successful people, um, you know, Abraham Lincoln, John Adams, uh, even a God, or if you ever have Andy Andrews, um, Ray crock, um, uh, uh, oh gosh, what's his name?

Marriott. Um, the gentleman that started married, if you go to any Marriott, there's this book right there, the biography, and I started reading about it. These guys were, they were any different than anybody else. But, but they had determination commitment and they'd been through one thing that I've been through over and over, which was adversity, you know, degrees of adversity and a gentlemen by the name of Andy Andrews has had adversity is preparation for.

And that stuck with me, like, okay, so there's a purpose to this. I'm actually learning something. So what, after I looked on the, you know, they came up with these, this idea, this great idea that I had no idea what to do with, um, I started, um, I called a guy in Phoenix. I said, Hey, what did you do when you came up with that idea about, you know, the advertising on the BA baggage carousels?

Cause I think I have an idea and he said, One, I did a patent search. Um, so you got to get a good patent attorney. And I said, okay, that's a good idea. He said, you know what, I'll, I'll email it now. Or the email I'll mail you my patent attorney's name. Um, and then he said, find a good engineer. And I'm like, okay.

Um, here's a guy that I. I said, okay, wow, this is great. He said, I'll send you my marketing materials too. I said, wow, that's great. He said, don't, don't quit. If you have a good idea, just go for it. There are going to be people that are going to laugh at it. They're going to be people that are going to look at it, the negative things about it.

And it's not because they're bad. It's.

Life is challenging. We compare ourself with other people and a lot of people, you know, when they see successful people, they compare themselves to that person, just the facade and say, wow, Uh, they're lucky that they have that, but they don't know what it took for that person to drive that Maserati or that Ferrari, or to have that big house if nobody knows.

So, um, I ended up calling the patent attorney and he said, okay, it's going to cost you this amount of money. And I'm like, dang, I don't know how much money. Why don't you go to the library and you can do a patent search. And, um, back then they had something called microfiche. It was like this computer screen.

And then you just put in these papers or whatever, this is clear information, and then you look up articles or something from the us patent trademark office. And so that's what I did every single night for. For a long time. Let's just say I wasn't very social for a long time. A long, long time I went to university.

This is the level of commitment it takes you. Can't just, it's an idea and yeah, yeah, yeah. Everybody has ideas, but without action is just an idea. Yeah. I kept reading. I kept, um, um, trying to put myself around other people. I had a friend of mine that was very successful and started a temporary agency. Um, and I used him as a mentor as well, gave it feedback and then, um, make a long story short, um, after.

Uh, a couple of years, um, working with the patent attorney and, you know, this is engineer finding a manufacturer and, um, and so on and so forth. I also talked to the, um, the government has a, um, Oh, my gosh. I'll have to think of the name. It'll come to me, but it's retired, retired, um, executives that are there to help people at scores.

And they, uh, it's, it's, it's basically a group of retired executives. So I went, um, and I, I, I met with them and they came up with some really good ideas. And so I was, I'm kind of working on all these different things. And part of my motivation also was that I had. Uh, really nice guy, um, that while I was working day in and day, night, day in and day out, he was, um, getting his car repossessed.

He was watching soap operas, and it just in the room right next to me. And it really ticked me off. It was like the, what I don't want. So that fueled me to push even more. So, um, so that's what I did and kind of, you know, kind of fast forward, you know, I tried a lot of different things. Um, you know, we did a test, uh, at the Daytona beach ocean center.

I came up with this, these flimsy sleeves and we put them on for a now defunct, um, water company called splash waters. And we did a test. The guys at score said, Hey, you should do a test. If you done the test. I'm like, no, see if people notice it. So we put it on the turnstiles there. I had a photographer.

Taking pictures as people walk in and, and it was, it was incredible. I had all my friends helping hand these out after people left, you know, which ad did you see? Who was the advertiser? And people had to write it in and I made it way too hard for myself. Like not like, is the advertiser Pepsi? Is it? It was fill in the blank.

And so what we found out, and this was, it was a minor league hockey game. First I got the pictures back. Excuse me, the pictures back in everybody's staring. At the arm with the, uh, splash waters logo on it, nobody's was told, Hey, look down there, camera person, five to 10 feet away from them taking pictures, which is kind of nice.

So that was reaffirming like, okay, people are going to be looking at this. And then when we got the results back and I ended up hiring, uh, some UCF master's students to interpret the. Where people were able to recognize or to recall without aid. So no prompt the advertiser on the turnstiles wow. Than any other sign.

And it was a, it was a company nobody knew. So now the next step is how do you break into the sports industry? Because that's where I want to do. So I went to different, uh, functions, just kind of, Hey, can I just stop by and check out your stadium managers association meeting? And I did, and you know, oh yeah, just check it out next year, sign up.

And so I talked to a couple of different people and I might sample there and, and people that were pretty recognizable, looked at it and said, nobody's going to buy it. I tell you why Martin, because everybody wants TV visibility. Nobody cares about anything else. But. Well, what about the, the, the audience that's going there?

There there's a value with the TV audience. There's a value in stadium, but it's all competing against the event for the attention of the fans. This is sold exclusively. First thing, people are excited. Hey, I'm going to go see the Miami dolphins play. And first thing I'm going to see is, you know, Miccosukee Indian game.

Who was, who ended up becoming the advertisers with the dolphins. So, um, that really fueled me. I got, I got ticked off, not at them, but I was like, you know, I'm going to show them. And that's what I did. So I, um, uh, so, so I had to prove it now. So how am I going to get into, into, into, uh, um, into the, into the business or into the advertising world?

So Michael Jordan retires from basketball. And, um, Michael Jordan says I'm going to play baseball for the Chicago white Sox, and everybody laughs at him and says, you've got to be kidding me. You're a basketball player. And sorry. And then, um, so he, he goes and plays for the Birmingham barons AA baseball team, and I find out about it.

Um, and Orlando has a minor league baseball team called the Orlando. So I called, I called the, the manager there and say, Hey, I've got an idea I want to meet with you. I'm an idea that can generate some revenue, got names. The guy's name is Roger Weksberg. He was the general manager for the Orlando Cubs. He said, Martin, come on down.

I mean, really special guy, still friends with him. And so I met with him and he said, Martin, it's a great idea, but we have too many other signs to sell you, sell it and we'll split it. I said, okay. So I went to the Orlando Sentinel, which is a local news. And they bought it the next day. And so we put it up with my fiance.

Um, when Michael Jordan was coming in town, I think it was May 9th, uh, 1994, I think. And I still remember the fans. There were thousands of fans outside the gates. It's a small minor league ball ball club. I think they seated about four. There were over 7,000 expected through this game. They were like rattling the cages and I'm putting these on to the arms of the turnstile.

And, um, Roger, the general manager comes up and he goes, mom, we gotta open the gates. We have to open the gates. And I'm like, okay, I want it to be perfect. And we did. And they opened the gates and people swarmed in and it was like, oh my gosh, this is incredible. It's working. And the Orlando Sentinel wrote a story.

And then the wall street journal wrote a story about it. And then USA today, baseball, weekly and USA today wrote a story about it. Um, okay. So I might've prompted them. Hey, here's a story you might want to look at, but that's how we did it back. Then you call editors here, something to think about. You write it if you want it.

So they did. And then, uh, the Buffalo bills called me and said, Hey Martin, I like your idea. Can we, can we talk? And we do. And we ended up doing what's called a gate sponsorship. We made that up with them. So they, instead of having gate ABCD, we had the Snickers entrance, we had the, uh, Coca-Cola entrance and it tied in with their parking lot.

It was perfect. And so they were a client for a long time and it just grew from there. Um, so, um, there, I mean, I can't say that everything was easy. Um, the steps in getting to it, uh, in fact, um, Uh, there were a lot of challenges and right now, turnstiles, um, for actually for a number of years, I've been taken out of ballparks, um, and taken out of NFL.

A lot of NFL stadiums, a lot of arenas because they want free flow of people coming in. Um, but as, as with anything that goes in trends, um, we, we diverted and we started focusing on places. They were adding turnstiles and that was in subway stations. Um, in fact, um, not only were they adding them, they're making them more.

More efficient and effective through, uh, Where you just hold up your phone to, uh, in the New York city subway system, um, you hold it up and it pays for it through Venmo, American express, Google pay, um, um, these, uh, uh, a myriad of different apple pay. Um, and so they're expanding that that'll be done in this.

Um, and we've had a incredible partnership of over 10 years with Outfront media, um, who has, you know, it's just been a, uh, it's been an amazing partnership, a blessing, um, to be able to help so many different, um, companies, especially now, um, with the. And coming back with the rebirth New York city being the kind of the epicenter where everything was going on and the subway basically came to a screeching halt except for essential workers.

And now it's coming back. Uh, they're in phase four and advertisers are, um, are, are coming back, TripAdvisor club Monaco. Um, uh, I can't tell you the one that's going up on Monday, but, um, New York health and hospital, New York Presbyterian hospital. Um, I've been, I post them on LinkedIn just to let you know, you can mention who it is, cause this will come out on Monday, so it will be live.

Okay. It's Quimbee, Quimbee Quimbee will be out, um, uh, two stations, uh, on Monday. And, um, I, you know, that's all done through, um, Outfront media. Who's one of the, they're one of the best. And gals that I know they're authentic and this pandemic has really shown their true colors. Um, but I also want to thank the advertisers for trusting them and, and, um, utilizing our signage as well to help them because, gosh, I mean, if somebody had told me 25 years ago, we're going to go through a pandemic and you're going to play a very small role in helping, um, companies to.

Get their business back slowly build brand, um, you know, uh, um, getting their brand message in front of people, um, helping them motivate their clients, their current clientele, but also their workers that, Hey, we're, we're here. We, we did a posting for, um, club Monaco. Um, and I don't know if you, I mean, how this relates to other people, but, uh, over 7,000 people.

Responded on the LinkedIn post, which first small guys pretty good. And they were, and they were from all over the world and Ralph Lauren owns owns club Monaco. Um, but it was so great to see that the messages too, like, Hey, you know, we're back, you know, we are, we are on it. And so they, they workers we're seeing yet the company is supporting us.

We're out there. We're fighting, we're all doing this together. And that's, that's pretty, pretty exciting. I think, um, to be, to be a small part of that. So, um, so yeah, so that's, so that's kind of, that's kind of the nutshell of, of entry media, um, how we got here. Um, and, um, yeah, it's been, it's, it's been quite a ride.

Um, but I could tell you if, if, if I can do it, anybody can do it. You have a good product, you believe in it. You're on it. And that that last part is probably the most important thing. You can have a pretty good product. And if you're honest, people try to help you out. You can have a really good product, but you're honest to a fault, um, where you actually want the customer to win before you win.

You'll win. It's so true. It's a concept that I was just introduced to a couple months ago. I was listening to actually this, this guy right here. Um, he's got lots of turnstiles, Jesse Cole. He'd be on the Savannah bananas baseball team. And uh, they're, uh, uh, What's that I think they used to be called the sand gnats.

I think so. Sounds like they used to use our product. Yeah, that's funny because he's got to say this is make it, make your customers feel like they took advantage. Wow. That's really profound. Just so you know, everyone talks about delivering value, delivering value, but what does that really mean? What does it, what does it feel like?

And that's, that's kind of what it would, that's what it would feel like. How was it? Was it from the time that you had the epiphany moment to the time that the Buffalo bills are calling you? I'm sure it wasn't six months. It was a couple of years. Yeah. So I got stuck in, in a, um, in a pattern which a lot of entrepreneurs do.

Um, is they come up with an idea, they do research and they keep doing research and they keep, you know, just studying all these things. I put together a business plan, but they don't act, they don't take the next step. Why? Because it's great to have an idea because it hasn't failed. It's an idea it's going to be hugely successful, but you know what it is, it is failing.

If you don't bring it up. Because no matter what, you're going to come up with an idea, you're going to bring it to market and it's going to have to go through different iterations. It'll change slightly. You know, when, when, um, I never going to, uh, when Michael Jordan came in town and went to the Birmingham barriers, that was the second club I went to and they said, well, Martin, how much does it cost?

And I had no idea what to tell him. And I'm like, let me get back to you. Because what I didn't want to do is I didn't want to become a signage company. Where I sell it and it breaks down who cares? Just sell a ton of them. I want it to be, I want it to be invested. So I. Uh, I sold the rights to use it to all these clubs and minor league baseball was one of our biggest users.

We had over a hundred, probably over a hundred clubs around the country using it because they were the most creative. Um, they, and we found ways, Hey, you know what, by the way, baseball, you're in a small town. You want to do some things you want to upgrade your scoreboard, why or you have the use the advertising revenue from the church style to help pay for that.

So are you wanting to get some new uniforms for your, you know, your entry people? Why don't you do that? So we came up with ideas that would benefit them. So you were solving, you were solving business problems with a piece of advertising. Yes. And in order to do that again, before social media, you have to get in front of these people, minor league baseball.

There was a guy named Jim Paul used to own the El Paso. Diablos used to have a, uh, annual seminar in beautiful El Paso, Texas. Um, and it was called the, well, I guess it wasn't very creative. We called the El Paso seminar. So we would go there every year and all the minor league marketing guys would be there and you pay.

To be a sponsor, but you got, I don't remember what it was. Five minutes, 10, 15 minutes to talk with everybody. So, you know, I learned from other people, you know, people don't want to hear about you. They want to hear about something that relates to them and it's so I tried to talk to them as, okay, what are some of your problems?

And I try to find out some of the problems at a time and that okay. If you can generate $10,000. W what can you use that for? As opposed to, you know, turnstile ads, that's kind of weird, but it took off. And, um, I remember being at a trade show and, um, one of my clients talking to one of my clients think he was from Tulsa and he said, and one guy walked by and he said, can you believe this guy is talking about me?

This guy wants to charge us to use this song. And the guy turns around. He goes, we've been using it for years. It's fantastic, but you don't pay him anything unless you're making money. So it's like going through a stockbroker and saying, Hey, the stock broker says, I'm going to tell you a way to make a hundred thousand dollars and it'll cost you 10.

Do you focus on the tenant cost you or the 90 that you net, but you don't pay 10 until you make. And that's, that's what happened. And that client, that gentleman ended up becoming a client as well. But the point is that, you know, it's hard to change, you know, business, you know, people are used to doing things a certain way.

It's hard to break into a business, but if people see that you're authentic, that you are really wanting to help them, um, it might not, might not show it initially. Um, but it'll. I'll give you another example. So these are just examples. Who cares if it's about me, but the, uh, the Houston Texans, um, a good friend of mine w to became a good friend, David pier at the team was awarded, um, a new NFL franchise.

Um, they're opening up their, their stadium and they sold the signage rights, um, to the entrance using our. And so I called David, um, in, I guess it was early, early August and said, how's it going? And his calm, demeanor, wasn't calm. He's like, Martin, this is a crazy time. I can't deal with this now. I'm like, well, I just want to make sure that the, you know, the, the tourist I'll add sleeves are up and looking good.

And he goes, I can't, I can't deal with it. I said, you know, it's like one of those moments where you're like, you can be upset or angry, take it personal. I said, well, do you want me to help? Yeah, that'd be great. So I flew there. I was there the next day. It happened to be a very, um, beautiful, warm, Nope, hot muggy, um, uh, Houston day.

And I put every one of those sleeves up. Um, there, there was uh,

maybe 80, so 240 signs. Oh my gosh. I was sweating. I was, oh my gosh. It was. It was like the greatest thing, because it was here. I was, this was a new NFL franchise that was opening up and my signage is out here and it's going to help all these different companies, um, you know, mattress world, uh, uh, Miller beer Ford.

Um, Coca-Cola I was like, wow, this is awesome. And I think people note notice that, and it's probably, you know, my, my growing up. Um, for my parents that said, you know, like you have one chance to be honest. And, um, I, I never forgot that. And it's, it's, it's really important. I've been very, I've been really fortunate.

I don't know if you can see the background here. Um, I mean, you know where I am, I'm in beautiful deer valley. Is that amazing deer valley is one of the nicest ski resorts in the country. And I feel so blessed to be here. Um, w this is a property that we rent out. So, um, I've been able to buy some vacation properties and especially now to be able to share them.

Um, family, friends, coworkers. Um, and then we rented out to other families that are going through hardship and hearing what people say. We just had a family that stayed here for 40 days. Um, another property here, um, and from, from, uh, Ford, an older couple and hearing their comments every day, how much fun they're having, they're hiking.

Um, you know, normally there'd be touring all over the world, like to play a little part of that. Um, yeah, it's it's it is it's uh, well, I don't know if I want to call it a fairytale, but it's, it is, it is a incredible story for me. So this hardship has been hard for everybody. It's been extremely hard for us.

Uh, if our customers don't make money, we don't make money and our customers weren't making money. So what do you do? You focus on your customers. You find out what their needs are. You try to help them. He tried to, um, help promote companies that have been using the product. Um, you know, you kind of be there, not just through email, but by phone.

So people know that you're there. Um, and you do whatever you do, whatever is needed. Um, and so when business comes back, which it is, um, thankfully, um, it's like this veil has opened up and all of a sudden we're seeing, you know, life coming back and people knowing the I can, I can work. A pandemic. We can make this work it's harder, but we can still do it.

Um, that's, that's been a kind of a revealing thing. And the other part is that, you know, your priorities change a little bit too about. Um, you know, about, you know, your, your loved ones and their health and your own health, you know, making sure that you're strong, um, and getting stronger, um, because this is a, this is a pretty, pretty challenging time for everybody.

I've got my daughter here. She's in college. She's not crying, um, because, um, you know, college is now online and she's missing all our friends. Um, she is, it's been, it's been really amazing watching her getting a job, um, and, and really crushing it in school, even though it's only been a week she's, she's doing pre-med, um, which I'm really proud about, um, her efforts.

So that's. W w what, what we do, not what we say, but what we do, people see that in business and in life. Um, and when things are challenging, that's when characters usually revealed. So, um, I could see with you, I mean, you're hustling out there, Tim. Um, you're trying to get the out-of-home message out there trying to share, you know, tidbits of information with, you know, people that are watching, you're making.

It matters. Well, I appreciate that. And I know that this conversation is going to make a difference for a lot of people. There's a lot of people right now that that are displaced and trying to figure out what's the next move. And sometimes it's just hearing from somebody that, you know, or you know of and go, oh, wow.

Like, yeah, Martin Martin got through that and he made incredible life for himself. I can do that too. Thank you. Thank you and, and anybody who ever wants, um, uh, feedback or want to talk to somebody? I am always available. I'm always available to pay it, pay it forward. Um, so, or even pay it back because I've had a lot of mentors in my life.

Um, so I'm happy to do that. Anybody can reach out and I'm just one. You know, there's a lot of people out there, but people shouldn't get that. The, the, um, current situation is not in our control, but what is in control is how we respond to it. So that's, that's always the most important thing and we need to frame, how can folks get in touch with you?

How they can email me@martinatentrymedia.com. They can call me at (407) 415-7199. Well, you know, our website's entry, media.com. Uh, of course, uh, and I'm happy to help anybody if it's an, a word of encouragement, um, you know, reach out to Outfront is there they're the best and they're helping a lot of businesses out there, but more importantly, you know, trying to help people through all this.

I'm happy to talk to anybody. Um, because I've sure done my, my share of reaching out to people. So I'm happy to do it for, for anybody. We'll include all that in the description and the, in the show notes below Martin, any last parting thoughts or words for the audience? Um, well I think, you know, I would just say, you know, that emotion has purpose.

Okay. You know, but we have to be really careful during this time, you know, to, to kind of challenge the emotions that come up. Um, you know, the people that are maybe desperate, the people that are sad, the people that are, you know, don't don't know what the next step is. Um, you know, all these things are lessons and there's a lesson to be learned from all of it, but we just got a.

And so, um, reach out to people that, that, you know, can give you some feedback or some encouragement, but this is the time. This is one of the best times to come up with businesses. All you've got to do is find a need and fill it, look for a problem and solve it. Beautiful, simple wisdom as promised in the, in the introduction.

Martin. Thanks so much for being here. It's been helpful to you. Please share with somebody else who could benefit from the incredible stories and tidbits that Martin shared here today. And as always, don't forget to click the subscribe button down below in the corner and thanks again to led truck media for making today's show possible.