Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:24 Good morning, everyone. Welcome to this episode of coffee, Jim James James April is just about upon us. How are you feeling? Are you ready for April?
Speaker 2 00:00:34 I'm springing into April. See what I did there.
Speaker 1 00:00:38 I, I see what you did
Speaker 2 00:00:40 Actually really, really pumped today. I am putting my house back together piece by piece as you know, the,
Speaker 1 00:00:48 What a
Speaker 2 00:00:49 Journey March showers brought to hill this time. And, uh, so we got a new roof a while back just, uh, about a week or so ago. And then, uh, got some new windows in today from that too. So we're, we're getting there. We're still some windows short, But that's okay.
Speaker 1 00:01:08 Supply chain issues,
Speaker 2 00:01:10 Supply chain, man. Yeah. How about you? How are you, man?
Speaker 1 00:01:14 I'm good. It's uh, uh, March was a good month and April is gonna be a busy month for me. And, uh, but life is good.
Speaker 2 00:01:22 It was like, we were just a, not too long ago.
Speaker 1 00:01:25 We were brother. We were in Columbia, South Carolina at the SGA event, which, uh, I have to tell
Speaker 2 00:01:32 You felt like the kickoff kinda, I know you traveled a little bit before, but us being together and bringing the show out feels like, you know, like the official start,
Speaker 1 00:01:42 I, I would agree. And I think the electricity that bringing the cock gym and James show two shows really adds a lot of fun.
Speaker 2 00:01:51 It does for me. And it may just be selfish for me, but it does bring a vibe to a hall to the hall. Um, I was thinking myself how cool it would be to be someone. And we saw a lot of them. Jim, I think we talked about it with a lot of different people. There are a lot of young people coming into our industry, new and green to our industry. And I thought, how cool would it be to sit back at our booth and just watch people get brought on and hear their origin stories, hear what they, how they service the industry and get to know 'em and then, you know, walk off the, the, the stage, if you will, and get to be able to talk to 'em. I mean, what a, what a platform, what a cool byproduct of the show.
Speaker 1 00:02:35 Well, it really is, and it, and it's really fun seeing the next generation come in, uh, everything from my daughter summer entering it to all the folks, um, at SGA. And it's amazing. The interesting part is their perspective on the world and life and the energy industry. And I tell you, they're bringing a, a different dynamic, a great dynamic to the industry. They're bringing a, um, an energy they're bringing no pun intended,
Speaker 2 00:03:03 Not pun intended, I think,
Speaker 1 00:03:05 But, uh, they're bringing, they're bringing good stuff. They're bringing technology, they embrace technology and they're asking questions that we
Speaker 2 00:03:13 That's the gold. Yeah. You know, Why have we done like this forever? You know, some of the best, some of the best stuff is when somebody shows up and they don't know enough to just fall in line. And they're like, so explain to me why we do this. Cause we've always done it that way, Jim. Um, I see. No,
Speaker 1 00:03:34 But it, but it happens in as much as we could teach them. We can learn from them too. And that's what I love about the industry is that they're willing to share and, and to teach people like me, new stuff. And I, and I love it, you know? Right.
Speaker 2 00:03:49 And I mean, I said it earlier about the show and being able to just kind of sit back and, and listen to these stories and hear about it. But I mean, that's what I'm doing. I mean, I'm talking about all the, I, I feel still feel young in the industry, you know, but I'm sitting back, I'm asking those questions cause I really wanna know, you know, so it makes the shows a lot of fun for me. And I don't know about you, Jimmy, but I like staying busy at shows. I don't like a lot of Ile time. I'd rather feel it by networking, by being in, you know, sitting inside like what you did popping on a panel, you know, uh, our friends over at Magnolia. Yep. Uh, river reached out and was like, Jimmy, we need a panelist. Are you down? And Jimmy jumped on rep tracer over there, great session. Um, but I'm like, you, man, I want to keep, I wanna stay running. If I'm there. Max me
Speaker 1 00:04:42 Velop me, immerse me, put me in we're there for three to four days. And the ability to talk me say hi to a hundred fifty, two hundred, two hundred fifty three hundred people. I that's what gets me excited and they're exhausting. No, can be wrong. We were in, uh, trade show. How the exhibit hall by what? 7:00 AM every morning.
Speaker 2 00:05:03 No doubt. Yeah. I'm sick. I mean, you were about eight 15. No, I'm just kidding. No, we, I mean they're long days, but I really enjoy it. And, and we've been a little bit smarter. We hadn't really used it to our advantage yet, Jim, but we've been a little more pointed with our own time. <affirmative> with some of these events where we can be there, just, you know, for the main portions, um, because we have other folks that can travel with this. So we had, we had a good show, um, introducing folks, um, on our team and, and really connecting people. We got to spend a ton of time with a lot of our friends, like you said, but we recorded, we recorded with Versive. Um, man, Gina and Keith or yeah. Gina and Keith were amazing. Yeah. Uh, it might be one of my favorite episodes that we've done and it was live, which made it kind of cooler, you know, doing it there at the show
Speaker 1 00:05:59 Episode too. Wasn't just a short, it was a full episode.
Speaker 2 00:06:03 Yeah. And then, uh, getting, uh, Chris McCabe on, we've been trying to make that happen a while too. So we got an episode, uh, with him coming up and you know, that was one of those that it was good for the soul. You know, we hadn't seen Chris, um, in a while and to get the fellowship with him and just laugh. We had some funny outtakes. We got the giggles on that one. Yeah. And, uh, uh, but it was great to be with him too. Lots of good feedback, man. I had a lot of people come up to me, ask about the show. It's funny when you're standing in the beverage line, how many times some one will be behind me and go, Hey, aren't you that guy on LinkedIn, it's a coffee guy or the, you know, on the podcast, you know? And I'm like, yeah, what a weird thing to say these days, but yeah, it's,
Speaker 1 00:06:50 We're connecting the dots and that's, you know, people ask why I, you and me, why we do it? And I said, it's like being at a, a trade show every week that we get to interact and people just see it for a minute or 10 minutes or the whole episode, they feel like they're connecting and they might get something out of it. Yeah. I can't tell you how many times a day I get something on this. Okie eight 11. I
Speaker 2 00:07:13 Forgot. You know, we didn't really talk about that, but, um, not to change, I do wanna wrap up on SGA real quick. We did get to spend some awesome time with our friends over at SGA. Um, we had Cindy on, we had Stephanie Carlo, uh, we got to meet Susan and some of the other folks there. Um, Catherine, thank you so much, everybody
Speaker 1 00:07:35 Pointer too. Not, not join.
Speaker 2 00:07:37 Yeah, not Suzanne, uh, Suzanne, uh wasn't there, she was, uh, sharpening the saw, which I thought was awesome to hear that's that's trust in a team, isn't it? Yep. So, uh, we gotta spend some time there. Uh, kudos the SGA. I like seeing them set a tone for this year. Uh, I think everybody was happy and um, I, um, you know, uh, ready, ready for the next one? I think natural gas. Connect's gonna be awesome.
Speaker 1 00:08:05 Yep. That's in St. Louis, I believe early June, if I'm not.
Speaker 2 00:08:09 Yeah. Registration just coming out. Yeah. Uh, but I, I did want to go back and just hit on, um, and O okay. 8 1, 1 of it that I was part of, I think we did a promo for, and, and maybe talked about before, but I got the pleasure to speak with Kelsey. Klingler our, uh, director of safety and compliance here at energy world net. And we, uh, have a new presentation called culture is everything. And we take culture, like my kind of culture, you know, the, um, you know, the fluffy yeah. Fu food culture stuff that we are not too sure what it is. Uh, and then, um, marrying that with safety culture, the, the topic of safety culture, that damage prevention is so used to, right. That kind of conversation. And I think it went really well. We had a blast doing it, uh, Kelsey and I, uh, have a good time together anyway.
Speaker 2 00:09:03 So we got the fellowship that week and then I got to chase. So we keyed the Okie eight 11 annual meeting, uh, which was lunch plus provide and stuff. So pretty, pretty nice group, probably 75, 80 people, you know, attended the meeting. There was some voting and stuff going on. And then I was able to do a breakout the following day. So it's busy day or busy two days and on, um, uh, culture, right. Just, uh, kick, starting your culture. And that one was a lot of fun. So I'm kind of honing one down to where I'm really enjoying that when I've done it enough now I think maybe four or five times that I'm starting to get my groove with it. And so I'm shopping that one around holler at Chabo James,
Speaker 1 00:09:49 James, you do it beautifully. I've seen you present it multiple times. You do it wonderfully. And I just set the comment so that so many people, when they hear the term culture, they think of the soft, I'll say it's soft,
Speaker 2 00:10:00 Everybody's sitting around on bean bags,
Speaker 1 00:10:03 You know,
Speaker 2 00:10:04 You know, scooting by, on their scooters, in the halls.
Speaker 1 00:10:07 Yeah. But you guys, you and Kelsey bringing in safety culture. And I think that this is where culture will really start to the culture is so much more deeper and so much more meaningful than just a, a phrase or a catch word right now. It really is important. It really is. And you start bringing those into it and, and making, you know, safety.
Speaker 2 00:10:31 We had a lot of feedback, Jim, like, um, you know how it is, that's, that's your litmus test, right. You're always watching like, how are they gonna interact afterwards or during even sometimes. And so we had a lot of feedback. I love that. Um, and a lot of people attended my second session because they saw part of the first one. Right. So it kind of fed in well. So I think we're gonna shop that one around and get that on some agendas. It was fun. And I think it, it brings some value, but
Speaker 1 00:10:58 Please you bring it to the industry, please.
Speaker 2 00:11:00 Jimbo. Yo, you've got a busy month of April coming up.
Speaker 1 00:11:05 I do. It is incredibly busy. And for me outta west Palm beach, Florida, over here, I have two big events, uh, common ground Alliance. And guess where it is James guess?
Speaker 2 00:11:17 Um, is it in Orlando or Miami?
Speaker 1 00:11:20 Oh no, that would be right here. Okay.
Speaker 2 00:11:22 No, it's not. Nope. Nope. That would be ideal. Wouldn't it? Or Pensacola, maybe
Speaker 1 00:11:27 Georgia be right. Uh, there, no, no,
Speaker 2 00:11:30 It's in Atlanta.
Speaker 1 00:11:31 Uh, that'd be right here. No, no think, think Los Angeles wait, I'm even out of the, the screen. Hold on. Let me get back in.
Speaker 2 00:11:40 You're over here by snooped out. Yep.
Speaker 1 00:11:42 So, uh, I have two events in Los Angeles and they're literally, they're not back to back, but I'm at common ground Alliance. Uh, first part of this month now come back and then I'm back out for Western energy Institute, um, event. And that's their big event too. So the Western w E I, our friends there, Eric and, uh, Kevin, and those will be great to see those folks live again too, but their long.
Speaker 2 00:12:09 So these are some of their, these, some of their first ones live ones since the pandemic.
Speaker 1 00:12:15 Uh, yeah, for lack of better term the
Speaker 2 00:12:17 Virtuals. Right.
Speaker 1 00:12:19 They did a lot of virtuals. Uh, they may have had a little w I may have had can't
Speaker 2 00:12:23 Remember.
Speaker 1 00:12:23 Yeah. One, but this is a big one. This is like their expo and
Speaker 2 00:12:27 That's great.
Speaker 1 00:12:29 Yeah, we'll be, uh, we'll have the, uh, tracer booth there. We'll be talking about asset management. We'll be talking about the, you know, the EV everything ready for this. Ready? You trust us with your people. Now, trust us with your assets,
Speaker 2 00:12:42 A tagline.
Speaker 1 00:12:44 It's a little sales pitch there, you know, but it'll be
Speaker 2 00:12:47 Tracer.
Speaker 1 00:12:48 It'll be great.
Speaker 2 00:12:49 That's awesome.
Speaker 1 00:12:50 Great. And then did I have something else? No, that I think, uh,
Speaker 2 00:12:54 I'm going, I, I, um, I'm actually going to Denver, Denver area Aurora. Okay. And, um, we've got a, a Sherm conference. So, um, the HR side of my life, um, we're going to the Sherm talent conference, which I'm, I went to it last year in, in Los, I mean, I'm sorry. In Las Vegas. Um, and super pumped. It's in Denver. I love Denver. Um, never go wrong in Denver.
Speaker 1 00:13:26 No 16
Speaker 2 00:13:27 Street, I think it's yeah. Right. So, I mean, I think we're staying at the Rockies, um, the Gaylor Rockies resort in Orora, so we'll probably never leave that place. You know how those things are. Yeah. 142 acres, all indoors, you know, like you'll just,
Speaker 1 00:13:44 Yeah,
Speaker 2 00:13:45 It's a lot of walking. Um, but I'm excited about that one because last year I was blown away by the content and from someone who's charged with culture, it's important and that we get out there, we train, we learn about the new things coming and how we can be better. And, um, I'm I, myself and Samantha Calhoun are, um, director of HR. We're, that's our trip together. So I think Tim Tebo is closing that one out as chemo. Totally. I mean, I always have big speakers. Really cool. I think last year it was solely, um, which I've priced solely before
Speaker 1 00:14:22 Captain Soly. It's
Speaker 2 00:14:23 Hot ticket. Yeah. Solely.
Speaker 1 00:14:25 Yeah. You and I are connected on LinkedIn. And, uh, he, he is, he is up there top question for you though, HR, you know, James, every time I have a conversation with somebody and they ask about the show and what we do in our real life, that we're, we're not a podcast company or you and I aren't, we actually
Speaker 2 00:14:45 Do to certain, a podcast company. Yeah,
Speaker 1 00:14:47 Yeah. You know, but I tell 'em that you're over HR as well as brand and, uh, you know, look at your back wall that that's a glimpse of James's world in his head, but you though with HR, uh, and I'll please expound on it, but you love the culture aspect of HR, you know, and, you know, I even saw something, I sent it to you last at some point where people are thinking about renaming HR departments to like the people department or, you know, different things just to give a different view of them. Thoughts on that. What do you, what do you, what do you think, where do you think HR is going?
Speaker 2 00:15:24 Yeah. Um, no, I don't think so. I, I think we're hovering around people. They're naming it, different things. I think people have this, oh, I've talked about it a lot, but just this mentality when they hear the word HR that, you know, they're in trouble or right. Or, you know, we joke as HR, we joke about the fun police, but, um, that really we work for, for people. I mean, yeah, we do work for the company. Um, we're we, uh, our, our CEO said it the other day, like it's a two-way street with our culture. It can't just be that we have all the perks and all the things. I mean, we also have to do business. And if some of the things that people believe they want, if we did those things, then we wouldn't be able to hire as many people. We wouldn't be able to, you know, provide some of the things that we do.
Speaker 2 00:16:17 So I think we're, we're living in people. And right now with all the talent discussion talent is everything, you know, how do you retain it and how do you acquire it? That's the game. That's why I'm going to a conference like that is because I want our company to be as equipped as possible to gain and retain talent point blank period. So whatever we can do to, to be better in that realm, that's, that's my goal. Um, so yeah, I'm gonna head out to there, do a little, um, enjoy that a little bit, and then come back. I'm gonna do a little bit of sharpen in the song myself. Um, we, we kind of skimmed over spring break.
Speaker 1 00:17:01 You're gonna come down to Florida with other,
Speaker 2 00:17:03 Nah, not yet. Um, maybe later, later in the year, maybe stay tuned. Um, no, we're actually, we're gonna go camping, uh, for, for handful of days just, um, and, um, the hill country here in Texas. And then, um, right after that, I'm, I don't know. I hope my wife isn't watching, but we're gonna schedule something. We have a 19 year anniversary coming up. Um,
Speaker 1 00:17:29 Congratulations.
Speaker 2 00:17:30 Yeah. Coming up, um, April 26th. Yeah. So yeah. Um, try to try to parlay something into a couple days off long weekend or something go find somewhere to go, but, uh, not too sure, but I'm gonna get some saw sharpening, cuz man, we're gonna be busy this year.
Speaker 1 00:17:49 It's gonna be a very busy year and I'm excited for it. We're taking, uh, uh, car Jim and James on the road six, seven times, which is aggressive, but it's very doable, especially with the team that we have, you know, the, uh, you know, the, actuallys the, Carlys the, Kaylie's the Clintons, the Scott, the Antonio. Yeah, the seasons. Am I forgetting anybody and
Speaker 2 00:18:12 More? Yeah, that's just some of some teams, right. That's
Speaker 1 00:18:15 I mean, that's just some of them and I
Speaker 2 00:18:17 So many awesome people.
Speaker 1 00:18:18 I'm excited for it. Oh, James, uh, you know, uh, pretty soon we have our, by any L event coming at, not by annual by any of what's better. Oh, oh, oh, I see what you're doing there. I see what you're doing.
Speaker 2 00:18:34 There didn't even realize it. I'm always promoting it, man. You know, me
Speaker 1 00:18:37 Are a marketing little room UWN con live this year, Texas live Arlington. Yeah. Right outside of Dallas, Fort worth may,
Speaker 2 00:18:48 May 16th,
Speaker 1 00:18:50 17th, and 18th. James. This could be a great conference. Uh, our conference, I I've attended as a,
Speaker 2 00:18:57 You attend, you've attended all the ones that I was involved with.
Speaker 1 00:19:02 Is that true?
Speaker 2 00:19:03 It is true. Um, so, uh, the first one in 2017, uh, y'all were a sponsor when you were thick bin. Yep. And, uh, 2019, you were on the team, right?
Speaker 1 00:19:14 I was, you
Speaker 2 00:19:15 Were, uh, and then this one, right? So Lord willin will, uh, roll this one out in may. Uh, we've got a great agenda. Some of the best training that I've seen on, on our agenda, lots of different tracks and opportunities there. Um, the main day is gonna be a blast. We got ranger suite after, uh, you can register for, if you're a baseball fan, I think there's gonna be some options to pick up tickets in it. And if you don't, if you're not in the suite, there's just, there's so many neat things going on. Yeah. Uh, and we're excited to show off what we've been working on for the last couple years. Uh, Tim, Kennedy's our keynote. He might know him, fellow Texan. He's done some stuff in our industry as well with other folks and, uh, former MMA fighter veteran, uh, pretty, pretty cool dude. So he's gonna bring it down. But, um, yeah man, I mean, there's really no way to, to go wrong with this. Right? You just go have a blast and learn a ton, great sessions and network and fellowship. It's gonna be an awesome event and a unique space, man, Texas live. Yeah. If you've ever been there, we're gonna flex that thing. We got some awesome exhibitor and sponsor opportunities where you can like, oh, at your name in Texas live. And you know, that's the whole ticker, the whole takeover, man. Let's do it, reach out.
Speaker 1 00:20:39 I'm excited for it. And you hit on the high points, come get educated, share, share your knowledge with other fellow industry people. And that's what I love about our industry is that we're very willing to share and we wanna share. So, um, I'm excited for
Speaker 2 00:20:55 That. Come for the panels. I tell you what if you want the pro tip? Oh yeah. I mean, come to have a blast cuz we always have a good time. We always have a cool conference, uh, space and something unique going on. But so the panels that we have setting up and some of the folks that are on there and the innovations coming out of this past two years are really gonna be on display. And I love hearing from people that are doing it, you know? Yeah. A lot more than I, you know, want to hear somebody just get up there and preach. I, I really wanna hear the, the good bads and ugly as people went through things, you know like what we do on the show, right? Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:21:29 Like what do you call? 'em the garage stories or whatever you
Speaker 2 00:21:32 Do. I know the origin stories. Right? I don't want to hear that stuff.
Speaker 1 00:21:34 Fantastic. You know, that's what you get involved with it. You, you get a little bit, uh, there's a personal connection when you hear that, you know, and
Speaker 2 00:21:41 I think we're gonna have to do a whole show on EWN con next month or this month that's we're running outside. I'm just
Speaker 1 00:21:48 Uh, yeah. We, we should do it this month. Yeah. We gotta do it soon. Yeah. That's a good point. Kaylee,
Speaker 2 00:21:53 Kaylee, book it,
Speaker 1 00:21:55 Get ready. Let's go
Speaker 2 00:21:58 See me
Speaker 1 00:21:59 Always
Speaker 2 00:21:59 Winding down, man.
Speaker 1 00:22:01 Always a pleasure brother
Speaker 2 00:22:02 Winding down for this episode, but kicking off for the year. Uh, we joked about it earlier, but I feel like we're kicking off the season three of the show. Um,
Speaker 1 00:22:11 We are
Speaker 2 00:22:11 Right, right. We are. Yeah. We, we made that official with Stewart's episode.
Speaker 1 00:22:15 We, we did 20, 21 and now 22, this is officially the third season,
Speaker 2 00:22:20 Season three, three. Haven't been canceled. Not one time,
Speaker 1 00:22:24 Uh, those hate letters, but you know, I told Tammy to quit sending those to me.
Speaker 2 00:22:30 I know now she sends them to me. Uh, Jimmy gotta get on the road, man. Uh, I know you've got a, you know, a flight to catch here pretty quick. You can get over there in your second home of LA, God bless you in the time change. And whew. And those nine o'clock dinners in LA or there's nothing like, okay.
Speaker 1 00:22:52 Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:22:53 Jimmy and I always joke about how hard that time zone is for someone that, especially on the east coast, that's a brutal flight. And then on the way home, you just lose half your day, you know, but that's part of the life. That's part of business. You know
Speaker 1 00:23:05 What, you know what, when you love what you do, it's all good. So anyways,
Speaker 2 00:23:10 I'll tell to you a lot of early mornings that's for sure. Oh yeah. We'll get a lot of it's nothing like getting a, a whole work day in before you start your conference.
Speaker 1 00:23:18 <laugh> yeah, no kidding. Seriously.
Speaker 2 00:23:20 All right, man. It was good seeing brother.
Speaker 1 00:23:23 All right, good. Seeing you travel safe brother and audience. Thank you for joining in today until next time. A coffee with Jim and James. Everybody stay safe next time.
