Humbled - Part 1

It’s late. It has only been Sunday for 30 minutes but…I can’t sleep. I have had something on my mind for weeks now and after seeing downloads for my podcast surpass 1.4 MILLION worldwide it is time to do some writing. I used to write all of the time and post blogs, but I have been busy. Too busy, but busy is good, and now, it’s time to write. I’m currently sitting in my living room, listening to the rain fall. It’s windy and I can’t help but think about that number. I think about it because when I first started out, I never imagined that I would hit a number like that. I’m grateful, so grateful, but it didn’t happen by luck or overnight success. It took years to get to this point. My journey included struggle and doubt. There were times where I wanted to throw in the towel and quit, but I kept going, and along the way I met some people who became lifelong friends. So, what has been on my mind that I’m writing this now? Well, I want to share my wins and failures in a series of articles showing my experience from the public sector, to the private sector, and taking a leap of faith in becoming a Public Safety Entrepreneur by going on my own. It is my hope that you are able to take something from my experience.

“Don’t wait for opportunity. Create it.”

This quote is one that I have lived by for years. It has been a source of motivation and inspiration to push the envelope. And it’s what I needed because in the beginning no one was really listening to the podcast. Although I had some media success it started out really slow. Even the crowdfunding campaign I started to get this passion project off the ground was slow moving. I remember thinking I wasn’t going to make it. I was sitting in dispatch and I was struggling because I was worried that I wouldn’t make the goal. My co-worker Karl asked me what was going on and I expressed my concerns. I remember him saying to me, “Stop worrying. You’ve got something here and it might seem slow now but when it takes off, you’re going to wish that it was slow.” Damn was he ever right! After some help from Gary Allen, head of Dispatch Magazine Online, I surpassed my goal. I was up and running and stressed out, but I was creating opportunities that at the time, I had no idea would shape parts of my journey and friendships.

Michigan NENA 2013

After successfully launching the Within the Trenches podcast, I was preparing to do a presentation at the 2013 Michigan NENA conference. I believe this was only my second time there, but this time I would be speaking and doing the podcast with my then co-host, Whitney. Before I continue, I must give thanks to Jeri Tapper. It was her who recommended that I do a presentation at the conference by telling my story and recording episodes with attendees. She believed in my mission and I remember thanking her for the opportunity and I remember her telling me not to worry about it, that she knew that what I was doing was important because these are the stories that needed to be heard and that I would do something big someday. She told me to keep going. Don’t stop. Jeri passed away a few years ago but I will never forget her and the support she gave me early on.

I was green. I had never really done any public speaking up until that point. The closest was in school, reciting poems by memory in ninth grade. I was nervous. I had an hour to share my story and what my mission was for the podcast. Now at this point I had put out only a handful of episodes. They were doing well but not a lot of people knew what I was doing or what a podcast was. This was 2013 and podcasts were around but they were not what they are today. So, for my first session I had maybe ten people in there. It was quite humbling; however, it gave me a chance to practice and learn from this experience. After the first 20 or so minutes I was able to calm myself. The class was small, but I was able to connect with them in this intimate setting. We were able to relate, and I remember that sigh of relief when I was done but I was proud of that session. I’ll never forget it and some of it is the foundation for what my Keynote speech is today. This conference set a few things in motion. I recorded several episodes and it’s where I met Jim Marshall of the 911 Training Institute for the first time. After an episode with him I was approached and told I was going to the National NENA conference. “What is National NENA,” I asked. And yes, I did ask this because I didn’t know that there was a mothership at that time. After it was explained that NENA would have its first “Podcast Zone” and that I was invited to participate, Jim put his arm around me and said,

“This is where it starts Ricardo.”

“What starts,” I replied.

“Everything…”

And Jim was right…