SPEAKER_00 1:45

Welcome to another episode of the Hilltop Glove Podcast. Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Coach Kelly Simmons III, a U.S. Army veteran and dedicated youth development leader. With over 14 years in education, he is the founder and CEO of Empowered to Win LLC and its nonprofit counterpart, Empower to Win Global. Both focus on aiding at-risk students through scholarships and educational programs. Coach Kelly's initiatives aim to elevate graduation rates, lower dropper, lower dropout rates, and incarceration rates, and promote mental wellness. His organization provides programs on career readiness, self-advocacy, and leadership development to students aged 13 through 21. Today we will be discussing nurturing the next generation of leaders. How are you today?

SPEAKER_01 2:37

I'm great. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_00 2:39

Great. This is the one day we get to see you on a day off.

SPEAKER_01 2:43

Man had to come to the hilltop. Had to come up. We're at the top. We're up the hill. That's it.

SPEAKER_00 2:49

So good to see y'all.

SPEAKER_01 2:50

Good to see you.

SPEAKER_00 2:51

So we know Mr. Kelly.

SPEAKER_01 2:52

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 2:53

Like we see him like every week. So the fact that you guys get to actually see him, we want you guys, we want you to tell us a little bit about your background, upbringing, and how did you become who you are today?

SPEAKER_02 3:06

Oh man, it's a loaded question. But from Anderson, South Carolina, you know, we say LA, Laura Anderson. Uh, for some of y'all that don't know, uh born and raised, uh, wonderful parents, uh, four sisters. I'm the youngest of five, so I'm the I'm the I'm the baby. And um, you know, awesome, awesome uh time growing up. Loving family. Um went to T.L. Hannah High School. Uh everybody knows Chat with Bozeman. Yeah. Of course, uh Chad, we grew up, he's younger than me, but you know, some great things that come out of Anderson. But uh dad was a pastor, you know, and uh PK kid, you know, they say PK kids are the worst, but we just like everybody else, right? But uh that was uh my foundation was church, you know, uh serving and helping people. Um, you know, man, uh leadership started at a young age, of course, in the house, but you know, in a community where uh, you know, your teachers were your parents' classmates. There was community, you know, participating, Cub Scouts did all those great things. I didn't start playing sports kind of till later, you know, in my years, uh, like middle school, eighth grade. Okay. But, you know, it was still sports did you play? Football. Football. So it was a lot of sandlot football. Okay. Some of those that don't know, you know, the younger guys play with the older guys, and you know, if you cried, you got sent home. So, you know, learn how to learn how to be tough with the tough guys. And uh, but I got into organized sports and really uh, you know, started taking a little serious. I was pretty good, right? So high school, played there and did some great things there, and uh went to again T.L. Hannah High School, majority white, you know, school. That's school radio, that's right. That's radio, man. Yeah, radio was live away. I played football, ran track, did all that great stuff. And so um, because of just my exposure to opportunities, uh, you know, I was the first from my family to go to college, right? And uh, well, in high school, I was what you call that C and D student with A and B potential. You did just enough to get by, right? But your core was good, you know, because you had your values and things of that nature. But I wanted to go to college. So uh went to Charleston Southern for a year. That was terrible. Uh 1.7 GPA. But I graduated from Lander and Yeah, yeah, that's all that matters, you know. Uh had to figure things out. But yeah, um, man, like I said, just awesome. Awesome uh bring up, and uh, you know, now we we're here. So uh yeah, I had a great experience in to where I'm in.

SPEAKER_00 5:39

I'm listening to your story. I'm seeing that you played sports, you went into the military. Um what point were were you the most disciplined?

SPEAKER_02 5:51

Man, it it would have to be the pursuit. Um I was very, very diligent about wanting to do better, you know, because um when I was coming up, you know, your name, your last name meant something. You know, and so it was like, hey, you're not gonna bring shame to the family. You know, you could do whatever you wanted to do. Don't get me wrong, but you you're gonna be respectful, you know, of the name. And so to me, it was wanting to make, you know, parents proud. And uh that was really, you know, important to me. But then at the same time, I wanted to be exposed to things that my parents hadn't been exposed to and some of my siblings at the time. And uh I think it's it was more so of making your parents proud. You know, and then when you get to the place where you have a family, you know, you got your house. Y'all know how it is, you go to school, get the car, get the nice job, get the house. We were on that track, Gen X, right? So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:43

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So question. Yep. So you said your father was a pastor. Yes, sir. What denomination? Baptist.

SPEAKER_02 6:50

Okay. Baptist preacher, man. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Uh, you know, we weren't in like in in some denominations where you're in church, you know, all week, but you know, you had to go to Bible study on Wednesday nights. You definitely go into revival during the summer. You can forget that. And see, back in the day, that's when roller skating was really popular. So you go to the skate ring on Sunday, but you had to be at church. You know what I'm saying? Sunday mornings to go to uh Sunday school. Yeah, but I think my parents were just tired by the time I came around because they were very strict with my my my sisters, right? So they used to let me go and and things like that. But still, you know, it was that was the thing, you know, back in the day. But you had to go to church, man.

SPEAKER_00 7:28

What was it like being uh your only boy, right? Right. Okay, so with your sisters like growing up and you're the the baby.

SPEAKER_02 7:37

Yeah, it was um, you know, of course, my older sisters, I don't remember, you know, a lot, you know, from the from the the uh the first two, but I remember, you know, of course, uh my sister Jackie and Gwen, they were kind of close in age, and so I kind of was used to them being around. But you know, my younger sister, you know, new baby, you know, in place, boy, and all that kind of stuff. You know, she used to leave me outside with the dog, you know, jealousy and all that type of stuff is real. I think that's where I built my resilience, you know. But uh but the the reality is that uh they looked out for their baby brother. Um but uh it was it was it was cool, you know. We really loved each other, uh, and we looked out for each other, but you know, civil rivalry, you know, and things like that. That's that was common, but the love was there, you know what I mean? And we all looked out for each other. Yep.

SPEAKER_00 8:24

So we want to go into uh more of the next generation. Can you explain the importance of inspiring and encouraging the next generation of kids, students?

SPEAKER_02 8:34

Um, I think it's very important um because you know, what we learn, what I've learned, you know, you you want to pass those things, you know, on. And um I think to all of us when it comes to success and and our transition, whatever that looks like, into uh parenthood, uh going into that career, going into, you know, uh again, um leaving something in your community, I think you have to reflect and go to the past, you know. And so for me, you know, what I've learned and and how mentorship, remember I mentioned Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, you know, uh Mr. Joe, who was my first football coach, and Mr. Leroy Garrison, you know, those guys took time, you know, out for us. You know, my dad, and there's just a lot of community leaders that took time out for us that gave us the opportunity to be exposed. And so, you know, in my heart, uh, I want to be able to share that, you know, with other young people because, you know, generations is it's changed now. You know, you have grandparents raising their kids' kids. Yeah. So it's so it's different, you know, and where we see a lot of kids where, um, which is interesting, where you're kind of that voice, especially a male voice, um, man, it's almost like having a father's voice, where a lot of our kids whose fathers have been absent, you know, when they hear that male's voice, because I believe personally, this is just me. I believe, I believe young people, they want to be coached. I believe they want to be uh led. I think they love authority, but it's just a matter of, you know, adults being able to take time out to be able to give that. So, you know, that's our our focus with Empowered to Win. Of course, we my wife and I we started uh that initiative, which actually it started back in a faith-based organization that we started, kind of in my hometown, uh helping kids through AAU basketball. We had a yeah, we had a uh our uh that's that was the foundation in the Genesis. It's called Rock Nation, representing our Christ throughout the nations. It was a faith-based initiative using basketball to to help kids. And so that's just been the journey through sports, through education, and now, you know, just where we are now, it's it's it's through, like I said, that education and leadership component. So we gotta give give back to our kids to help them be prepared for the next thing to come.

SPEAKER_00 10:48

So, how did you actually get to that point? Um You're a career specialist, certified career specialist. Is that the point that led you to starting in Powered to Win?

SPEAKER_02 10:59

Yeah, I I'll say I failed my way to it. Okay, you gotta explain this. Yeah, I'm gonna I'm gonna it was never, I never now the only time I was thinking about education was when I was in college, after I changed my major about four or five times, right? Because I wanted to be an accountant. Man, that sounds great. You're right, sounds wonderful to see you start taking accounting one-on-one, right? Not not happening, right? Education, they started talking about lesson plans. Nope, not doing that either. That's too much. I'm sticking with business, right? That's what we're gonna do. But but what I mean is that when I um I graduated from Lander, went into the military, I was an ROTC guy, so I was commissioned as an officer, uh, had joined the reserves, um, had had some experiences there, got hurt, got out of military, went into corporate America, went into sales, uh, did sales for a number of years. Loved that, but it's it's a hustle and it's a grind. Yeah. Right? So I said, man, this I'm doing it, but I still feel empty. Yeah. Right? And so it wasn't until I had the opportunity, a friend of mine um introduced me to uh being a job coach at a charter high school. Shout out to Richland One Middle College. Uh, that's where I started out in education. And the reason why I say I fell forward into this, all of my experiences kind of culminated and it really was preparing me to work with students because I could kind of talk to them when we talk about careers, and there's right now the the world that we're living in now, there's no cookie-cutter approach to education. Exactly. Everybody's not going to college, right? Some going to the military, some now entrepreneurs, right? So I could kind of touch on that. And so that's where I really found my purpose, you know, um, and and that's kind of what led to Empowered to Win, where we went from kind of that nonprofit sector to a for-profit, right? And say, hey man, we can make money doing this. And so it really uh, but really with the intent to help our kids and help them to get to the next level. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:55

So how has the youth development changed your life since starting?

SPEAKER_02 13:00

Oh man, um, believe it or not, what happens is is that those you you serve, they serve you. So it's it's it's really like therapy because, you know, as I'm working with young people, you start seeing yourself. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 13:14

Yeah, it's true.

SPEAKER_02 13:15

You know, you see yourself and and sometimes things are not always right. You're not feeling the best, but you remember your lows, you remember your highs, and and you're able to see yourself in them, uh, it really helps. Uh because again, you know, if you're in it for the right reason, right, and you're doing it right, because it's not about the money, you know, um, those things can come and they have it's a place and a space for that. But it really has been therapy for me because they're your best teachers. You know, um they're like a mirror. Yeah. No, they are. Yeah. Exactly. And I think sometimes, you know, when you have um when you're very inquisitive, and what I mean by that is really trying to find out, you know, what their hot topics are. What is it that they want to do, right? It challenges you, right, to get to know and to build that relationship. You know, and I think that that's what our young people are really looking for. Uh, and I think that that's kind of one of those special things that we have discovered in what we do, it's about the relationship, that trust factor. So, yeah, they I've learned so much.

SPEAKER_03 14:21

Oh, so with that said, um, of course, when it comes to that relationship factor, of course, there's respect that's involved in that, right?

SPEAKER_04 14:28

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_03 14:29

And so, um, how do you comm um and we've seen this firsthand, um, but uh how do you command respect when entering a room full of students for the first time? Yeah, yeah. Because you know, a lot of times they just be disrespectful sometimes, be yelling at y'all and stuff. How do you go about doing that?

SPEAKER_02 14:45

This is the secret sauce, man. Y'all gotta pay for this. No, I'm just kidding. It starts, it starts with it starts with respect first, respecting them first. See, it used to be a day and time where hey, a kid walked in the room, you spoke to adults. Yes, sir. No, ma'am, you know, that's how it was when I was coming up. It's not like that anymore, right? So, unless they have someone in their life that's teaching them, hey, shake their hands, you know, introduce yourself. But the key for us, man, we come in with respect. How you doing, ma'am? Hey, how you doing, sir? You know what I'm saying? Like those shoes right there, right? Uh, you're awesome, man. I love that smile. Smile again. And so it's really putting the attention on them and showing that respect to them first. If you want it, it's kind of like if you want it, you gotta give it first.

SPEAKER_04 15:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:30

That's where we're at now, you know, because again, some of our kids, you know, again, they're their parents or maybe not sometimes cannot be the most respectful or they're not enforcing it. And let me say it this way that you can even have uh uh children or students who have great parents. But I came up in the yes ma'am, no ma'am, yes sir, no ma'am, no yes sir, no sir era. But we have some parents, it doesn't mean that they're bad kids, but it's amazing that you know that respect factor can get you to some doors than than not, you know. So we we try to model it, and that's how you know it works for us. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:07

So what are the next steps after students or kids um finish your program?

SPEAKER_02 16:15

Well, it it goes back to the respect factor, right? Um I I what we what we intend to do is is to find out what they're interested in. We're not dream killers. You know, if a if an individual child says, hey, I want to be a rapper, no problem. You just got to put the work in. It's important that you understand how to read because you gotta understand contracts. All your homies, we learned that back in the day. You can't be MC Hammer, you know, and bring your whole village with you, right? Because you're gonna go broke. So you need to understand math, right? And so when you break it down that way and really figuring out what it is that they want to do, my job is to put the weight on the bar, right? But now you got to push it, right? And so what helps is is giving them the opportunity to say, hey, this is what I'm interested in. Well, okay, if this is what you're interested in, this is what it's gonna take to get there. And so what we do is we take them through like self-advocacy. You know, we start kind of there first. How do you advocate for yourself in this field? Um, you know, if you want to go into the military, what what does that mean? Or if you have a disability, right? How do you speak up for yourself? Because just because you have a disability doesn't mean inability. Right. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 17:23

Are you not capable?

SPEAKER_02 17:24

Yeah, that you're not capable, right? We just got to work that. And so we we we we take them from self-advocacy to leadership, and I'll probably talk about that a little bit later. Leadership is what we found is the foundation. How can we help them to develop and into leaders? And then what it is that they're interested in, how do they, you know, study, how do they uh research what the expectation is to become an engineer? So when they go into these classes, and then we bring the community in to that now you can kind of put those essential skills, those things that you've learned in our class into practice, right, with the Mr. Kevin, so that now you can find that opportunity. So we've we've seen students go on to become doctors, uh, entrepreneurs, uh, you know, in the corporate, in corporate America, uh military. I mean, we've we've served thousands of students. And so it's it's awesome when you're able to see the kids that you've served and they come through your program, now they have families. Yeah. Yeah, so that's that's the reward, you know, when you're able to see that.

SPEAKER_03 18:20

Yeah. And I think one thing I want to go back to that you said it's really key, especially when it comes to careers, is you really focused on, like you really um you highlighted self-advocacy.

SPEAKER_01 18:30

Right.

SPEAKER_03 18:30

And you highlighted leadership.

SPEAKER_01 18:33

Right.

SPEAKER_03 18:33

Right. And I think a lot of times, especially what you when you're sitting there and you're working with students and they're giving you those same types of answers on what they want to do in careers, they haven't really had the opportunity to really explore, like you said, because it's introspective, right? Right. They don't really get they haven't really had that opportunity to be able to actually realize, like, what do I actually like? Not necessarily what's cool, right? Or what's socially acceptable. And I think that's one of the things that I've witnessed just from worse like the students that you work with in your program. You could tell those students have taken those steps, not just being just thinking on the surface about this what's acceptable, but really like what's truly passionate for me, what I what would I like to go into, what makes me happy. Right. And it's great being able to see, like you said, those progresses, those changes. This is the conversations we've had so with a lot of the kids.

SPEAKER_02 19:20

Absolutely. Uh one other thing that I I want to add, you know, just going back to the respect, um, I think, and you have to be careful with this. You have to have boundaries, but I think the transparency is very important. You know, uh, of course I'm from I'm from Anderson, but uh we live in Eastover, outside of Columbia, South Carolina, right? But when I came, uh oh, I messed up the money. When I came to Columbia, South Carolina uh back in 07, I was homeless. A lot of folks don't know that. You know, and so one of the things I talk about, I joke with kids, I say, hey man, anybody know what it's like, what it's like to sleep on an air mattress? You know, you blow that bad boy up today, and when you wake up in the morning, you know, you're a burrito. You know, that thing then wrapped around you stuff. So they bust our laughing. I say, yeah, man, yeah, coach, I know what that's like. See? And because that's all of us, I think we all have had, you know, struggles in pursuit of whatever it is that we were pursuing. And I think that that helps, you know, with the transparency because sometimes we're gonna, and I like wearing, you know, the hoodies, t-shirts, I can wear the suit. Sometimes I do that, but it's about being relatable. You know what I'm saying? Now it's another thing. Let me go and talk about this right. Right. Because I'm I'm 50 years old. If y'all didn't know that, I'm 50 years old. I know it. I look like I'm 34, right? Like I'm 34. But check this out though. Let's see. But but but the thing is, is that you know, you feel like, hey man, I'm getting older, you know, I'm I'm losing touch. But, you know, the reality is that, you know, I believe, you know, when God gifts you in in certain areas, you know, you're relatable. Well, you don't have to come across, even though I'm 50. The reality is that if you just be your authentic self, that a lot of kids can respect you. You know?

SPEAKER_00 21:02

They can see right through it.

SPEAKER_02 21:03

They can see man, listen, that's why I love it. Man, that joker don't know what he's talking about. He's corny on to the next person.

SPEAKER_00 21:11

They'll call you out.

SPEAKER_02 21:12

They'll call you out. Oh, man, especially when we we call we we call it going behind the fence. Now that's a whole different breed. See, when you go behind the fence. Oh, yeah. Yeah, when you go behind the fence, listen, man, listen. If you hate somebody that's maybe on your team and you want to get rid of them, send them behind the fence. That's basically kids that are, you know, maybe DJ J. Shout out to DJ J. We love DJ J. We love all of our kids and that's doing great things there. But when you go behind the fence, right, most people uh, you know, you use technology because you can read slides, right? So you they don't care about them slides. They care about your heart.

SPEAKER_01 21:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:47

Because they have people coming to them all the time, talking to them and preaching at them. And they're really looking at, you know, again, man, do you really care? You know, and so what we tell them, I don't care where you come from. You know, that's not my job. My job is to help you to where you're going. Yeah. Even beyond these things. And I think that's it. Everybody has some type of hope or desire to be hopeful for something. And so that's that's other piece, man. Like I said, from a rapper to whatever it is that you want to do, hey man, let's go. Let's make it happen. How can we help you get there? That's the key.

SPEAKER_00 22:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:19

And can you also talk about, you know, showing up and being present for them and then keeping your word? Because I know that's a big thing with the kids.

SPEAKER_03 22:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:28

Not bring that candy when you said you were gonna bring some candy.

SPEAKER_02 22:32

It's over.

SPEAKER_00 22:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:33

Yeah. They're gonna eat you alive. Yeah. They're gonna eat you alive. Um the the thing about it is is being being willing to pivot. Because see, sometimes as adults and when you're working with kids, you have your agenda. Yeah, right. And I think that that's where a lot of people mess up, mess up because you have your agenda. But today, we may not want to be talking about self-advocacy. We but we just might need to exhale. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 22:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:58

Hey guys, what's going on? And I think that's where we get in trouble, where you can kind of feel the temperature in the room, but now you're trying to impose your will. You know what I'm saying? And let instead of letting them drive the conversation. And so I think that's that's very, very, you know, important. And I think I'll never forget this. Um, we uh, because I'm always big on when I'm doing classes and training, I make the kids, we bring them note sheets and I make them write the facilitator's name down. I said, listen, whoever's in the classroom teaching, you get their name, you put the date down, right? And you you write your notes, right? So I'm I'm pushing that day one. Um probably like our fourth session, it was this fourth session I had. I had forgot my note taking sheets, right? And so I told the kids, I said, Listen, y'all just pull out a white sheet of paper and write, no, coach, no. No, I need my note-taking sheet. Because what I do is I wrote I write your name down. See, what is that? That's accountability. You know what I'm saying? I get my notes, and when I go lay down, I read through my notes. I need my note-taking sheet. See? It's structure, though. Right. That's what I'm saying. A lot of our kids want that. They want structure. Yeah. Right? So again, you know, you can't just talk about it. You got to be about it. I said, you know what? This is the other thing about gaining respect. I'm wrong.

unknown 24:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:13

And you're right. Admitting it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:15

Admitting it. A lot of our kids, oh man. Listen. I'm married, and my wife's name is Kelly. Listen here, y'all. I lost some cool points because one of the young ladies, uh, we were talking about faithfulness. I hope I'm not getting off track, but I want to say it's very important. Okay, cool. All right, I'm at Hilltop. I'm good, man. Um, it was it was like this, right? Um, I was talking about my wife and I in our relationship. And I said, I don't cheat on my wife. It was this female in the room. Oh, yeah, oh dog, oh, oh, men are dogs, everybody cheat. I said, no, they don't. I said, I'm a faithful. There's no dog house in my house. We get along. I ain't cheating on my wife. And what happened, I got in my flesh. I was going tit for tat. This, that, and other. You just don't know. I do love my wife. I love my wife. Y'all know what happened, man. Check it out. It was it was a heart check. Because when I went home, it was like, man, I don't know what people believe in, your faith and stuff like that, but it was like God said, go back and apologize. So I got up the next day, had class, and I called a young lady forward. I said, listen, y'all, I said, Coach Kelly got out of pocket. And I said, Young lady, I want to tell you publicly I'm sorry. She didn't even know how to handle that because she's never experienced an adult apologizing. You know what I'm saying? I was wrong and you were right. And we were cool. So we gave the little fist pump. And so that when I'm talking about vulnerability and being transparent, that's how we win the hearts of our kids. So yeah. Yeah. It never it didn't get physical though.

SPEAKER_00 25:59

Speaking from a heart.

SPEAKER_02 26:00

Very good.

SPEAKER_00 26:01

So um can you talk about the different organizations you work with?

SPEAKER_02 26:05

Oh yeah. Yeah. Um a big shout out to Willow Gray, uh, opportunity school. Um, my wife and I, you know, in Powered to Win, we've been operating. We've been doing this for, like I said, 14, 15 years. But um, company-wise, Empowered to Win, we've been in operation for five years. And um, I got to start Willow Gray Opportunity School because uh, you know, they gave me an opportunity, you know, to work with students. And we didn't get into this, I believe God's really just put us in position for business because we were just wanting to help kids. Yeah, right. And so when we started working with Willow Gray Opportunity School, I mean we've been there now probably seven plus years, you know, serving kids. And from there, we start building relationships uh with uh South Carolina Vote Rehab, working with students with disabilities, uh boys and girls clubs of the Midlands and the Crescent region, uh, working with teams, um Midlands, Middle, a lot of schools and organizations uh that's just been great uh do. Uh it's just a lot of organizations that we've we've had the blessing. Richmond County Sheriff's Department. Um so we have been really blessed to to do what we do and to serve and connect uh with uh a lot of great people. I saw Tuck, uh Terrence Tucker, shout out to Big Tuck coming through. I saw Tuck not too too long ago. So we're able to collaborate with some great people uh doing mentorship and great things in the community. So uh that has really been the the the the the bloodline for our our organization is great is partnering with other great organizations. The Hilltop Glove, Kids Glove. Oh, it was I know I'm gonna give you a t-shirt, guys. That's it. Shout out to Hilltop Gloves, Kid Gloves. I know. Um, through Boys and Girls Club, Kev, you know, we we've been doing a lot of great things. Uh y'all are doing amazing work because the reality is that you can't do it by yourself.

SPEAKER_04 28:01

Right.

SPEAKER_02 28:02

You have to have people with the right heart, the right intent, and who love their craft uh to be able to help our kids. So yeah, those those are some of the organizations that we have worked with and you guys, man. It's been it's been awesome.

SPEAKER_00 28:16

Now, can you explain the importance of continuing your education and professional development?

SPEAKER_02 28:23

Oh, yeah. You listen, we tell young people, listen, you just beginning. Whether you're getting your high school diploma, your GD, your certification, you know how, y'all know how we used to think, man, man, once I get this degree, it's over. I'm done. Right? Look at us right now. Podcasting. Yep. You know what I mean? Twenty years ago, what was that? You know Radio. Yeah, radio. Yeah, yeah. I mean, computers now in our in our palms. We're always learning. Things are always changing, things are always evolving. And so, you know, it's just one of those things that um it's just forever um, you know, it's just a forever evolving. And I think whether you go into the military, uh, whether you go into corporate America, whether especially entrepreneurs, you know, right now we see so many young people that are aspiring entrepreneurs, successful entrepreneurs. So in business, it's gonna shift. Your clientele, customers are gonna shift, money is gonna shift what we're seeing right now. So you gotta learn how to pivot. So education is just it's just a part of the game. That's not going anywhere until until we until we leave here. So yeah, yeah, that's important.

SPEAKER_00 29:33

So, how can parents encourage their kids to continue their education?

SPEAKER_02 29:38

Oh man, man, you said it right there. Sometimes, and I know you mentioned again, uh at-risk uh youth, I think there are parents who are at risk. Um because sometimes we just don't know. You know, I think, you know, when we talk about the generational gaps, right, um in the different generations. I think our generation was Gen Xers were, hey, you know, we saw what our parents went through. Yeah, we're gonna go get educated, right? We're gonna go make that money so our kids won't have to endure. Right. And so what happened is we we we've built a bunch of spoiled brats. I know it's not everybody, I know, but it's like, hey, I don't want you to work as hard as I had to. Yeah, yeah. But it's those, that's where the essential skills are. You know what I'm saying? That's life changing, you know what I'm saying? And that's impacting your life. And so, you know, when it comes to sometimes our parents, sometimes we just don't know. And we do, you know, parenting uh workshops and different things for for parents because even now, right now, we're seeing a lot of uh grandparents, again, are raising their children's children. And so, you know, we try to provide resources with parents, but I think that parents need to understand that, you know, it's just like if you have two or three kids. All your kids are different. Right. You know, there's all different need there's different needs for each one. And so you have to learn how to pivot in your parenting. Um, you know, what worked again back then, you know, it's not working. Because you're thinking because you're yelling that that's gonna solve anything. That's not that's not helping the situation right now. Exactly. Because guess what? Your son is talking to somebody at school that'll listen to them, and they're not yelling at him. Or they're making them feel, and typically that's their friends. Yeah. That's why they're on the video games, that's because that's their community.

SPEAKER_00 31:28

That's fine on social media, chat boxes, all that stuff.

SPEAKER_02 31:32

Right. But but then it it it starts getting into this thing of comparison, which is the enemy of progress, right? If I'm not seeing how Tamaia's doing it or Kevin's doing it, then I'm not, you know, doing it. But it's it's something about hearing it from a parent that you know what, as we tell parents, man, just celebrate often. When they're doing something right, when they're doing things great, you know, give them a high five. Maybe don't take them from a C to A. Take it from a C to a B. Hey, I'm excited for you to do those types of things. But, you know, again, what we do with young people, it's gotta be reinforced again by the parents. And they are great parents. Shout out to all the great parents out there, great grandparents and great great grandparents that maybe are raising and helping with their children. Uh, but we gotta we gotta continue to do, you know, our part as parents and grow and develop.

SPEAKER_00 32:16

So basically be a cheerleader, always cheering them on and encouraging them.

SPEAKER_02 32:20

Right. But but then also, but but holding them accountable as well. You gotta hold them accountable. Um, you gotta have discipline. Because what I found is that, you know, with a lot of our children, um, even that may not come from the best situation, they still love discipline.

SPEAKER_00 32:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:36

They still love structure. You know, at the end of the day, it's just how it's packaged.

SPEAKER_04 32:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 32:41

Yeah, that's true. Yeah. You're right about that, because I know even with my daughter, right? One of the things is that my daughter's so used to, is she knows before she goes to bed, she always gets a story. Right. And that's the accountability piece, that structure piece tied to it. Because if I'm slipping and I forget to get a book, that's right, right to grab that book, she's like, Daddy, where's my story? I wanna read a story. And I'm like, oh, okay, I gotta go get my story, right? That's right. And so hold she over there holds you accountable like that. So it's neat seeing that even at an early age, they understand the value and importance of that.

SPEAKER_02 33:13

That's right, man. It's like Dayton. You better not start at Ruth Chris. Then whew. Listen here. You're gonna be messed up, brother, from the top to the bottom. You extend you we have a standard here, but you can't afford that standard. You need to be at McDonald's where they got something on the menu for everybody. Well, and and even that's getting tough now. You know, you used to get a dollar. Now that thing, two dollars. Yes. You did a dollar and a half, that's two. That's three. But I'm saying times have changed.

SPEAKER_03 33:44

That's true. That's very true. Yeah, you're right.

SPEAKER_00 33:48

So, how can the community support the work that you're doing?

SPEAKER_02 33:51

Oh man, how how the community can support um, first of all, the community has been great in um supporting and whatever that looks like. Um, you know, I think for us is uh continuing uh and even opening up doors, whether, you know, all of our administrators, teachers, you know, giving us the opportunity and empowered to win, myself, Coach Kelly, come in and work with your students. Um I think um serving, continuing to serve, because again, no one organization can do it. You know, I think we can pass the button big homie, shout out to Big Homie, Little Homie. Uh we collaborate, you know, some of their young men, they'll come over to you know what we're doing, and vice versa. We'll send kids there to refer. I think if we can refer to each other, because it's just never enough, you know, work that we can do. And I think we have to come out of our silos, right? And um just thinking somebody's gonna, you know, take your kid. That kid doesn't belong to you. I look at it like this they belong to God, man. Let's just give them what they need, give them the tools that they need so they can be successful. Because at the end of the day, if you never if you know, if you're not a parent, you'll soon find out. At the end of the day, and when you grow, just like you know, we my wife and I, we have kids, so you know, we say things and we do things, but it's the community, it's the importance of that's somebody out there in the community that can reinforce, you know, what dad and mom is saying. You know what I'm saying? So, so that I don't care, bro. If you if Kevin can talk to you and help you and the light bulb go off, hey man, praise God. We winning. You know, so yeah, we we just gotta continue to work together.

SPEAKER_03 35:24

Well, because yeah, because that's serious when it comes to education, um, especially when you're working with youth, is like you said, is very territorial, especially when it comes to the kids. Like, and that's something that's one of the first things I learned years and years ago. Right. Yeah, it's it's it's wild. And you feel bad because sometimes you can tell like the student and the student may not really be receptive to what you're offering, but they may benefit more from this other program, but you're keeping them away from that opportunity, maybe because you have a relationship with that parent, right? So if you have that relationship with that parent, that's gonna keep the kids sitting in that, you know, sitting there with you and where they could really be thriving if they did something else.

SPEAKER_02 36:07

Right, right, right. And it's it's like, you know, um we know, and and this is just this is just food for thought, we have to understand that we don't always have the best thing. We don't always have the best offer. There's someone else that can do it better, there's someone else can maybe is a good fit. It's like business. You know, everybody if everybody's doing if everybody's doing business with you, you're not doing business right. Right? And so the reality is that you gotta say, hey, you know what, I I can't handle that. You can't do everything. Right. You gotta specialize in what you specialize and and let those that that have that gift to do that, uh, you know, do that. And I think that we gotta get to the place where we don't allow money. Um, and I think, you know, the integrity behind what we do uh stand in the way of doing what's right, you know, for the kids. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:56

Yeah. I think we're kind of learning that we bring in different guests to talk to the kids and we can do an awesome job of that. You know, who's gravitating towards or how the kids are gravitating towards that guest. And we have seen a big shock and difference in them. You know, the questions that they ask, the interviews, and how they respond, you know, even after the person has left, you know, you get to see them improve and grow. So the different you you handle a di a wide range of kids. What age range would you say has grown the most?

SPEAKER_02 37:28

I would say our 16. Now we serve in Empowered to Win, we serve students ages 13 uh to 21, right? Uh, but where I think our sweet spot has been is at 16 to 19.

SPEAKER_03 37:43

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 37:44

Right? Um, it's almost like being in middle school, you know, where you think you're on full grown, but you're a baby. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? You're still kind of at spoil when, but then when you're kind of making that transition from high school uh or getting that GD into the real world, that's our sweet spot. Okay. Um Yeah, and so that's where we've we've seen a lot of the success because a lot of kids have all some of them have already experienced so much trauma. Yeah. Uh some of them have uh, you know, and it's not always trauma. I don't I don't want to make it always seem like we we're working with the bad kids, but let me just go and say that you can have both parents in the house and making money and your child's at risk. I believe all of our kids are at risk of something, right? And so the reality is that that's where we've seen kind of them make that that that seamless transition from where they are to where they want to go. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:31

Okay. So what current projects are you working on?

SPEAKER_02 38:34

Oh man, got that book coming. Got the book coming. Yes, um, the winning leadership challenge. Uh, eight steps uh for students to empower the winning leader within. Okay. Uh, we believe that there's a winning leader uh in all of our students. And over the years, what I've just realized is that I think it it it it the foundation is leadership.

SPEAKER_04 38:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:58

You know, um and and and them starting with themselves. So we got the book coming out. Uh that's gonna Mother's Day. Okay. Uh weekend is when we're launching it uh in Columbia, South Carolina. Hilltop gotta be there. Yeah, of course. Right? Hopefully uh May 24th. Okay. Uh that's what we'll be launching and releasing the book here in Columbia, South Carolina. So I'm excited about that. And I'm trying to do this stuff y'all doing, you know, the winning leadership department podcast. Yeah, I'm just you know, we're kind of getting that uh, you know, kind of getting that those juices flowing, just kind of dropping those those shorts. But uh we want to start interviewing. Uh and I'd be honest with y'all, I I mean, I really was inspired, Kev, by your work, uh, what you guys are doing, and so we wanted to do the same thing, and which was inspired by the book. And so we're calling the podcast the winning leadership department. So that's gonna be rolling out hopefully in the next month or two, and uh, so we can impact and have some great leaders on there to help our kids.

SPEAKER_00 39:53

Cool. Yeah, so how do you balance it all?

SPEAKER_02 39:56

Man, planning. You gotta plan, right? I go to bed early. How early? I go to bed about 9, 9:30. Okay. Like, man, you go to bed early. Let's go a bit early. Yeah, but see, I wake up early though.

SPEAKER_00 40:10

How early?

SPEAKER_02 40:11

4 30 in the morning.

SPEAKER_00 40:13

I need numbers. I need to know. Right.

SPEAKER_02 40:15

You know, but you know why? Because that's when I'm most creative.

SPEAKER_00 40:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:18

Okay. You gotta know when you're most creative, and yeah, right. And you know, your meditation time, spending time with God, praying, all those types of things. And that's really where I get a lot of my ideas. So, you know, um, for me, you have to plan that, right, in order to balance all the things. And I'm still learning because, you know, being an entrepreneur and and I'm a I'm a I'm a leader at my church, I'm an elder at my church. Um, so I'm serving people on a lot of different levels. So, but what you have to learn with that, you know, to whom much is given, much is required, but you got to be able to balance and delegate.

SPEAKER_03 40:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:53

And that's where, you know, you have to learn there's certain things that you can't do. Like my wife is the administrator. I promise you right now, we probably wouldn't be paid if it wasn't for her, right? Because that's not what I do. So you have to plan and incorporate those and put systems in place to help you do the other things efficiently.

SPEAKER_00 41:08

The other Kelly.

SPEAKER_02 41:09

The other Kelly. And my wife, my wife named Kelly.

SPEAKER_03 41:12

Man, you know, I was so when I first met you, I was so confused with the corresponding email. Not our last name. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:18

I was so confused. I was like, wait, so her name is Kelly too? He was like, yeah, wait, so his name is Kelly too? Yes. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_02 41:25

But one has got the E in it. E Y and Y. Yeah. Oh, okay. She's the one who got the EY with the power in it. Yeah. She's super awesome. Just tell you, I'm gonna shout out to my wife. Man, I'm gonna tell you something right now, man. Find a good wife, you find a great thing, and obtain favor from the Lord. That's what the scripture says, right? But here's the deal. When we got together, uh, again, man, I was starting over. I went through a divorce, honestly. And uh, y'all know I was talking about that air mattress. Yeah. Yeah. First thing I did, man, we saw them googly eyes. I said, man, she's cool. I think she's gonna be the one. First thing I did is I took her to that air mattress. I said, This is all I got. You know what she said? I don't care about the air mattress, I care about you. Let me tell you something, guys. Take it to the next level. That's right. That's right. That's right. But hold on. She she always gets, she gets on me. She said, Don't be making the people feel like, you know, I just accepted you, like you were some whatever. Right. This is what she said. She said, you had potential. She had pot you had potential. So, so, so I actually I'm coming out with a training on potential. Because see, potential has to turn into productivity, productivity. Yeah. You can have all the potential in the world, but if you don't take that potential and put it into something to create something, oh man, I'm telling y'all, I I'm letting the cat out the bag. That's the preacher coming out. You're on here. The preacher coming out. Potential to productivity. Yeah. Anyway, yeah, that's it. Yeah, shout out.

SPEAKER_00 42:47

So, how can everyone find you on social media, the website, if they want to book you?

SPEAKER_02 42:52

Yes. Yeah, check my website out, uh, Coach Kelly Simmons.com. Uh, on all social media platforms, TikTok. I was challenged by a kid. Uh, one of my students said, hey, if you're gonna coach, if you're gonna reach these kids, reach the kids that reach this this generation, you gotta be on TikTok.

SPEAKER_00 43:09

You really do.

SPEAKER_02 43:10

So I really am res Believe it or not, even though I'm talking like I'm talking now, I haven't always been this way. And so uh I'm you know, we're pushing our social media platform, all handles, Coach Kelly Simmons. Uh, go check me out uh and follow me and subscribe. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 43:26

Well, thank you. This was a good episode. I'm glad people got to, you know, see how much work you actually do out here.

SPEAKER_02 43:31

I appreciate it. I appreciate it. This is awesome. Y'all are doing great work. Keep doing what you're doing because y'all are inspiring many.

SPEAKER_00 43:37

You keep doing what you're doing because you inspire us. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 43:40

That's it. See what happens when collaboration takes place. It's awesome, y'all. Yes, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 43:46

Thank you. So we're gonna sign out on this episode. Thank you guys for tuning in to learn how to be a winning leader. And I want to say thanks for Skip and Mike and Kevin, and of course, our guest, Mr. Kelly Simmons the third. You guys tune in for another episode.

SPEAKER_03 44:04

Peace. Peace.