Episode 1636: Interview with Scott Ferguson About Why NOW IS Your Time To Shine

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Scott Maderer: [00:00:00] Thanks for joining us on episode 1,636 of the Inspired Stewardship Podcast.

Scott Ferguson: Hey, I'm Scott Ferguson. I challenge you to invest in yourself, invest in others, develop your influence and impact the world by using your time, your talent, and your treasures to live out your calling. Having the ability to recognize that life is meant to be lived is key, and one way to be inspired to do that is to listen to this The Inspired Stewardship Podcast with my good friend Scott Maderer.

Let's level up.

And when you're out there, you're like, oh my gosh, I'm scared because I get scared. I, but I just lean into it, faith and fear. Which one are we gonna do? I mean, I, that's one thing I asked my, my coaching clients, what do faith and fear have in common? They say, I might get a smart remark. Like they both start with letter F.

Well, you're right, but they're also a belief in something that hasn't happened yet. Where are you gonna put that in? Faith or fear? Let's go Faith. Let's stress our belief systems and get after it.

Scott Maderer: Welcome and [00:01:00] thank you for joining us on the Inspired Stewardship Podcast. If you truly desire to become the person who God wants you to be, then you must learn to use your time, your talent, and your treasures for your true calling.

In the Inspired Stewardship Podcast, you'll learn to invest in yourself. Invest in others and develop your influence so that you can impact the world.

In this podcast episode, I interview l Scott Ferguson. I asked Scott why his mission became making sure that everyone has someone. I also asked Scott about his podcast Time to Shine in his book, the Harmonic sle. Scott also shares with you why it's so important to recognize business as a true mission field.

Scott Ferguson: I have a great book that's been out for a while now called Inspired Living. Assemble the puzzle of your calling by mastering your time,

Scott Maderer: [00:02:00] your talent, and your treasures. You can find out more about that book over@inspiredlivingbook.com. It'll take you to a page where there's information and you can sign up to get some mailings about it,

Scott Ferguson: as well as purchase a copy there.

I'd love to see you get a copy and share with me how it impacted your world.

Scott Maderer: El Scott Ferguson is the host of Time to Shine Today podcast. His mission is to not have anyone feel like they have no one. Scott's story was highly sought after by people in the entertainment business, which he was not ready to share until now At Time to Shine.

Today, Scott shares knowledge nuggets to help individuals and teams to level up both in business and personal. Scott is a veteran of the United States Navy with multiple deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and others. He's an active podcaster and real estate junkie investor. Scott loves to give. To live intentional and loves the beach, [00:03:00] fitness, yoga, and volunteering.

Welcome to the show, Scott.

Scott Ferguson: Hey, Scott. How are you? I know it's Scott and Scott.

Scott Maderer: It, it's gonna be really hard to remember the names today. You know, it's like

Scott Ferguson: great to be here, brother. Thank you so much for having me on.

Scott Maderer: Absolutely. I, I look forward to it. I've, I've been on your show, time to Shine. It was a great time and I, I've definitely wanted to get you over here and share you.

With my audience as well, because you, you've got, uh, you got a tremendous message and I definitely wanna make sure we get a chance to share some of that today.

Scott Ferguson: Thank you, brother.

Scott Maderer: So,

Scott Ferguson: yeah. Blessed and highly favored, man, so this is awesome.

Scott Maderer: Yeah. You, you know, you've lived quite a crazy life in a lot of ways.

I know, I know enough about your story to know some of your story, but I won't claim to know all of it, but

Scott Ferguson: Right.

Scott Maderer: Take us back in time a little bit. You know, you're, you're so focused now on putting out the, yeah. The message inspiring others doing all of that. But I always think of where we end up as never how we got there.[00:04:00]

Scott Ferguson: Sure.

Scott Maderer: So take us back in time and share a little bit about your journey and what, what brought you to the point where this is the, the message you feel called to put out into the world.

Scott Ferguson: Yeah. Scott, again, one, thank you so much for having me on. And you know, I was born in 1972. It was kind of towards the end of the Vietnam War and, uh, a, uh, American gi uh, went to the Philippines and got a woman pregnant.

Um, and then he went off to Vietnam. And she gave birth to me. And at that time, bastard, male children were literally taken from the mother, uh, and taken to Spain because Spain controls the Philippine Islands. And they were afraid, you know, I'm 6 1 2 40, I'm pretty well put together. They didn't want even an average American man.

Kind of physically there. 'cause Filipino men are generally smaller and they were gonna scared of that. So they literally shipped us off. Not many people know what happened to those kids. Right. So it was, uh, it, it's interesting, uh, I got a, uh, an adoption process started by an Air Force couple, [00:05:00] uh, that were in Pampanga Bay.

And they started the adoption process. And then the woman who was gonna adopt me, her father gets sick. So they got me a temporary passport, which I still have that thing, my little baby picture. And brought me back to California. Her father died. She goes, schizophrenic. Can't raise. They couldn't raise me.

They already had two children and I was just kind of added to the family and, uh, they couldn't raise me, so they dropped me at an orphanage in California. And I don't remember too much of that at all 'cause I was so young. But I had a, a family here in the United, or also in the United States. Um, I, who I call my father and my mother, they were looking for a child 'cause they could not have children.

And an adoption person, a friend of theirs that ran into like an adoption, I don't know if they even called them back then in agencies or whatnot, but they would find children. And so they got me from the orphanage in California brought me to Michigan, uh, where I was raised. Uh, my mother and father divorced two and a half years after they [00:06:00] adopted me.

And they're both al alcoholics. They're, my mother has passed on. I still love her. I mean, I love her anyways, but, uh, she was an alcoholic, my father. Was an alcoholic, a Vietnam veteran, also bad alcoholic. And they, they couldn't raise me. So I kind of bounced around from family to family. Excelled at sports.

I was pretty good at sports, offered scholarships, but they didn't like my 1.8 grade point average. So from there my dad is like,

Scott Maderer: fancy

Scott Ferguson: that. Right. And you know, my dad had gotten clean, uh, in 1984, so I was 12 and I went back to live with him when I was 13. Uh, but he said, listen man, like if you're gonna live here, you're gonna pay.

You're not just gonna live here for free. I said, okay, awesome. So I went in the Navy, uh, I went in the Navy. I don't talk too much about what I did in the Navy, but I was in Desert Storm in Somalia and Afghanistan and. Uh, I built a family there, like guys that I'm so close with in this day. Of course, the Facebook phenomenon in 2006 was like, oh, everybody get back together.

So now we have awesome reunions and stuff like that, but I always kept in touch with a core few, which has now grown into a lot because of [00:07:00] families, extended family, some of us are grandpas, you know, all that kinda stuff. But that was my family. But when I got outta the military. I didn't really know what to do too much 'cause I was kind of like leaving a family and, you know, I was a personal trainer.

I gotten a personal trainer certification while I was in the service. Came back, started training people. And you know, I'd stay up late at night and watch these infomercials. That said, you know, no money down in real estate. Right. And I was, I was training some real estate investors and they were saying, that's illegal in Michigan anyways, but I'll show you how to, if you find the property.

So I ended up bird dogging for them, or, you know, going out finding properties and got a, a real estate license as well. And I really excelled. I mean, just crazy took off with it. You know, me, you know, had two comms in my bank account. Had no problems, no worries whatsoever. And in 2009, because I didn't listen to my, you know, investors and my mentors market crashed, I lost everything.

'cause I [00:08:00] paid off everybody and filed bankruptcy, paid off everybody lived out, really nothing. And my little brother committed suicide, um, during that time as well. So I was in the dark place. Um, was going to, you know, my version of surfing turf was Vanna sausages and tuna fish, you know, and stuff. So, so I was like living out, I wasn't so much brain dead, if you will, where I was like, oh my gosh, woe is me.

'cause I knew how to survive through stuff, but I just was really lost in a guy, had the library. Handed me a book called The Traveler Skiff and who was written by Andy Andrews Christian comedian, but he's also awesome. I literally, he's my 500 episode. I love Andy episode. Yeah, I was on the phone with him today actually.

And we we're like, he's writing the forward to my book, harmonic Cuss, blah, blah, blah. And he is, uh, the, his book, I mean, I keep his message on my desk if anyone's watching of the seven decisions. You know, and so I implemented those, took action. Stayed, ha, happy, grateful, you know, whatnot. And, you know, it's like my mom's like, I think there's [00:09:00] people out there that need you.

They need your story, they need to hear kind of things, and you're a great listener and you've already worked with people at their biggest investment they've made to that point in their life with the real estate. So you know how to talk to the people. Uh, and so I did. So I slowly in 2010, 11, started building a coaching business and then online sales stores and stuff like that, and.

My mom was my late mother, was my first subscriber and stuff like that. So I built an email list to a hundred, almost 180,000 email subscribers. I'm blessed if you're in the vr listening out there, you know, blessed for everybody. Um, and just started really leaning into the coaching world, um, knowing that I'm not a consultant.

I'm a coach. I believe that everybody knows what they want, they just don't know how to talk themselves into it, and everybody has a gap to bridge. And so if I, my superpower Scott, is curiosity. And I just ask the questions and that challenge that they have inside that heart, they actually come up with the answer.

I hold 'em accountable so that it's just a beautiful life that I get [00:10:00] to live serving people. Still involved in real estate. Um, have a fantastic fiance, Susan. Awesome goddaughter, Kelsey. Uh, just, you know, my father and I are still, stu, still super tight. Uh, so I mean, life is good. It's been a journey. I wouldn't look back and be like, oh, I wanna change this and this.

It'd be cool if it was different, but man, uh, God is good dude. And that's another thing, my faith. When I was younger it was shoved down my throat with Southern baptism. Southern Baptist. Right, right. God, fire and brimstone. And when I went to the military I was like, eh, I don't have to go to church anymore.

But there ha a couple things happened where Yeah. You got close to God again. Right. So then my faith and my walk with God has been strong since even the military. Attend an awesome church here at Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach. Um, and just living a life of, um, I believe success is living a life of options and not obligations, and I like to think that I get to do that by pouring into people.

So that's my story in a nutshell. That's [00:11:00] 40 or 53 years, so we're back.

Scott Maderer: I, I've got a few years on you, but not that many. And and it's funny, the the older you get the more years you could have in between you and it's not that many, right? Absolutely.

Scott Ferguson: Susan's seven years older than me, right?

She's 60. I'm 53 and it's like. Yeah, if we were younger, this would be pretty odd. Like you could have been

Scott Maderer: a babysit

Scott Ferguson: center.

Scott Maderer: My wife, my wife is six years, my wife is six years younger than me, and she likes to remind me that like when I was graduating from college, she was graduating from middle school, you know, and I'm like, I'm like, it sounds creepy when you put it like that.

It's like,

Scott Ferguson: I do the same thing. I'm like, Susan, you know, we were never teenagers at the same time because she's seven years different. So when I turned 13, she turned 20. You know, so. It's a, it is funny. We always joke about it, but man, she's just amazing.

Scott Maderer: But, but you're right. As an adult as you get older, that doesn't matter as much.

Scott Ferguson: Yes,

Scott Maderer: sir. So I wanna dig in a little bit about your journey before we kind of move forward. Sure. So, you know, growing up it sounds like you, [00:12:00] you. You didn't have a lot of what normal, what people would normally look back and go, oh, there's a lot of stability, there's a lot of structure. It's all of that.

It sounds like really until you joined the military, you didn't have a great deal of that in your life. How do you think that's affected the person that you are today?

Scott Ferguson: It. My tagline of my company, which I'm sure you, you read it in the intro, which I know you read it in the intro or to it, is we want no one to feel like we want everyone to feel like basically, I don't even remember my own tagline, anyone not to

Scott Maderer: have anyone

Scott Ferguson: feel like

Scott Maderer: they have no

Scott Ferguson: one.

No one. Thank you. Yeah. Um, but I, I came up with that. I have it

Scott Maderer: written down so I

Scott Ferguson: can shake you down. Thank you so much. I just haven't said it in a long time, but we don't have anyone to feel like they have no one. So it really. It, we reach out through, uh, you know, time shine today and our, you know, my network of the people that uh, raise my vibration and have great walks with God and [00:13:00] faith.

And it's just made me. Very grateful for everything that I've been given, everything that I'm still haven't reached, you know, I still have peaks that I want to, I haven't peaked yet. And, and just looking back and it's the gratitude that comes out, Scott, is, it's real, it's authentic and I love to lean in and help others, especially the ones, the harder cases.

I love those, you know, 'cause I'll, I'll find a way for them. So. Absolutely.

Scott Maderer: So kind of flipping that so that that instability of your own life has made you committed to other folks not feeling like they're alone. Yeah. Yeah. And, and having that, that depth of, of drive. But you said something when you were talking about the real estate early on, you said, oh, you had money, you had no worries whatsoever.

I didn't call you out on that. Yeah, yeah. Is that true? No worries whatsoever.

Scott Ferguson: Um, at the time, because I grew up with nothing [00:14:00] like that, that I just didn't feel like, uh, in my, my squad of people I was around were all. Uh, high earners, you know, successful people if you will, you know, on paper. And, and they were older.

They were in their fifties. A lot of like the crew that I would hang out with, and I was 31, 32 in the early two thousands. You know, so I would hang out with them, but then I would go like a, an arrogant jerk and rub it in everybody's faces. Where I was. I'm a millionaire, dude. You're not, I can't believe you have, you don't want to put the time in to do the work and do this, you know, so.

Yeah, I mean that's, you know. That was the, I didn't have any worries on the surface under, I was probably like a duck in a pond where, you know, looks calm on top and underneath, or paddling away. I just didn't know it. I wasn't cognizant. I was unconsciously competent. You know, I was I had no competency or in yeah, just, I wasn't competent at all and it took, um.[00:15:00]

A tragedy and, you know, um, I, I'm a man of faith, so you know, God had a plan and he's just like, dude, you're going, you're gonna work a little bit harder than that. Yeah.

Scott Maderer: Did you have any sense before the end came any of the, you know, that small, quiet voice inside you or was it more of a Nope, I've got this.

Not that

Scott Ferguson: I listened to.

Scott Maderer: Okay.

Scott Ferguson: A hundred, a hundred percent. You're right. It was there. It was like, dude, you know, all these guys and girls are telling you, hey. Fergie, like, watch your money, watch your, the people that you're hanging around with. Watch how you're treating people. Because this whole market, 'cause back then, I mean, you lived through it.

It's like, oh, you have a pulse and you pinky promise that you make 200,000 a year. Oh yeah. Here's a loan. So it was like that. And we were just printing money and that's what I thought. And I lived by, 'cause I didn't have it growing up.

Scott Maderer: OOPM, other

Scott Ferguson: people's money. Yeah. Other people's money, baby. Yeah.

And it's, so, yeah, it was a, a lesson that I'm so glad I learned. 'cause I can. I can relate to the younger generation [00:16:00] really well. You know, coaching a lot of professional athletes, or even just coaching like high schoolers that are making their way into that world. And I can be like, listen, man, life was gonna punch you in the face.

You can call me an idiot. You can call me a dumb, but I promise you it's going to.

Scott Maderer: Mm-hmm.

Scott Ferguson: You know, and it's going to, and, and I can talk to them like that. Um, because one, I've lived it, and two, it is just my way of being able to relate to them.

Scott Maderer: So you mentioned faith several times and Sure. That's one of the things I like to highlight for folks is that, you know, we all have our own unique faith journey.

Uh, it's not that they necessarily all look the same, they don't always have the same travels, and yet I believe that our faith journey affects our life journey. And our life journey affects our faith journey. Thank, you know, you, there's a feedback loop, right?

Scott Ferguson: Yeah.

Scott Maderer: So how has that feedback loop operated for you?

Scott Ferguson: It's so funny you said that. 'cause I literally, that's what I'm speaking on this weekend in Texas. It's about everybody attaches that faith to God, right? To their [00:17:00] religious faith, if you will. Mm-hmm. But they don't have any faith in the other pillar pillars of their life, like their personal growth, their family, their community, their work, their money, their living environment.

They don't have that faith that's there in that. And so when you don't have that. You kind of become an imposter. You have imposter syndrome. You start flying blind. You think you're surrounding yourself with the people online that have Lamborghinis. I said that in their quotes. If you're only listening, you know all this success, but you know, you're, they're not attaching the faith to the other pillars in their life.

Scott Maderer: You

Scott Ferguson: know, and I'm not gonna plug my book or anything, but it's called Harmonic Hustle because I don't. Believe in balance. I think balance is junk. You put 10 pounds on one side, 10 pounds on the other. It is, it zeros out where harmony is like, I love jazz, so I like to listen to jazz music and I I say God is the drums 'cause it's my favorite instrument.

Right? The personal growth is the horns. The piano's, the [00:18:00] family, the community might be the guitar and on and on through the pillars. If one of them's outta tune, it's gonna sound like junk. But we don't have to balance. You have to have balance within harmony. So you go in, you tune that up and then you just keep bringing it up and next thing you know what's next, something else is gonna go outta tune.

Now I look at it like, please something. Go outta tune. So I, 'cause that way I can help myself and others. You know, work through it as well as then I'm blessed to coach.

Scott Maderer: Yeah. Yeah. I'm big on the word harmony instead of balance for that description too, because, you know, taking your analogy a step further of the band, if all of the instruments played at exactly the same volume all of the time, doesn't work either.

You know, it sounds like a mess. Um, you know, sometimes the piano's gonna shine. Sometimes it's the trumpets, you know, whatever.

Scott Ferguson: Right.

Scott Maderer: Um that's. That blend where I think you're right. When people hear balance, they always think equality. And it's like, you know that, that, that's a messy life. That's not a, it's, you know, it's um,

Scott Ferguson: right.

You know, there are times [00:19:00] that they try to, they try. That's perfection then. Right. And people, you're not going to reach it. It's impossible. God made sure of that. And I love it that, but you know, like the old Lou Holtz would say, the old football coach, hey, or, or Vince Lombardi, Hey, we're gonna chase perfection.

Well, we're ain't gonna catch it, but we'll get greatness. And that's, that's what I love about it.

Scott Maderer: Well, and, and so I'm a, I'm a Methodist by background, and John Wesley's famous quote is on to perfection.

Scott Ferguson: Yes.

Scott Maderer: You know, same. Absolutely same idea. You know, you don't, you're not there. Right. You're never gonna get there.

But that doesn't mean we don't try. Right. You know?

Scott Ferguson: Go, sorry,

Scott Maderer: go ahead.

Scott Ferguson: No, in, in, in our times that, that's dark and, and, and adversity, you know, that's where we get to stress our belief systems.

Scott Maderer: Uhhuh,

Scott Ferguson: right? We get to stress 'em, man. And when you're out there, you're like, oh my gosh, I'm scared. 'cause I get scared.

I, but I just lean into it faith and fear, which one are we gonna do? I mean, I, that's one thing I ask my coaching clients. It's like, what do faith and fear have in common? They say I might get a smart alec remark. They [00:20:00] both start with a letter F. You're right, but they're also a belief in something that hasn't happened yet.

So where are you gonna put that in? Faith or fear? Let's go faith. Let's stress our belief systems and get after it. Yeah.

That, that's all I

Scott Maderer: When, when you think of your mission field you know, 'cause you work with a lot of different folks from a lot of different walks of life, how, how would you describe, you know, your, your work field or your mission field or the, the place that you're called to, to pour into?

How do you talk about it yourself?

Scott Ferguson: You know that when I read that, 'cause thank you for sending me that question. 'cause I actually ran that question, uh, uh, by a couple of my coaches, my, my buddies and friends, actually, my coach. And I was like, what does he mean by this? And I didn't wanna reach out to you and be that bother you.

'cause I know that it works better in the conversation, but I'm bringing it up anyways. Right. It's like. They're like, for, you're the gap coach. When I get introduced on stage, you're the gap coach. Like, I didn't pigeonhole myself into any kind of somebody that are, you know, just real estate or whatnot.

It was like, you know, you wanna get here, you're here, [00:21:00] there's a gap. We're gonna bridge it. And so the mission is like, anybody that has something that I, that I can help them with, I'm gonna help 'em bridge the gap if I can't. I've interviewed almost 450, you know, coaches, including yourself, coaches, consultants, therapists, service providers that I can put them with.

So we don't have anyone that feels like they have no one, right? Mm-hmm. So my mission is to make sure that you're not alone. But you know, I don't, I didn't pigeonhole myself into any like. Field or mission field, which I hope that's what you meant by it,

Scott Maderer: Uhhuh.

Scott Ferguson: You know what I'm

Scott Maderer: saying? No, it's because mission field.

Here's the thing that this is why I, I asked it and I'll, I'll let, I'll let me share something and then I think, yeah, yeah. It'll make you expand. 'cause I think as coaches we make a mistake. We always. Think about coaches, like to think about the demographic of the kind of people they wanna serve.

You know, the, uh, they're they're young, they're male, they're female, they're entrepreneurs. They're this, they're that. The other, but the truth is, as a coach, what we work with is psychographics. You know it's who they are and how they feel. It's [00:22:00] not what role they happen to play.

And that's really what you're talking about. You're talking about how they feel, not. How they function.

Scott Ferguson: Yeah. And I'm blessed, and again, I'm blessed. Coach, professional athletes has forgot more about their sports than I'll ever know.

Scott Maderer: Yep.

Scott Ferguson: But again, it goes back to the curiosity and finding out which one of those pillars, those eight pillars that I went over before that we're challenged with.

And then again, it's all accountability. It, it's. I'm not a therapist, I'm not, you know, I don't have the alphabet under after my name or whatnot. But I do have some experience and I'm able to lean in onto that. I call it my cookie jar where I'll pull something and when things get hard, I have a cookie jar that's just stock full of experiences that I can pull from, to help people and ask it in a question that's gonna be framed in a way that they're gonna be like, okay. You know, this is, uh we have a plan Now, you know, when I meet clients, whether they're Zoom or I'm blessed to coach 'em here in Palm Beach, you know, I put 'em in their [00:23:00] their driver's seat in their car.

And I say that little small mirror right there, that's your past, right? It's small for a reason. And if you need help there, I don't have the alphabet after my name. Well, I can get you help. I'll get you a good therapist. But the windshield big. Scary. Oh my goodness. But since, where am I going?

But since 2011, pretty much every car has one. Now you have it in your phone, you know, it's called the GPS. So that's what I am. We're going to, I'm gonna ask you the questions of where you're, you want go? You we're gonna plug it in, but hey, you know what? There's construction here. Oh, let's reroute. And as a coach, that's what we do is reroute, hold them accountable to it.

Right. Mm-hmm. So I'm not, you know, I can't consult anybody. Maybe a little bit in my real estate clients because I've had my version of success in it. But anything else I can't. But what, what I love about it is that I can coach anybody 'cause I was told by other coaches, you need to niche up. You need to niche up.

And I was like, okay, I'll try that. But no, it just didn't work. I [00:24:00] wanted to help more people. If you had something, I could have a discussion that, let's do that. So I have, again, anybody from, you know, professional athletes to a client that's been on the Cover People magazine six times to a short timer at Palm Beach Sheriff.

Jail and I do my pro bono work there where they have 30 days or less nonviolent crimes. I go there on Sunday after Christ Fellowship, and I have discussions with 'em, help them set a vision for when they get released. Got it. Right. So that's, you know, I do a lot of pro bono there and also pro bono with mental hygiene at the va because, you know, I've had people there for me during my PTSD.

Scott Maderer: Yeah. Yeah. The interesting thing is, is you have niched, you just didn't niche. The way they meant it.

Right. You know,

Scott Ferguson: hundred percent. Yes, you're right Scott. Thank you for saying that.

Scott Maderer: Yeah. So it's, yeah, but I, but again, I think you're right. I think there's a lot, and by the way, I don't think that's just in coaching.

I think this is in business in general. Yeah. You know, a lot of [00:25:00] times people think about business in terms of the product they sell or even the problem they solve. Problem's better than product, you know, even if you are selling a product

Scott Ferguson: Truth. Yeah.

Scott Maderer: But with problem even, it's like, yeah, but 'cause there, it's, is it the real problem or the perceived problem?

Right. You know, because what, what we really have to sell is the perceived problem, not the problem. Right. You know, it doesn't matter whether you need a phone or not. Do you think you need a phone?

Scott Ferguson: Right, exactly. True. That's true. That that is so true. Think yeah. Yep. That's great.

Scott Maderer: I mean, that's what business is, is is you know, solving and, and it's why there's both great business people that are solving true, real.

Problems in real good ways, even if they're selling something different as a perceived problem. And then there are people that use that for bait and switch and, you know mm-hmm. Yeah. Trick people and manipulate people. Yeah. So it's, it's the same psychology, it's the same technique. It's just different, right.

[00:26:00] Different intents behind it.

Scott Ferguson: Exactly. Yep.

Scott Maderer: So when you, when you think about what you do on, on time to Shine, uh, shine today, which is the, the podcast, what, um, what made you start that? What was the heart behind it?

Scott Ferguson: Started it to talk to people like you. It was a selfish in Denver endeavor. Like I started December 19th, 2019 and I started it and I was like meeting awesome people through LinkedIn. I just listen, man, I'm starting a podcast. I probably stink at it, but would you come on? You know, and, and I asked 'em questions.

They're like, man, so I started getting referrals from their people being like, you had to go on this kid's podcast 'cause he is blah, blah. You know? He is just, I find him fired up with it. Which you were there with me and. You match my energy. And we had a great show, right? And I should have been matching yours, but sorry, because I just say I'm a, and in two, in 2020 in to come on my show, which you graciously did.

You know, you donate to the suicide prevention Lifeline, right? And [00:27:00] in 2020, I don't know if you heard about this thing called Coronavirus, but that came and it kind of No, I I haven't heard

Scott Maderer: of it. What was that? And,

Scott Ferguson: and they, people were searching for things. Yeah, I don't talk. Politics on my show. If you wanna go Faith, that's fine.

I'll respect your faith. Right? But I'm not gonna get it. The whole show buried on faith. I wanna see their human side as well. And so the suicide prevention lifeline said, who are you? And I'm like, I'm just a little podcaster. Well, you've raised $11,000. I'm like, who donated that through there? I mean, I know I donated a little bit every week, but some, I had a couple who they wouldn't tell me.

I was like, that's fine. But then they took and put my show on blast. Like, put it all over the place, which I see you are top 5% in the world, and you know, in, in doing, in what we're doing, I mean, I'm top 2%. And it's like what we're doing is because we're leaning in and we're serving people with a great message and bringing people on that's it.

It it just makes me feel good. But I'm also getting a lot of pushback now [00:28:00] from my squad, like, Fergie, wouldn't you just start doing your monologues again? Right. Ah, your knowledge nuggets. And so now, you know, I've been recording those, the rollout on Fridays, like two to three minutes about a coaching knowledge nugget that I, I think I dropped one at the front of our show.

And so it's just, it's, it's been an awesome growing phase. I'm, I'm sponsored, I'm blessed. Um, and I never didn't do it for that. I did it again to pick the mind of people like you to level up my coaching. And it just, God was awesome, man. He's like, here you go. Thank you. You know, and it's, you know, we look at the house payment that we have and it's paid by my podcast.

And I'm like, that's cool. That's really cool, man. You know, so, and I'm able to sell items that my guests might have and you know, that they bring on that I believe in. And stuff. So it's, it's just been a blessing brother, and

Scott Maderer: what's the biggest takeaway you've had? Not from a guest. So this isn't somebody, things, somebody shared with [00:29:00] you.

Scott Ferguson: Mm-hmm.

Scott Maderer: But just from the act of doing the podcast,

Scott Ferguson: you said the word it's doing. It's like, I am a guy that would think things through to the point almost of analysis paralysis. And you know, I think I a, you know, ask everybody, you know what, leave a knowledge nugget at the end that we can take with us, internalize and take action on.

And one of my good friend, well she's become a good friend through the podcast, Berta Medina. And you know, she's like, do it scared. And it's like, take action. And since she said that like five years ago, I've been a lot less. Time thinking about stuff and more time doing it and figuring it out along the way.

You know, if, as long as I know it's not a time suck, that's gonna be like, oh my gosh, I gotta put all this in to design it. But if someone's like, Hey man, you know what? The Broward County Jail would like to see you on one Sunday a month to kind of come do what you're doing in Palm Beach County. Um, I'm doing it.[00:30:00]

I'm taking action on it, where before I, I guess lean into the faith more than fear. So that's where I've really did, 'cause everything that I've told you is a regurgitation of what I've learned along the way. Mm-hmm. I'm not original at all. You know, you, you said something around crush your excuses, you know, setbacks like surgery or job loss, something.

You said something about setbacks, job loss, security, and everything was temporary. I think you said

Scott Maderer: something that Life is life. Life is a, a film strip. Not a photograph.

Scott Ferguson: Yes. No matter where you, that's what it was.

Scott Maderer: Yeah. No matter where

Scott Ferguson: you are, I pick up stuff like that, man.

Scott Maderer: Yep.

Scott Ferguson: And like. And I'm able to pass it forward because you know, like a lot of people are like, Hey man, you're like, ed my ladder, Tony Robbins on stage, which to me is a compliment.

It's cool, right? Uh, but they Reg Tony Robbins, regurgitated. Jim Rohn, regurgitated, Wallace Wa, or uh, Earl Nightingale. Earl Nightingale, regurgitated Wallace Waddles, all the way back to Aristotle. So nothing's really original.

Scott Maderer: Really [00:31:00] nothing new under the sun. There's maybe just a rephrasing of it.

Scott Ferguson: Not really new. Yes. How you present it and help people elevate and level up their life. Well, and that's the other thing. Even if we're using the same words in the same language, you know, 'cause there's a lot of things you've said at this podcast and I kind of grin to myself because it's like, that's exact, you know, windshield versus rear view mirror.

Scott Maderer: I mean, I've said that to a client, you know, in that exact language. But that's the thing. Even using the same things in the same places in the same time, it's sometimes when you come on and you say it, even though they maybe have heard me say it. This is the time that it clips. This is the time that it resonates.

Just, there's just something about Scott and his story.

Scott Ferguson: Yes.

Scott Maderer: You know, in his background or his past, or his intonation, whatever it is, there's something that makes it be, that's the time that the Holy Spirit goes inside him and goes, dude, you know, did you hear it this time? Yeah. You know, because I've been saying it to you for a while.

Scott Ferguson: Isn't, isn't, isn't it? Yes. Thank you. [00:32:00] Isn't it funny? That you probably have a friend or something you've told something to, right? That you're really trying to level 'em up. You're not being judgmental, you're really trying to help 'em. Right? And yet, if I was to say it, or vice versa, they'd be like, oh man, I'm gonna go do that.

And what I'd like, and I actually talk about this on stage too, man, it's like if you were to come over Scott to my house and brought your wife and I hadn't met. You're knocking on the door. Hey, who is it? It's Scott Mader. And I'm like, oh, I hop up, open the door. You know, like, Hey, nice to meet you. Like a cup of coffee, anything to drink, whatever.

Now, Scott, if you and I are buds and we go back, let's say we served together, we did business together, you come over by yourself, knock on the door. Who is it? It's mader. Come on in, door's open. You walk in and be like, Hey, you got a cup of coffee? You know what a coffee maker is? I trust you enough. I don't respect you enough to get off my butt and do it.

So like people that you say stuff to, I do it. Like, I'll say stuff to my Susan, right? That I know is gonna help her. But she's like, okay, yeah, [00:33:00] honey. But one of my friends that's a coach, he or she might say something though. She's like, oh my gosh, I'm gonna take action. I'm like, babe, I've been saying this for like years, right?

So she trusts me so much, but she might not respect me enough to take action on it. So again, coming from another party. Like I fired myself from clients. 'cause they, they Oh yeah. Have known in the past. And they're not like, listen, I'll bring in somebody that knows a good fit and send them. And then they're basically saying the same thing.

And. So it's a trusting respect.

Scott Maderer: No, no profit. No profit is, uh, is, is welcome in his own hometown. Right, right. You know, you know, it's so true, dude. It's, it's hard to, oh my

Scott Ferguson: gosh.

Scott Maderer: It's hard to coach somebody that's changed your diapers or you know, had to, had you run, run you the extra role because you ran out while you were doing your business.

You know,

Scott Ferguson: they saw you crying during a, a movie. 'cause I'm a crier, like, I'll cry. You know, they're thinking, oh man, you're this hard dude. You did tours, you did this. I'm like, man I cry. Oh, I watch the movie Miracle and I'll ball, you know, the [00:34:00] hockey team. You know, like I've seen it like 30 times, Scott, and they're like, eh, like,

Scott Maderer: yeah.

Doesn't matter. That that's, that's, that's actually a good thing, not a bad thing, so.

Scott Ferguson: Right the other, uh, thought that crossed my mind while you were just talking there about, you know, hearing it from other people and, and I'm just curious your take on this, and you talked about your superpowers, curiosity.

Scott Maderer: I love that. And you've talked about asking questions. How often do you think or how important do you think it is for us to ask. Ourselves or have coaches or others in our lives that come in and ask those questions that really kind of stop and make us reevaluate that yes. You know, what, what do you see as the power of good questions?

Scott Ferguson: Oh my gosh. You like, you and I are like brothers from another mother, man. We just say things a little bit differently, right? Um, [00:35:00] questions are everything. Like a lot of the coaches, which I don't disagree with, they'll be like, let's do affirmations. Like, I'm good, I'm great, I'm terrific. I'm this, I'm that and everything.

That's fine. 'cause I believe if you say I am, everything after the word AM does kind of chase you. Mm-hmm. If you believe what you're saying. But we as humans, God blessed us to be problem solvers. So if you can ask yourself a question, how is it that I wake up every day feeling so good, great, and terrific.

Not only is your conscious mind catching on. But your subconscious mind starts processing that because we are born problem solvers. Mm-hmm. Right? So if you're, you're, and that's science. I know it gets into the reticular acting system, blah, blah, blah. But God gave us a mind to process. God made us the only animal on this earth that will not live to our potential.

And we, some people will say, well, what about a fat dog? I'm like, I'm sorry. You're probably not in good shape either. Right? So they follow, right? Hey

Hey.

Scott Maderer: [00:36:00] Hold on. That was a little personal there.

Scott Ferguson: No, no, no, no. I don't mean that. I'm sorry if I, I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I'm sorry if I offend anybody, but like a tree, the root system can only go so far, right?

No, the root system keep going. That tree's going up. So God gave us the ability to problem solve. So I think that any affirmation that people might be doing, flip it to a question.

Scott Maderer: Yeah.

Scott Ferguson: Right. Flip it to a question and let it just marinate. Pray on it, if you will. If it's something that's important to you.

Mm-hmm. Pray on it, you know, and, and trust God to take you there. But you're you, the power of question. 'cause if you're driving down the road and you decide to hit your blinker. Something fired that said, should I turn my blinker? Hit my blinker? Everything's a question in life. Everything is. You know, so the more powerful your questions the I believe the more that you will get a reward outta life. And not just monetary communication with people. Connection. The fun you have connections. Yeah

Scott Maderer: Yeah. The, the interesting thing is about, [00:37:00] questions and the answers and what you're talking about.

And it brings us back to what we were talking about where I've also had the experience of delivering a message from stage, from church whatever, talking to a client. Whatever it is. And, and nowadays it's so great because we've got the beauty of recordings, you know, almost everything is recorded and captured and you know, they'll come up to you a week later, two days later, six weeks later, whatever it is, that they'll be like, man, Fergie Scott, it was so great when you said blah, blah, blah, blah, blah to me.

Scott Ferguson: Right?

Scott Maderer: And you're going,

Scott Ferguson: I did.

Scott Maderer: I don't think I said that. Right. And nowadays we actually go back and listen to the recording and be like, I never said that. But that's what they heard. You know, how, how often have you had that one happen to you too? Where it's like,

Scott Ferguson: yeah, I've had people, I I had the exact same thing with somebody that said something about what, what it was.

About waking up early, which I'm an early riser, but I [00:38:00] don't ever really talk about waking up early on station. Like yeah, I start waking up, like you said, now I do cold plunge every single day, like for two minutes just to, you know, wake up my system. But they didn't get that, you know, they got the waking up early, which I didn't, I don't really even say that I wake up early 'cause I do let my body kinda do what it wants unless I'm on a schedule.

Um, I just learned that I operate better that way. Um, but yes, absolutely Scott, it's happened. Like more times than like, than I would probably remember. I'd be like, oh, and, and honestly, I, I kinda go through, I'm like, oh man, that's great that it helped. Exactly. You know? Yeah. That's awesome. And then I, what I do also is I bank it.

I'm like, how can I use that in the future?

Scott Maderer: I steal that because honestly right. The be the best information is often borrowed from others. Hundred percent.

Scott Ferguson: Okay,

Scott Maderer: so I've got a few questions that I like to ask all of my guests, but before I, I go there and ask you those. Is there anything else about the work you do, the journey you've been on, or the message that you share that you'd [00:39:00] really like to share with the listener?

Scott Ferguson: One, one thing is a lot of people will see me in action. They'll think that man, if heard, he's so serious when he is like on the clock. But also I am the biggest goofball and I love to tell people and don't take life too seriously. We're not making it out alive. Yeah, that's the bottom line.

That's anyone that's out there that's blessed that I'm blessed that you're listening to this. Like seriously overlap your happiness. 'cause everything's finite. Like everything's finite. If, if Scott and his wife were coming to South Florida and they know that Susan can cook real well, they're gonna be like, oh my gosh, you're going to Fergie's, but then you fly back to Texas, you know, it's like things good, bad, they all end.

So just overlap your happiness. Find something that makes you happy on a daily basis, and don't take life serious. Because again, it's a joke, but seriously, we're not making that alive. It's the truth. That is the truth.

Scott Maderer: Yeah.

Scott Ferguson: Thank you for, you know, giving me the platform for that. But yeah, absolutely. [00:40:00]

Scott Maderer: So my brand has inspired stewardship and I run things through that lens of stewardship, and yet, like so many things I've discovered that's one of those words that can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

So when you hear the word stewardship, what does that word mean to you?

Scott Ferguson: You know, I, I. I had to like look up the definition of stewardship, to be honest with you when I got it. Yet like stewardship is doing to me is doing what I love in the presence of people that love what I do in a sense, meaning like I love coaching.

I look forward to every single one of my coaching conversations, yet the people that I'm coaching or other people might look at me and go, he loves doing that. So I, I mean, that's the way that I feel that I [00:41:00] steward. I is given a gift, again of the curiosity from my Lord and Savior that I can lean in and help people lean into their ultimate human, you know, potential or whatever they're looking for, but they see that I love.

Doing it. Does that make sense? I absolutely gotta hit it, but like, that's like when I, and again, thank you for, for providing me some stuff. 'cause I don't, with my, my interviewees really. And I go way off script. But I looked at that and, you know, those, a couple things they made me really think, you know, so like, this is great, but yeah, that, that, that's what I do.

What you love in the service of people that love what you do. Well, that's the, the truth is there's no wrong answer to that question, by the way. So, um, I'm, I'm, I'm asking a question that doesn't have a wrong answer. So you're all you're perfect. So this is my favorite question that I like to ask everybody.

Scott Maderer: Yeah. Uh, a magic for a minute that I invented this magic machine

With this machine. I could take you from where you are today. And transport you into the [00:42:00] future 150, maybe 250 years. Through the power of this machine, though, you were able to look back and see your entire life, see all of the ripples, all of the connections, all of the impacts you've left.

What impact do you hope you've had in the world?

Scott Ferguson: The impact that I hope that I had, Scott, is that you're gonna have to survive things, but use the lessons to thrive. I want people to say that. Fergie was the most useful human being on earth. Meaning that is people ask me my why. My why is to be useful.

If it's to a neighbor that's elderly next door, I mean, I live in South Florida. Imagine that I have an elderly late neighbor. But like, I love going over there and just doing things. It's just that's, I want people to look back and be like, dude, Fergie like has a hard time saying no to helping people.

And that's not an act, dude. Like Susan gets on me all the time. She's like, who are you helping today? And she doesn't say it in a [00:43:00] derogatory way, but it's just like that's, I'm always looking to serve. Just because so many people, I stand on the shoulders of so many people to get where I am. So when they look back and be like, man, he paid it forward.

He planted trees he never sat in the shade of, and that he did it for the intention and never the attention. You know, I'm already boisterous, so I'm gonna get my attention right. Uh, but if you saw me after an event or something, Scott, I'm always sitting by myself. I'm an introvert dude. I love me.

Some mean time, right? So, but then I was useful, man. The answer to your question I was useful. That people saw that I loved what I did.

Scott Maderer: So what's on the roadmap? What's coming next as you continue on your journey?

Scott Ferguson: The book is kind of going through the, the final publishing, harmonic, hustle, I laying it all out there.

It's a parable hero story if you will about a guy that. Sells real estate and he loses a big deal. You know, they went [00:44:00] and he's gonna quit. So he goes to his cocky millennial broker and thinking the broker's gonna be like, okay dude, see you later. But the broker has a heart because his father's a legend in real estate and he hands the hero a book of, you know, if you're gonna quit.

To talk to these five people and the guy, the hero says, Nope, just tosses it in the ocean. 'cause the whole thing takes place in Jupiter, Florida, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where I live, and my dog finds it brings the book back in. Next thing you know I gotta read it. And I'm meeting five people that are taking from all the coaches in my life that I've had.

I've journaled, literally journaled since 1999 and since 1999 I've only missed 710 days of journaling. Okay. So that's like over two years since 1999. That, that I didn't journal. If you add it up to days. Right, right. And so I so much to pull from and I got a transcriber to put it all in Google Docs, you know, 'cause it [00:45:00] was all written.

So there's a, a story there. So the book Scott, was so easy to write. And the thing is, I didn't use chat G-T-P-G-P-T for anything. I use it a lot for my business, but I didn't use it for the book. I mean, literally, it's all me. It's coming from me. The people that I've had read it, you know, Bob Berg, Andy Andrews, like people that have kind of went through it, they're, uh, they're like, man, this is gonna be cool for you.

So I have that. And also I I don't know if I can offer an hour of power of coaching if anybody needs it. It's a complimentary hour power. That I give and there's no obligation. We just sit down, we have a conversation, it's all about you. So that's just what I have. I mean, I have awesome speaking agents.

My agent has me wheels up 22 times in 2026, so I'm pretty stoked about doing some traveling again. And then, you know, I think we're gonna actually get married this summer. Just, you know, we're gonna do it. We do it. It's just, she has four kids ranging from 39 to 31. So it's like. You know, we getting them all [00:46:00] here.

Right? Yeah. So I think we're gonna do that.

Scott Maderer: Take takes a little logistics to make that all

Scott Ferguson: work. Yeah. Yeah. At their ages, right? Yeah. But yeah, like, it, it is an exciting time coming up, man. I'm so blessed that I met you. You know, it's, it's, well,

Scott Maderer: thank

Scott Ferguson: you. And I'm not just blowing smoke, dude. Like, I'm like, yeah, it was, I'm gonna, I'm not gonna lie to you.

I didn't know if I liked you at first. Like, I was like, oh, is our energy. Then we got going and it was like, dude, this guy's me. Like, he just presents it differently. It was awesome, man. I'm so blessed to, you're my life, dude.

Scott Maderer: This

Scott Ferguson: is awesome.

Scott Maderer: Thank you. I am, I'm blessed as well. We it was a fun, fun conversation and fun con connection.

So you're you're definitely one of those people that, uh like you said had already had a positive effect. So

Scott Ferguson: yeah,

Scott Maderer: you, you are, you are being useful. Let me put it that way.

Scott Ferguson: Thank you.

Scott Maderer: And you can find out more about Scott Ferguson Fergie over at Time to shine today.com. Of course, I'll put a link to that as well in the show notes.

Scott, is there anything else you'd like to share with the [00:47:00] listener now as we share the power hour?

Scott Ferguson: Oh, sorry about that. Yeah, no, go ahead. I do offer a complimentary hour of power that, you know, you, you sit down with me, you do have to fill out a few things so I know which way we're gonna kind of go with the conversation.

Takes you about 10 minutes. Actually people say they take more on it, but, you know, and it's just a really quick, you know, questionnaire that I'm able to get out to you. Then, you know, my, uh, website@timesshinetoday.com has my weekending engagements that are lined up. So if I'm coming to your city and it's more of an open engagement, please join.

And if you've listened through Scott's you know, podcast, then I'll make sure that you get your ticket. And lastly, my direct number is 5 6 1 4 4 0 3 8 3 0. Um. People are like, how do you do that for it's, well one, it's a Google Voice. It's not my direct direct cell, but it is on my cell phone. Uh, so please text me if you're ever wants just a conversation or every, you know, things are going south or you need me to pray for you or whatnot, you know, use that.

[00:48:00] 5 6 1 4 4 0 3 8 3 0 5 6 1 4 4 0 3 8 3 0. And oh, by the way, let's get Scott to come to Palm Beach 'cause I know I'm gonna toot my horn here. I have the number one weekend talk show in Palm Beach County, and I need him to come into studio, so I'd love to have him in here.

Scott Maderer: Uh, I will, I will make it to Florida and Dallas are both of my lists for different reasons.

I, I've got an invite from both of those to be on a, a local show. So

Scott Ferguson: yes,

Scott Maderer: I'm gonna make a trip to Dallas here in a few months. And, and yeah, I'll definitely put Florida on the, on the list as well. Yeah.

Scott Ferguson: Love it man.

Scott Maderer: Thanks so much and it's, so for the power hours, the best way for them to reach you for that.

Also just to text you direct or, or is there another place you want?

Scott Ferguson: Oh yes sir. Yeah, just text me. It there, um, my email's long. It's sf is my initial Scott Ferguson at time to shine today.com. But if you again text me 5 6 1 4 4 0 3 8 3 0, I'd be happy to set that up with you

Scott Maderer: and I'll put all of that over the show notes as well in case anyone was driving and not able to jot it down.

You can find it. Yes, over there. Awesome. Love it. Thanks so [00:49:00] much.

Scott Ferguson: Thanks Scott.

Scott Maderer: Thanks so much for listening to the Inspired Stewardship Podcast. As a subscriber and listener, we challenge you to not just sit back and passively listen, but act on what you've heard and find a way to live your calling. If you enjoyed this episode. Please. Please do us a favor. Go over to inspired stewardship.com/itunes.

Rate all one word iTunes rate. It'll take you through how to leave a rating and review, and how to make sure you're subscribed to the podcast so that you can get every episode as it comes out in your feed. Until next time, invest your time. Your talent and your treasures. Develop your influence [00:50:00] and impact the world.