Episode 105: Acronyms For The Word “No” with Damon Nailer

Welcome to The Career Clarity Show, where we help you find a lucrative, soulful, and joyful career path for you!

On this episode of the Career Clarity Show, we are talking to a true renaissance man, an entertainer – Damon Nailer. If you have been wanting to explore what might be next in your own career trajectory and spread a message to a wider stage, you’re gonna love our conversation. We’re talking all about the pivots and turns and twists that have come in his own path and how he is inspiring people, lighting them up and helping them to step into a level of love, leadership, and life that feels right. 

Damon is known as a renaissance man, inspirational communicator, gift guru and authority and expert who provides direction inspiration and education to many audiences. Currently, he’s a consultant, author, motivator, motivational speaker and editor.

Want to learn more about our strategic framework for successful career change? Download The Roadmap to Career Fulfillment ebook right here!

Show Notes:

• Living, Loving, Leading
• Instagram: Damon Nailer
• Facebook: Damon Nailer
• Roadmap to a Fulfilling Career eBook

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Transcript:

Lisa Lewis Miller  0:04  

Welcome to the Career Clarity Show. If you want to create a career path you’ll love you’re in the right place. I’m Lisa Lewis Miller, career change coach, published author and your host, and each week we’ll bring you personal transformation stories, advice and insights from experts about how you can find a more fulfilling, soulful and joyful career. Hello, hello, and welcome back to the Career Clarity Show. I am your host, Lisa Miller. And on today’s episode of the podcast, we are talking to a true renaissance man, an entertainer somebody who lives to serve and somebody who’s got lots of great lessons to share with you listening today. If you have been wanting to explore what might be next in your own career trajectory, and you’ve been wanting to spread a message to a wider stage, you’re gonna love our conversation with today’s guest. We’re talking all about the pivots and turns and twists that have come in his own path. what he’s doing today, how he is inspiring people lighting them up and helping them to step into a level of love, and leadership and life that feels are really, really good. I’m so excited for you to be with us on today’s episode of the Career Clarity Show, but let me tell you a little bit about our guest today. Today’s guest is Damon Nailer. multivessel multifaceted passionate and skill all described Damon Nailer with hundreds of speaking engagements, many published works under his belt. Damon is known as a renaissance man, inspirational communicator, gift guru and authority and expert who provides direction inspiration and education to many audiences. Currently, he’s a consultant, author, motivator, motivational speaker and editor. And as a result of his expertise, he’s been featured 200 times in various media outlets, including the Huffington Post, Reader’s Digest, thrive global goal cast, MSN, Yahoo, and more. David, welcome to the Career Clarity Show today.

Damon Nailer  2:14  

Well, thanks so much for having me, Lisa. I am blessed and privileged and happy to be here with you and your audience. And I’m looking forward to our great conversation. Thanks so much.

Lisa Lewis Miller  2:25  

Well, I’m looking forward to a great conversation here too, because I hear you’ve got quite the story about how you got into the work that you do today. And I’m wondering if you will back us up to the very beginning and talk about what what the beginnings of your professional path look like?

Damon Nailer  2:42  

Yes, the journey started off, believe it or not, I was an elementary educator. And I did that for seven years. I taught in the local public school system for seven years. I taught third grade, and I taught fifth grade. And then during the summer, several summers, I taught fourth grade. So we’re talking third through seventh through fifth grade that I taught, and I did that for seven years. Well, before the end of my teaching tenure, I would say about the fourth year, my passion for teaching began to dwindle. And at that point and emergence for several other things began to arise and began to increase within me. And that was for a motivational speaking, writing and music production. And what ended up happening at in 2004, I ended up making that first pivot that first major pivot and launching out from education and to those three careers. They’re all at once. And I was doing well for a nice amount of time, I was having lots of speaking engagements, I published my book, I put out my second or third Music Project at the time, I was clicking on all cylinders, then all of a sudden things kind of hit, I kind of hit a wall as always stayed. And that was that that time and at that moment, just out of necessity, I had to pivot again. And this time, I pivoted and began a started a janitorial service with a partner. And we did that we I owned that company for like 12 years. And it was it was a great it was a blessing and serve this purpose. And then I made another pivot and to all of the things that I’m doing today, and most importantly to becoming the parent educator that I am. So the journey has been very interesting. All kinds of twists and turns. And what I found that that makes life more interesting. We have a lot of twists and turns. So that’s kind of the story in a nutshell. But we’ll go through and dissect that a little more.

Lisa Lewis Miller  4:43  

Yeah, I love that. And it sounds like when you can tell it here from the end when you have survived all these pivots that you fearless You sound like you have always been bold and confident and willing to run Full steam ahead in the direction of your dreams. Yes, that always been heartfelt in the moment, like when you were thinking about first leaving elementary education? Did you feel bulletproof and confident? 

Damon Nailer  5:11  

I really did, because I felt that was divinely inspired and that I had the green light to go and just supernatural help and reinforcements to do it. I’ll never forget, it’s funny that you asked that question. Because when I was about to do it, I had, my wife had just had our third baby, and he was actually a premature baby. And he had lots of problems, lots of issues. And so it was at that time when I knew I was going to be making this transition. And this kind of put an extra challenge into the equation, one that wasn’t expected when I first was making thinking about making that decision. But even with that, I just feel felt that confidence that piece. And I’ll never forget, when I was about to step out, there were several of my co workers who approached me and asked the same thing. They were not sure about this, are you? Are you confident, are you are you going to be okay? And I mean, I boldly stated, yes, I’m going to be okay, we’re going to make it, this is going to work. And I stepped out on that belief. And everything worked. Of course, it wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t perfect, had lots of pits, I would say pitfalls and traps, and just different snares that I encountered. But just having that faith and belief that everything would work out and staying optimistic, and just stick keeping my hands that apply and constantly working at it, it has finally paid off. And I’m seeing the dividends of that step. And one thing I always tell people is that if if I didn’t make that decision and make that pivot in my journey, then there are lots of the materials and the things that I’m bringing for now that wouldn’t exist. Because those things came from that experience. You remove that experience, you remove my insight, wisdom, and expertise to share with you that was produced during that time and during those seasons in places. Yes,

Lisa Lewis Miller  7:13  

I love that when you made that pivot, the very first time stepping out of education and into writing and music production, that you felt so confident. And so self assured. I’m wondering, from a logistical standpoint, you know, had you and your family been preparing for this and saving away money? Or had you been starting on already writing your first book, so you had some momentum? Or were you just making a complete leap into into the unknown and starting from scratch?

Damon Nailer  7:46  

Well, it was a calculated risk. And what happened, I had already I put out, like I said, put out a CD and 2000 I put out one like the christmas cd should have been 2001. And then in 2000, for that same year, I had just released the CD, things were going well. And doors began to open for me to do conduct lots of speaking engagements I was I mean, I was getting booked left and right schools would call them the different organizations were calling me. And then I was in a process of writing the book. I hadn’t published it yet. But I had the material I was compiling the information in preparing for that. So in essence, I did have some things going it was it wasn’t just a blind step. It wasn’t just a an impulsive move. But things were kind of going in looking bright towards that, that going into that direction. And that’s why I said okay, if things are going well, let me go ahead and do it because I was doing it while I was teaching. But of course, we have a full time job, you can really fully explore fully explore entrepreneurship, or a different career, because your time is consumed with your full time job. And that’s why I became that it became you know, I can still play as well can I have to make this move so I can be better at doing this. I can I can give my best of my all and really be productive and effective at doing this. But yes, that’s what happened. It wasn’t just a bowl blind move.

Lisa Lewis Miller  9:15  

I love that. Well. And one of the things that feels really significant about your story is that you did you started, you planted all these seeds, you started momentum, while you had a full time job. And you had babies. It’s not like you had a full time job. But that was it. You had a partner, you were raising kids, how did you make the time to start creating that momentum for yourself and start playing with these ideas?

Damon Nailer  9:44  

What what happened during my summer breaks when I did take them because as I mentioned earlier, I did teach several summers, but during those times, and of course during any breaks, I would always just get into what I call them seasons of inspiration and this way I feel just heavily The violence by and I began to just write and compose music. And I just get into a zone, if you will. And when I get into that flow, I’m able to accomplish so much in such a small and short span of time. And that’s what what happened during my summers. And during the breaks, I was able to get a lot accomplished, and basically get ahead and compile just lots of information. I mean, I have so many songs that I haven’t even published yet, I have so much materials for books that were are in the works. And that’s what happened, I’ve worked ahead and whenever I hit or encounter those seasons of inspiration, I made sure to take advantage of them and get as much accomplished as I can during those times. But that’s what happened, you know, just during the summer times when I had the free time. I just made good use of it. And I always tell people now people still ask that question, how do you do that you do? And I always answer that I basically just do everything part time. But I’m a father, I’m a part time man of God or Christian. I say I’m a full I mean, I’m a I’m a full time Christian man. Oh, god, I’m a full time father, and I’m a full time husband. But everything else is just hard to juggle and balance everything.

Lisa Lewis Miller  11:17  

Amazing. So you had planted all these seeds, you’ve started the music production work, you’ve been writing, you were starting to get speaking engagements. You take the leap, and you go out on your own doing this sort of beautiful portfolio career where you’ve got these different different things that your interest that you’re nursing and revenue streams that you’re working on.

Damon Nailer  11:39  

Yes.

Lisa Lewis Miller  11:40  

What happened that required the next pivot.

Damon Nailer  11:44  

I said things just it’s kind of like, I guess I didn’t, after that CD, you know, when you put out a CD, it’s hot, it’s hot, you’re gaining momentum, when you first released the book, it’s hard to stop the momentum. But then it comes to a place where it fizzles out. And as I began to do that, because of course, these were, you know, these were my initial projects, I just haven’t been doing it a whole bunch. I didn’t realize that component of it. And because of it, I had to it just came to a place where I was like, okay, money is getting fun. It’s getting kind of tight here. You know, we had planned ahead, as you asked, as early I was able to take my retirement and everything to put for puts awards, our expenses and everything to help out, you know, while we were getting started with getting everything up to a better level, but then it just came to that place where okay is getting really tight. And in that moment was when my friend as I smelled As matter of fact, he was a co worker and the guy within the church with me, and we started that janitorial business. And when we started that it was basically in the nick of time, and it just provided for me the next 12 years, it really sustained me. And it was just a blessing. But like I said it was basically out of necessity, making that pivot that because things just weren’t sustainment wasn’t making enough to a to be able to sustain myself at the time. But yes,

Lisa Lewis Miller  13:10  

one thing that often comes up when people are considering entrepreneurship and going out on their own is that fear of what if I don’t make it? What if I go What if I fall on my face? What if all the money runs out? What if this thing I thought was a brilliant idea is not a brilliant idea anymore? And people get real scared about what they would do if that happened? Yeah, and I’m wondering how it felt for you to make the pivot into starting the janitorial business. Did you feel resentful? Did you feel relief? Did you feel like you’ve given up on a dream? Did you feel like you wanted to just kick your feet up? What What was going through your mind and your heart when that happened?

Damon Nailer  13:54  

For me, it made me realize that I’m just an entrepreneur at the core was means I’m really willing to pursue any endeavor to establish a stream of income and it doesn’t matter. And they also show and helped me to realize how much humility I had because I really love doing the work. I would say it’s not what I call my dominant gift but I love the janitorial business just being able to own it and work for myself. But no, I never felt those feelings that as if I had failed with the dream or that things just had gone totally arrived. And the reason was because I continue doing the other things. I never gave up writing. I never stopped speaking I never stopped producing music. It’s not if I’m doing all those things still today, but it was just the general sorry I had to become a mainstay as far as my income and that’s what that’s what you have to view it is okay. The dream is not over. I have a fail is not I’m not done. This is just another stream of income. Another thing that I’m putting my hands to you know is the means is the end is going to justify the means or why I’m doing this. But it’s not really the track that I didn’t allow it to detract from the overall goal and agenda and objective, which is to make sure that I’m doing this consultant work does the speaking is writing in his music for a time. And as I stated, that was just a pivot. And I always say it was just a state in the face. You know, I always say it was just a state and not my fate, or overall fate, just the state, just a small portion. But now my overall destiny and fate. And I think if you can get that mind frame, and as I say, to maintain humility, just know that whatever I have to do to survive to provide, I’m going to do it, you know, legally and lawfully, of course, but I’m going to hustle. And when things get tough, I’m going to get tougher, I’m going to stand confidence, I’m not going to fear failure, I’m not going to fear of rejection, because those things are part of the process. And I had to overcome them. But one thing I did through all of this as a state, I developed an acronym for the word no. And for me, there were no means three things it means next option, new opportunity, not over. Whenever I encounter the word No, that means move to the new opportunity or the next option, because it’s not over. And if you could develop that mind frame, that means that every time a door closes you are you’re aware, you’re already looking for the new opportunity to the next option, because it’s not over. And I live by that. And that means that when things might seem like they’re just over a done and I need to move on, then I’m able to go ahead to that next option, a new opportunity, and not just get caught up and hung up on the the fail you are or the thing that that blew up in my face. Because that’s all part of the process. But as I always tell people you learn you learn, you constantly learn you learn not what not to do, you learn how to adjust and modify, make little small shifts, and changes and modifications, to better yourself and see to better what you’re doing to enhance your product and you’re delivering your services. But you have to become an avid student, and you have to be fearless. You have to like I say, you have to say, look, I lose it all I just start all over. And I know it’s scary for some. But you have to if you’re going to be an entrepreneur, that’s the my friend you have to take. But even if you’re not going to be an entrepreneur, if you just launch on it and you transition into another profession, just always have that mind frame that I can get another job. Never say well, okay, this is it. I mean, if I know if this doesn’t work, and nothing else will know. You have skills, you have talents, you actually have some undiscovered skills and talents. And when your back is against the wall, those things will arise and emerge. I promise you

Lisa Lewis Miller  18:02  

love that it feels like it’s a it’s a mindset. But it’s also a framework that there’s this mindset of embracing the entrepreneurial spirit of I can do this, I can figure this out, this is all figured out a bowl, if my backs against the wall, I will figure out how to make it work. I am creative, I’m resourceful. I’m a problem solver. I’ll be okay. And that kind of mindset can help to give you that sense of peace and that motivation and focus to keep moving forward no matter what. But I also love that you you used the janitorial business and starting that, as something that we hear oftentimes will refer to as a bridge job. I stole that that phrasing from Jenny Blake who wrote pivot, but it’s this idea of, you’ve got something that you’re doing in your nine to five, that’s paying the bills. And it may not be the thing that is your heart’s desire on fire. It may not be the 10 out of 10 exactly what you want to be doing. But it’s serving a really important purpose in your life and for that you are grateful. And you see the purpose and you see that it is a state and not your faith. I love that phrasing. That’s so good.

Damon Nailer  19:15  

Thank you. Yes, yes. And I love that concept of it being the bridge. You know, that’s that’s a powerful revelation there. But the one thing about it is well, there were some lessons that I had to learn from running that business that are not relevant to me as well. You take away the genitalia, that janitorial business and I don’t have those lessons as well. Because with that I had to have we had about 13 to 14 employees when we were at the height of the business. Now I have to learn how to really be a boss and manage people supervise people, you know, doing the books, I was the bookkeeper the draft the contract negotiations. All of that’s necessary. For what I’m doing now. And that’s what I’m saying, you know, that’s why you can’t sleep on anything or consider anything insignificant in your life. Everything is meant to teach you something, you’re supposed to glean something from every job, every activity, every endeavor, there’s something to learn, even if even if it may last a short period of time, every job I’ve had, I promise you and every career, I’ve glean something that I’m now that is now useful and beneficial to me.

Lisa Lewis Miller  20:32  

I love that. And it’s funny because I think a lot of people who are considering a career change, sometimes have a really difficult time seeing how to pull in all those past experiences and the pieces of what they learned or the transferable skills to come up with one cohesive story about who they are, what they’re doing, why they’re doing it, why it matters. And so I love that you in the retrospective of everything you’ve done over the course of your career and your life, you can see really clearly why you needed each of those things to happen the way that they did to give you the ability to be the kind of leader and to be the kind of educator and to be the kind of speaker and writer and performer that you are today.

Damon Nailer  21:15  

Yes. So what happens, it enables me to have a huge, and a wide platform that now I can, you know, speak to minister and just teach and educate a broad audience. Because of all of those varied experience. Just imagine me as just a teacher trying to share, I’m not even qualified to talk to you right now. Remember, because I never did a pivot. The whole point of this is teaching people okay, how do you pivot? How do you go from one career to the next. But if by now, I will be a teacher for over 24 years. So this imagine me just serving as only a teacher, we wouldn’t even be able to have this conversation because I wouldn’t be qualified. But due to my experience, and making all of those pivots, I’m qualified to be able to tell others about it, you know, and from it, it’s funny, you were just what were you, you were just saying about me learning and being able to pull it all together, I was able to create a dynamic program called the G three journey. And what I help people discover is what I call your dominant gift. And so there are six regions of giftedness on our bodies, that everything we do. And when I say everything, I mean, every career, you can think of every profession, every business, or whatever, it can be categorized, or classified and put into one of those parts of our bodies. And that came about through all of my varied experiences, learning about in each career, what you’re concentrating on and what you’re using. And I give you a hint, my dominant gift is really what the communication. So anything dealing with writing, speaking, the performing all of that forms of communication, I’ll Excel with that. However, you also have what I call a quiet or, or secondary gifts, meaning meaning you can teach yourself and you can learn different skills. And if some things are just secondary, you know, it might not like you will say it’s not the greatest passion, it might not be the most important thing you want to do the thing that just that you desire, but it is something you can do, or a skill you can use that can help you to survive, and certain times and phases. And that’s what we have to be have an understanding of that, okay, I might not be able to use my diamond to give right now. But there will come a time where I will be able to do it full time. And I’m a prime example of that. The gentleman sorry, that wasn’t my dominant gift. But that was an acquired and secondary skill. And he made the money. And I always tell people to ask yourself four questions to determine your dominant gift. The first one is, what do you good at doing? The second is what do you like doing? The third is what do you do that has a positive impact or effect on others? And the fourth one is what do you do that if you didn’t receive any monetary compensation that you will be satisfied and fulfilled. While you look at the janitorial I was skilled at it. I wasn’t passionate about it. It was effective, because I made a lot of money doing that I made a great income during the downturn. And the last one you were going to pay me to clean it for free. So we only had two of the four. But when you look at my communication, writing and speaking, I’m good at it. I love it, I have a positive impact on others when I do it. And oftentimes I do do it for free, because it’s my dominant gift. And if you can find that, and I always say use it, especially if you can use the say 85% of the time or even more. You’re going to be so fulfilling and happy but even if you can you can use or pursue it as a hobby or something. That’s a leisure activity. But yes,

Lisa Lewis Miller  25:06  

amazing. Now, let me ask you this, you knew that in your janitorial work that you were only getting four, you’re only getting two of the four categories of gifting. What was it that inspired you to put the janitorial part on the back seat or the back burner? and lean into the educating and performing and communicating full time again? Are you feeling scared from the first time that you’ve done it? Did you feel confident? Because you’ve learned the lessons? were you feeling sick of the janitorial stuff and you needed a change?

Damon Nailer  25:46  

Why is this story now promises? It was February first 2006 when I began the downturn, right. February 1 of 2018, was when it it dried up, basically, right at 12 years. So what happened? I literally, I was at my like, the last parts of my contracts, I was down to my last major contract, and I had a few others I was doing. But then the last major one, I never forget, it was in January. And I could just send something was off. And the the What was she? I forgot her title. But she called me she emailed me she was like, she needed to talk to me. And I promised my kids and I told my wife, I said, I think they’re about to let me go pick them up and let me go. So sure enough, when I went to talk to her, she was like, I was like, you guys about the left? He goes, Oh, since like day, when I asked Roku, our app, I lost sleep behind this without you such a good guy, no chance we got How can I tell him this? How am I gonna do this? And I said, Look, it’s all good. It’s all right. What happened in 2017? Actually, right before the end of the year, I had actually gone back to the school system. And I was doing I was serving as a part time tutor. Okay, so he I’m doing the genitori, I’m doing part time tutoring. And then I also was doing consultant work, they had brought me in with the organization that I’m in now to facilitate the nurturing father’s program. So I’m doing a bunch of things. Well, by the end of that year, the lady who knew me who got me connected with that she had been pitching to me the idea of me coming on full time to do the nurturing father and become a parent educator. But I was like, I wasn’t feeling it, because I wanted to do my janitor, just do a whole bunch at it like I was doing. But all of a sudden, I started kind of praying about a wandering and feeling like, okay, maybe I can do a full time job again, or whatever. And what ended up happening, a position became available at the organization. And when my janitorial business basically was closing down and finishing at the end of January. And I would just have to release the other little contracts I had, I was able to make that transition into becoming a parent educator. And so I started on February 1, just from the doing a parent educator. So now, you know, that’s my full time, but I’m also still doing a consultancy, the music, the writing, and the speaking. But yes, that’s what happened, I was able to make another well a really smooth transition here in an increase in income, a huge pay raise. And that’s what happened this time.

Lisa Lewis Miller  28:43  

It sounds like one of your your gifts, is that you’ve always got a couple balls in the air, you’re never just doing the one thing you’re always allowing yourself the space to, to speak, to perform, to write to be exploring these other areas of creativity that use your gifting. So in a lot of ways, while it looks like on the surface, you have this tremendous appetite for risk and you’re just willing to go for it and try anything. You actually have done a lot of risk management in diversifying your activities, diversifying your revenue streams, being involved with a lot of different things. A lot of people know your name. And that feels like in a lot of ways it’s become the safety net to make sure that no matter what, you’re going to have opportunity, you’re gonna have income you can land on your feet.

Damon Nailer  29:33  

Yes, ma’am. I couldn’t have said it better. That’s an objective view, but you’re spot on. And that’s what I try to teach people. You know, you have so many skills and talents you can do so much. You have a network and if you just continue to grow that network just kind of, well, I’m just a people’s person naturally and is not me. You know, I just love to connect with people anyway. It’s not all You know that I’m trying to get something on the agenda, but I’m just a people’s person anyway. But in what I do, and being a consultant and a speaker and stuff, at the same time you do network, you know, and what my course that I’m actually about to release Monday, I teach that, that there’s a difference between socializing and networking. Well, you know, if you’re socializing, you just kind of shooting the breeze, you’re hanging out, you’re having the fun, but when you’re networking, there’s the, you’re making a connection, a bond, and there’s something actually that you’re trying to offer. And hopefully, you’re trying to get the person, you know, there’s something that the person has, that you want, and something that you have that the person wants. So it’s all about finding that common thread and connecting. And we have to be able to do both, of course, it’s fine to socialize. But when we’re talking about business, when you’re trying to make connections, you’re trying to take your career to the next level, or establish a business, whichever direction you’re going into a net, your network is key, because there’s going to be a person or persons that have what you need, and you’re going to have what they need. And that’s where the exchange comes in. Your talent is needed, your presence is needed. And then it’s all about Okay, so what do I need from them? And it’s all about making that exchange? Yes.

Lisa Lewis Miller  31:16  

Oh, yes. And I will tell you, I’m an introvert. And introverts like me, hate, hate hearing that we want to be put in a position where we’ve got to go talk to people and try to build these relationships, but make it not feel transactional, make it feel connected and friendly. But you know, maybe you aren’t friends. So if somebody came to you, and they said, David, I don’t want to do this networking business, I am an introvert, give me some other way. Give me the magic pill? How do I do this? What do you say to them?

Damon Nailer  31:48  

Well, what I would say to that type of person is okay, since you really don’t want to make like I would say fresh connections, or you feel as though you don’t like the CO cam and saying and the cold calling things of that nature, what you do is you go to your already your pre existing network, and then you pitch and you inform them of what you’re doing or what you’re contemplating doing. And within that network, there will be other connections, and they’ll be able to connect you, that’s one of the things that I teach with the networking, you know, sometimes you don’t have that connection inside of that company, or that agency or that organization. Because you don’t, then you have to find somebody who you already know who has someone on the inside. And then you that’s how you navigate through them. And you make the connection through them indirectly, and then eventually, who meet the person and then you’ll feel comfortable about doing it. But I know a lot lot of people are like that, and that but that’s how you do it. That’s how you navigate that you just work behind the scenes. And you you work through people who you already know, because everyone knows somebody somewhere.

Lisa Lewis Miller  32:58  

Absolutely well, and the other principle that you’re you’re preaching about here is that you have to tell people how to help you. You have to tell people what is going on in your life, it does not matter if they are cold, call complete strangers, or if they are your best friends, if they don’t know what’s going on in your life, they are not going to know how to help you. They’re not going to know how to make an introduction for you, and you’re going to be stuck and stagnating. And that feels real vulnerable to be that visible with people, especially if, let’s say it’s a friendship and you have not really talked about things on a professional personal level in that way.

Damon Nailer  33:31  

Yeah. Well, that’s how I got my current job with the parent educator. What happened I had just created my program the G three gender the one I was just telling you about what the gifts and everything right? I pitch it to a young lady who I went to college with. And what happened she was an education. She tried to step out of entrepreneurship, it really didn’t work. Because once it became a business, she says she didn’t like it. So she went back to the educational do the educational field and started doing her business what she just started doing as a hobby, not as a mainstay. And I pitched that to her. She was like, Well, look, we don’t have many funds as far as paying, but we do have people to come in and do life skills. Once I came here to do the life skills that was my foot in the door. And then I met the other lady were reconnected with the lady because I already known her. And she pitched to me the idea of coming to do to nurture and father’s program. But it was all about me connecting with somebody I already knew who was on the inside of this organization that I was trying to get into to do the consultant work, but now I’m an employee there. And that’s what it’s all about, like I say, just networking through the people that you already know, and letting them know exactly what you’re doing. And that’s all i did i tell them hey, you know, glad to see I see you work with this organization. I haven’t talked in a minute, but I just wanted to let you know what I’m doing. And after she read it, she was like, Okay, well, we can’t pay but we can bring you in to just give some speeches to our clients. And everything. And the rest is history. And we’re like you say, you have to be specific. And you have to let people know. Now, you know, you might not be the conscious on social media and everywhere like me just putting it out all the time. But if you stay at if you don’t let them know, then you can’t get the help. It’s like, if you go to the doctor, and he’s asking, well, what’s wrong? How can I help me? He just just sitting there? I don’t know. What are you feeling? Okay? Know what’s wrong? I don’t know. Is it your throat? Is it your eyes? Is it your Do you have a fever? Do you have a cough? Co what you have to tell him? So he cannot help you? The same scenario here. And when you’re trying to advance or make a transition, you have to let people know what’s going on. Because I’m telling you, there’s so much help. But if you’re trying to do it on your own, then it’s not you’re not going to be able to do it. It’s next to impossible

Lisa Lewis Miller  35:59  

that people and connections and relationships are, are more precious than silver and gold. That is the truth.

Damon Nailer  36:07  

Yes, yes.

Lisa Lewis Miller  36:08  

Well, David, what’s your favorite thing about the work that you’re doing now?

Damon Nailer  36:13  

Oh, there are so many things. But I would say just the service, and knowing that I’m making a difference in so many people’s lives, because with the parent education, most of the people who come they’ve come in because their children are being removed, taken by the state. And they’re in, you know, you can only imagine a parent coming in, in the state that they’re in. And then they have to come to us. And so we have to really build them, inspire them, as well as teach them and get them to a place where they can be reconciled and reunify with their families. But just knowing that I’m making making a huge difference in people’s lives. And at the end of the program, especially we have a 16 week program, after journey and with those people for those four months, four months, and seeing the transition. And the transformation in their lives, is just, it’s so fulfilling and satisfying. And you really see and know that you’re making a difference here and their testimonies because that the last session, we allow them to talk about the program, the difference it has made no lives and what did they learn in this? I mean, you’ve been in tears, if you will hear the stories of the people coming through and saying, Look, when I came, I was apprehensive. We thought you guys are gonna be judgmental. We thought you were gonna tear us down. But we came here you guys love this. You nurtured us, you taught us I’ve learned so much. And I’m you know, just for me to see the clients because we do case management as well, to see the clients I’ve worked with hand in hand. And now, you know, Mary, they’ve reunified get custody, their children got homes got good jobs. One recently is, you know, manager at a local store and everything. So it’s just like to witness that. It’s just awesome. You know, and just like I say, just making a difference in people’s lives, with everything that I’m doing as far as the speak and the music and all of that stuff. But especially being a parent educated is really awesome. hearing those stories and experiencing the transformations.

Lisa Lewis Miller  38:22  

I love that. Thanks. Well, Damon for people who have been listening to this and just eaten up your story and are so curious to learn more about you where can they go to learn more and connect?

Damon Nailer  38:34  

Okay, I always give my simplest site is the real da ri l dot o RG. And if you go there, it has links to everything, all of my other sites, my books, my social media. So I just direct everyone there to the real da r l dot o RG. And I’m also on Facebook at damond da mo n nailor. In Ai L ER and it’s the same for Twitter. I’m sorry, it’s the same for Instagram. And then on Twitter is at the AR l in the number one. And so basically, like I say, you can find me in those places. But if you just go to the real.org everything’s there.

Lisa Lewis Miller  39:19  

Yes. Wonderful. Well, thank you so much for coming on the Career Clarity Show today and talking about the twists and the turns and the pivots and the way that you have been honing the skills and the mindset and the frameworks to make yourself a success no matter what.

Damon Nailer  39:35  

Thank you so much, Lisa for having me. It’s been a pleasure and I hope that your audience is able to receive something that will really help them and be beneficial. Thanks again was a great opportunity.

Lisa Lewis Miller  39:53  

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