Finding Culinary and Real Estate Success After Military Service Left him Blind and Deaf with Aaron Hale

Speaker 1

00:00

 I really enjoyed this episode and I think you're going to as well. I got the chance to chat with Aaron Hale, who is a military veteran and unfortunately, lost his eyesight in Afghanistan, in an IED explosion and the adversity, doesn't stop there. He several years later. Also, lost his hearing. So we will get into how that all happened, why that all happened and how he's dealt with it. The lessons, he's learned, obviously, his life is significantly different now than it was prior to all that. But through all of it, he's managed to persevere. And I think emerge with a sense of humor and a sense of, you know, purpose. A sense of respect for life and sense of service. And what, what he's doing now is, he's running, he and his wife started, a fudge company called extra-ordinary Delights, where they make desserts and fudge and things. And that's gone well, and then he's also taken a lot of those profits and put that into real estate. So they have a portfolio of rental properties. That sounds like both short-term. Term and long-term rentals in Ohio and then separately, he's gone on to open a flipping and, Wholesaling business with his friend in Florida and the Pensacola area in Florida. So he's got a lot of going on needless to say and so you know, it's one of those if he can do this and pull out lessons and just and make the most of things. In fact, I mean you just listen to a story. He's, he's a runner, he's a rock climber, he's a kayaker. I mean, I just don't know what my excuse is after listening to this super inspirational episode. He's Really funny guy and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. And I just want to thank Aaron for taking the time to chat with us and impart, his wisdom, and inspire all of us inspiring stories of real.

Speaker 2

02:23

 People overcoming incredible odds to live life. To the fullest. We are all guaranteed to face. Hardships, how will we handle the adversity? Join us to be moved by every day. People who have turned poverty into prosperity and weakness in To wealth Be Inspired as these relatable Heroes, get vulnerable and former counterintelligence investigator Jamie Bateman puts his interviewing skills to the test, restore your.

Speaker 1

02:49

 Faith in humanity as you experience. True.

Speaker 2

02:51

 Cinderella's stories of average people turning surreal struggle and deep.

Speaker 1

02:55

 Despair into booming, businesses and financial Fortune. Take ownership of the life. You are destined to live.

Speaker 2

03:02

 And turn your adversity into abundance.

Speaker 1

03:10

 Welcome everybody to another episode of the form adversity to abundance podcast. I am your host Jamie Bateman, and I am super excited today to have Aaron Hale with us. Spending some time with us today. Aaron, how are you doing today?

Speaker 2

03:25

 To an excellent? How you do Jamie.

Speaker 1

03:27

 Doing? Well, Aaron is the owner of extraordinary Delights, excuse me. Fudge company and chocolate company, and he's also a real estate investor, and we're going to get into that. And yeah and you got a pretty crazy back story. I heard you on another podcast as I told you Aaron, and I was like I got it. I have got to get that guy on my show, you have already been cracking jokes before. We hit record with CVR you have already. I am supposed to get you relaxed and you have already got me. Relax for the show. So night nice work. We did the Buddy, check already so. So we're good to go. So Aaron tell the listeners out there who you are and what you're up to.

Speaker 2

04:15

 Today. Well, my former Navy cook, turned Army bomb technician, and I was injured in 2011 since then I have come a mountain climber Whitewater, kayaker Ultra endurance Runner, and I am up order of Couple of businesses, one being extraordinary Delights, a confection company focusing on mostly almond fudge. And from that we kind of turned are the prophets, the income from the fudge company towards real.

Speaker 1

04:59

 Estate. That's awesome. So now I know you just finished up a virtual Race as well. That's pretty cool. So you have got a little more time on your hands today. You told me because that finished up yesterday, but I am curious. Generally speaking. What's a typical day look like for you today?

Speaker 2

05:22

 Typically, I get up and about 5:30 or so and rounds to the three-man Cubs have got 11 year old boys and Two identical twin toddler boys, three years. Each young Carson deck ident identical because they, you know, I didn't, I shouldn't be the only one that's confused. And, so I wrestled them into their clothes and get them ready for Mom to get them off, the dorm by, as 7:00, 7:30 or so, I am usually on the treadmill or, you know, in my own home gym. Working out but then it's home office where I didn't do the admin work for Extraordinary and delights and the real estate business. Okay. More portfolio.

Speaker 1

06:22

 Nice. So you're you work from home. You're not physically making the extraordinary Delights you're doing more of the admin stuff and working at a desk for the most part. Yeah.

Speaker 2

06:36

 Most part I also do speaking engagements and some travel throughout the year. But yeah, I work and live at home and running is one of those things that keeps me from being a complete. Hermit.

Speaker 1

06:54

 Got it, okay? Now I mean it and obviously we're going to dive into your backstory here and you know it's just it's so impressive if it's one of those where Are you know if you're able to do all this, you know what's my excuse? And what's anybody else is? Excuse, at least, that's my take going into this. So, let us dive into your backstory, you can pick it up, you know, wherever you'd like, and then we will kind of Bring It walks through up until the present time. You know, obviously things change you mentioned. 2011. Is that where you'd like to pick it up?

Speaker 2

07:33

 I am sure. Yeah, absolutely. In fact, Have before then transitioning from Navy, cook to form a bomb. Tech was a bit of a course, correction, I tell people. I got my first kill with an n Roll. Then I decided to start saving Rises dead, but some nice. I have been a been, a Navy cook for eight years. Most of that spent in, or at least half of that was spent in Italy stationed in Italy. Cooking for Or the commander of the 6th Fleet three-star Admiral and was absolutely incredible. I got to tour around the Mediterranean with the flagship and to see so many countries in Europe and come back home to Italy for four years, I did just learn the language, learn them, the culture and the cuisine, everything was amazing. But, you know, I know, In this was about 2004 2005 and both we have both Wars kicking off. Yep. You know I am growing up, and I am pretty sure most in this Ohio suburbs, right? Okay, I didn't, I would have enough natural talent and ability to kind of get by without, you know, without having to do you put in a whole lot of hard work? Yeah, I wasn't, wasn't it? An a student by any means but I could get by the mostly Smilin. Be yes, but what I got to do, what I got to college. You know, all those people with those strong work ethic quickly, pass me by and this All-American slacker or needed a different path and that was what the military is for. You know, I joined the military one to get the college. Tuition back. Yeah, and also to learn that the strong work ethic. Those core values that I was kind of like admired but didn't really have. So in that time though, as I was, I was getting promoted. I was getting, I was, I was learning, you know how to, you know, be a stronger me so along the way it became less about me and more about the service about others, about a team and it was more of those external values and when I was on the year that the flagship I was yes, I was serving my country, I was doing my duty, but I was also really just you know, cooking and watching The war on Fox and CNN. So I wanted to do something that's rewarding more but a more direct Sharon and what am I? My talents my skills and my real passion for service and all of that I wanted to put it to the best use. So I switched uniforms and jobs and became an explosive, ordinance, disposal, technician the military's bomb.

Speaker 1

11:04

 Squad. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, so I told you before we hit record I was in the Army as well. And, so I have some experience dealing with EOD. And so now, what when was this that you switched over to?

Speaker 2

11:19

 The Army I joined the army in 2008, okay? And trained up at Eglin Air Force Base, just down the road from me now, and about just over a year and just constant training to be a soldier. And then to become an EOD technician.

Speaker 1

11:41

 Yeah, yep. It's a lot of training, right? Just for the bomb specific training.

Speaker 2

11:47

 And then I was sent to Fort Drum, Upstate New York and deployed to Iraq in 2010. And then, in 2011, I was supposed to be sent to Afghanistan. Okay, now by that, by that time, I was a team leader. So I am the guy on a EOD team that actually gets in the bomb suit and goes down range on these explosives. So, All those car bombs suicide vests? Yeah, unexploded Ordnance. So the like land mines and bombs that just don't go off for one reason or another. Anything that goes, boom. That's what we do.

Speaker 1

12:32

 Yeah. It's a little bit different from your Navy. Cook experiences. It sounds like a so obviously, you know, the title of the podcasts from adversity to abundance. So, you know, certainly going through training and The military has its it's a level of adversity. I guess. So maybe the listeners thinking we have already covered your adversity but I think it things took quite a turn in 2011. It sounds like for you. So let us get into kind of what occurred in this particular.

Speaker 2

13:06

 Incident. It was about eight months into this one-year deployment and I just come back from my two weeks of R&R and I Just got to see the whole family for Thanksgiving. I got to see my firstborn turn. One was awesome. It was so great, was it? I called my last page in the photo album. It was wonderful, its great images. But then I was back on the battlefield and on my way, back out to our small command Outpost where my team was a way serving. The Cavs scouts out there and I we were in a convoy not even on duty where it's like a Supply Convoy and the Convoy leader called back and said he OD. There's something on the road, I have sewn. Yeah. Got to work through the London's off the robot, through the robot, out the truck and same thing. We have been saying for a long time, was a pressure plate and a jug full of homemade explosive and it did. Do the robot did its job but I don't doubt to go get the evidence and just dispose of the rest about 20 meters from the original. There was a secondary device that hadn't been discovered, that's the one that got me. They explosion. Haunted me into the are highlighted, my, my knees and elbows. I am still conscious but the Lights Went Out. And I needed like I didn't know what was going to happen next. The often there's some kind of complex like it's an ambush sometimes it really did start taking pot shots after that. So I needed to get back in the fight, I reached up to fix. I thought my helmet had gotten pushed over my face, so I reached up to.

Speaker 1

15:05

 Grab the helmet that right? Yep.

Speaker 2

15:08

 And that helmet was gone. And that's when I realized like oh hell, this something. Really wrong. Here. This is bad, right? My First Sergeant's going to kill me for losing equipment.

Speaker 1

15:22

 All right. As yeah. Gotcha. And.

Speaker 2

15:25

 It was within, you know, a couple minutes, my Mighty Med and drag me back to safety and the Medevac Chopper was on its way, and I was heading to Kandahar then delay, his soul and then right back to the United States that I just left days before. Wow. And I was at their Walter Reed in Bethesda. All right? The bomb had taken both my eyes and you cracked my skull on a few places where I was, I was actually leaking spinal fluid right out of my nose. It blew out both my eardrums but I still had my sense of hearing it was just perforated eardrums. Okay and you know the cuts and scrapes and burns But sitting there in that, that hospital bed.

Speaker 1

16:19

 Thinking, what's going on, what's going through your mind at that.

Speaker 2

16:21

 Point. I was thinking, you know, God was angry. I was always, I was depressed. I was angry or so, I was mad at the Taliban was mad, the Afghans for not being able to take care of themselves? I was mad at the president and my command my team that didn't catch this thing. I was mad at everybody, but mostly, I was just so mad at myself. For letting, it happens in letting this.

Speaker 1

16:48

 Happen. So just dive into that for a minute. What, why were you mad at you? How did you let it happen? I mean her. Why were you were right?

Speaker 2

16:57

 We're just highly with this looked at. This is the strongest military force. It's ever been created on the planet Earth. Yeah, and I am this is the guy who runs into danger when everybody else runs away. I have been training and working for years before his point just. Yeah, I think it was the same thing we have been doing for months and it got under my heel got past me God I nice and his just now he is logically you know that the job is dangerous. There is her safe operation right. But emotionally I just I couldn't forgive myself and I kept thinking, why is this happening to me now? Now, you know, I am smart, I am capable. I dubbed it doing this, I know this job, I know this an oh, but Yeah.

Speaker 1

18:01

 And so and you know, I guess how long were you in the, in the hospital for and how did your mindset change over that time while you're while you were in the.

Speaker 2

18:12

 Hospital? Well, it didn't take me long to shift mindset between my, my upbringing, and my experience in the military and my training and My incredibly supportive family and my, my actual family and my military family and I stop thinking about what I have lost or what I couldn't do. And I started thinking about those other Warriors up and down these Halls at Walter Reed and all of them are going through their own battles. Yeah, I am a father, I am a son Soldier, Sergeant, you know. Ew. A technician and my I have these responsibilities, my life doesn't belong to me, huh? It's.

Speaker 1

19:07

 Really, yeah, I am sorry, I am sorry to cut you off, but that is the Crux of, I mean, this podcast it really is just a matter of I mean we have had many guests on with very different stories and everything but really the constant theme is that shift from you know, focusing. On yourself to focusing on others and your and like you just said your responsibility to those others. So that's really at least. I certainly don't want to pretend this happened in 5 minutes or that was an easy process. I am not you know indicating that in any way but it just that's a constant theme that we that I have heard through from all the guests and certainly I have had no one on the that's been through what you have been through. But that's okay. So you're looking around and it's no longer at least as much about yourself. It's more about others. It sounds like so.

Speaker 2

20:12

 Yeah. I just took the focus off of me. Yeah, I decided it was like you said, it would have been, it's not an easy process, right? The transition. Once I looked at it from a different perspective happened, very quickly. Yeah, I just had started asking instead of why is this happening to? But why is this happening for me? Hmm, and then what can I do rather than what can't I do? Okay. And I like to use a metaphor from my job as a bomb Tech. Is it what given these like each three-person team is giving this huge ship, a container full of tools bomb suits Robots? You know, you name it to battle to counteract and diffuse everything from Little bullets to nuclear weapons and everything in between. So we get out to the battlefield, and we're given this armored truck, it's not nearly the size of the shipping container, and we got to kind of triage what we're going to bring with us. That will most likely encounter on the battlefield. We got to leave some links and tools behind and In Afghanistan, we founded our missions were on these goat trails and it doesn't we couldn't take our vehicles anywhere. So we had to pack on our backs and go dismounted on foot jump on these missions. So we live pretty much all of our tools behind it. We had ropes, carabiners, yo, grappling hooks walking blocks of C4 and, you know, our creativity. Three or training or Team, all the other assets on the battlefield and yeah, just our imagination. That makes sure we did the same Mission, and we followed it through to completion. So you can't just say, oh, I left the tool behind on, I will be right back.

Speaker 1

22:20

 We right? Yeah, you have made it. You have made a decision and it's there's no going back at least for that particular Mission or that, you know, time.

Speaker 2

22:28

 And there's no such thing as Mission failure. So writing, in fact it was a tone. His book, callsign chaos General Mattis. I love what he said in the Marines things being hard was never a good excuse for Mission failure and I think that's a heart. So I was in there, the hospital going, if I am gonna be blind from the rest of my life, I am gonna be the best to be the best. Damn blind person. I can be And that's what I did. I got to work, I only spent I spent about a month and a half, I want to read and that was to just repair, you know, parts of my face. But they, you know, they're doing prosthetic arms and limbs legs and that kind of stuff. And thankfully for me my, the blast had only hit me from about the neck up, it only hit me in the head which is why Like, you know, for us hails is the perfect spot to the highest area of the highest density.

Speaker 1

23:38

 Nice.

Speaker 2

23:40

 But I was virtually untouched from the neck down so what that they're at what's really had nothing for me. So I got sent down to Augusta Georgia, to the VA Hospital there to one of the blind rehabilitation centers that go blind School. And just for about six months, I learned how to use the cane, accessibility tools. Like, my computer and my phone and all sorts of stuff, living skills, your daily life skills, you would have had to learn. So many simple things you would think would be so simple. You don't even think about when you're blind, right? How you go to do that? Like, how much how do I figure out? Well, which tooth Paste to put on my brush or write how to write, how the hell do I keep my socks paired? It was whole.

Speaker 1

24:38

 And I hesitated and insert this and people make fun of me for bringing this up because I, you know, because it's so. So about a year ago, I ruptured my achilles tendon, right? And again you know, you can say that's no big deal, whatever. But similar thing, where what I am saying is a similar lesson, I learned was that I just thought it'd be about my achilles and that's it and, you know, no big, you know, but I can in some ways relate to what you're saying is that all these little things that I thought would be? I just never thought about you, just take it for granted. And then, and then you realize, no, this is much. I got to relearn or figure out a way around this, just, it affects your everyday life and, again, not trying to compare. I am just relating in some way, shape, or form. What you're, what? You're getting at. You had to relearn, And all these things that you know we're you probably correct me if I am wrong took for granted, six seven months prior. So what was it like? I mean it's it was not fun, it's just more a matter of look. You can't you got to hop around, you got, you can't drive for three months so that affects the family. And, you know, it's just But how do I get from one room to the other? How do I shower, you know, little things like that? Where it's like, okay, I used to and even now, take it for granted, right? But it's so it my point is its bad enough that you can see but it affects so many other things I can imagine. So what was that? Six months like, was it? I mean, was that, were there a lot of? I am sure they were ups and downs. It wasn't just a straight line of progress. Is that fair to say? Say, well, I mean, it.

Speaker 2

26:31

 Wasn't just, I mean, it was a struggle. Of course, it was hard work and there were plenty of times when there was just frustration and exasperation from, especially like that. The hardest thing to learn is the orientation and Mobility, using the navigating with a cane and I remember, you know, like the virtual like the literal and figurative Finish Line was me, being able to walk out like all the way from my room on the top floor, all the way down to the bottom of the first floor, the, the hospital, and on the front door, down to the down, the sidewalk, and the street across the street, into the Fisher house, where my family was staying, okay? And if I could do that, I had Enough Independence that I could graduate from the school but I had to cross through a parking lot. In on the way, okay to mention cross the street. But while it was a there was one day when it was after working hours everybody was gone and I attend I attempted to do this on my own and I walked into the parking lot. I got turned around and it's like the vast empty void of space. Wow. And.

Speaker 1

28:07

 You to.

Speaker 2

28:08

 Try to like even turning around and trying to backtrack you could be happy, even young.

Speaker 1

28:14

 Compounding the problem. Yeah, so, you're just, you're disoriented and you're alone. I mean, correct me if I am wrong, but that's what I am hearing. Is that fair to say?

Speaker 2

28:26

 Yeah, I mean, it's definitely it's terrifying. And, and like, I hate having that, that feeling of.

Speaker 1

28:36

 Helplessness. Sure. Yeah.

Speaker 2

28:38

 Because Of course, you know, I got on the brain, keep it all capable.

Speaker 1

28:42

 Person. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2

28:43

 Yeah. And I am just put in an untenable situation. Hmm. Right. And plenty of other episodes that were entirely comical. Yeah. But you know the definitely difficult time. Sure getting through.

Speaker 1

29:07

 Yeah. And so as we move along Cuz it again and that's one of the risks with this podcast is we, you know, I don't want to act like this was again snapping the fingers and you know we're magically into abundance. Now it's a real struggle in, this is a lot of time and effort and pain and struggle and you know, and you know, it's just real hardship obviously. But so then you Walk us through the next kind of the next few years. If you would.

Speaker 2

29:43

 For the next four years, I would we relocated to Florida because I would tell the military, they asked me at Walter. Reed said, where do you want to retire because obviously, I can't be a bomb Tech anymore now and I said, I don't want to retire, and it's like, wait, what? Why? And I learned about these other. And active duty Personnel, who were filling other roles, Captain Scott. Smiley became a company Commander for an old wounded unit, transition unit, that their whole entire job is getting well. Then now, there's an Ivan Castro, who is a Ranger Army Ranger, who went to Special Operations recruiting branch in Fayetteville North Carolina. BRAC. So if these guys can stay on active duty and figure it out because I love, I love the military and I didn't want to stop. So I said, send me down with the bomb school and I will be your instructor. So Mr. Gordon, everybody year and a half. I went through the medical board process as I was instructing. And in the meantime, though, I also got into Mountain. Mountain climbing. What have I done? Is because these other blind guys were doing incredible things. As soon as I can learn, as soon as I could learn, how to use my, my phone, my computer. I was doing these internet searches for blind plus Outdoors, blind plus so-called anything, so I can learn from others who don't like them. Both ladies new Trail. I want to figure out how they're doing it.

Speaker 1

31:33

 Oh yeah, absolutely just real quickly. There's a couple things I want to pull out there one is. I completely agree, why reinvent the wheel? If you know is someone else is doing it just follows what they're doing. Maybe you push the boundary in a little one particular way that they're not or something. But secondly, and this is a bigger point for me or at least, I think for our listeners is that we get into this thing where we say, don't compare to others, you know? Don't compare yourself to others. Seems like that's a common thing these days because you don't want to feel bad about yourself. If you're not, you're not living up to the expectation or someone else's accomplishments or, you know, projection onto your life or vice versa. But I think what you're presenting is that this is a very healthy way of being inspired by others who you are, comparing yourself to them. Because you're saying, I am in a similar situation or similar circumstances, and they are doing all their, they didn't just retire, and they, you know, so I think it can be In encouraging and inspiring to compare, if you're using it in that, in that context. So it's just my two cents on that. So you're so you were inspired by the.

Speaker 2

32:50

 Only people, I compare myself to my, my former self and the future self, I could be okay, I love how I had my let says he's like, I am, I am chasing the potential me. I am running every single day. I am sprinting after that guy. Bye. And I only look to others who whom I want to emulate her. I only looked at her to give an example of what I couldn't be bothered. Yeah, it's definitely self-defeating to write actually balance others to success against yours. Sure. It's just yeah, move is always. You're taking an action, you're executing in your moving. Moving your own Ball Four. Hard.

Speaker 1

33:39

 Yep. No, I agree with that. I mean it compares to may not be the right term, but I am hoping, you know, from this, you know, even from this episode, someone can be inspired by your story and look at what you have accomplished and, you know, maybe push themselves a little bit more, you know, to be an inspiration for others and serve others. That's kind of the, so.

Speaker 2

34:00

 Yeah, yeah, suppose I was looking at others like wine. Mayor is the first blind guy to climb Mount Everest and I saw Odd amount. I want mountain climbing with him, and I am one of my good friends is Lonnie bed. Well, he's the first blind guy to kayak the entire Grand Canyon. So I found him, I went kayaking with it, and I was those are not just in and of course, Ivan Castro mentioned before some Rangers. He's a, he's a big Runner. A guy who would talk to me into somehow I got myself registered for marathons and the Army ten-miler within like within the same four months fan. Wow, I never run anything for longer than 10K School. Wow. But part of this was he did on learning how to be a better me. Yeah. Or at least survive, but part of it was also That Terror of getting, you know, getting sucked up by the other, the opposite. Like the get trapped by my disability stuck on a couch feeling. Sorry for myself becoming work a statistic, the terrifies me every day, and that's why I get up. And I am I am chasing my potential mate. I am also running from my other potential of me.

Speaker 1

35:34

 Huh. That's an interesting. That's interesting. Yeah because we're never just Hi, early static, right? You're either moving forward or backward and obviously you have to slow down rest. Everyone needs that right. But I hear what you're saying. That's its not only where you were headed. It's also what you're moving away from. That's interesting. So then I know you mentioned already to me that you're you know it wasn't just your eyesight. It was also some real adversity with your hearing, would you mind? Elaborating on that.

Speaker 2

36:10

 Well for 44 years after the injury I was doing all this stuff and that was a running mountain climbing kayaking I was speaking across the country and telling people my story about how I am kicking blindness is by right. And then all of a sudden due to complications with the blast that the cracked skull and the Leak of spinal fluid. It was supposed to do supposed to have been patched, but I guess there was either a small leak or it opened up again and I have contracted bacterial meningitis. And I was right back in the hospital in 2015 and it nearly killed me. But when I came out of my almost comatose, stupor My hearing was, was being stolen. It was like I was underwater and I couldn't, I was hearing something but it was going away quickly. And the doctors said whether it was either that heavy doses of antibiotics or the bacteria itself was stealing what the bomb hadn't taken and my response was but Actually I asked the doctor said so what you're telling me is I am never going to have to pretend it to pay attention ever again.

Speaker 1

37:56

 Nice gotta get legit excuse at this point. I am kidding but it's far from an excuse so okay. So what transpired after that then?

Speaker 2

38:09

 Well, besides the hearing loss, when I like it, I got out of the hospital. I was totally blind and completely deaf, and it also took that ear since a balance my vestibular balance. So, I was in a wheelchair, and I was trapped. I was trapped inside my body, my entire world ended at my fingertips. And I was, I was sitting at my breakfast bar, then the kitchen. I didn't know. What do you want to do was feeling? Sorry for myself. I was a Beyond those. Those think nasty thoughts that start treatment in my home, my demons, you know, the what ifs the limeys like, what why does it happen? Keep happening to me? Like what am I paid my dues, right?

Speaker 1

39:01

 Sure. Yeah, I got can Imagine. I mean I just honestly just I mean I don't know how that comes across but it's just very difficult for me to I think for most of us who have not been through that's I think those would be completely normal thoughts, and they're entirely understandable, you know? So that how long were you kind of in that, you know, poor me State. I guess at that it's the second iteration of Serious.

Speaker 2

39:33

 Adversity will not know. Why did I wasn't, it wasn't a very happy camper for a little while and but it was again it was one of those things where I was thinking about this and I have been preaching this thing Triumph or tragedy, you know, success, because of struggle. All this were for years. And now I am going to put my money where my mouth is, huh? And it was, it was a little like if I quit now it'd be really embarrassing but the truth, was it? The other thing is in it's not as glamorous is that? There's what's the alternative? Like I can feel sorry for myself and just sit here. Yeah, working I could do something right in sitting around and sounded really boring. And It in itself. Sounded very depressing. Sure. So I started thinking about what can I do, how can all of those, the talking computers and barcode scanners? And my phone all that audio books and everything. Silenced I couldn't could even get it in, put in the thought. Maybe it would have been a good idea to have learned Braille at the blind school, but technology GE lazy.

Speaker 1

41:04

 Not.

Speaker 2

41:08

 My girlfriend at the time. My wife now, it was actually, literally, like, writing every letter of every word. She need to talk to me, say convey in palm of my hand. And if I was tedious and frustrating was the only way I could communicate. So yeah, wow, I did get up and I got back to work. Learned, you know how to walk again without my balance.

Speaker 1

41:40

 And you just I just kind of permanent state of vertigo with the balance or.

Speaker 2

41:46

 It's similar to verify to go. We get your balance three different ways. One is the inner ear, gyro my up, and then two is actually visually understanding our world and relation to us and Third Way is in confidence. Physical contact with the god of the earth, so I am out too. Wow.

Speaker 1

42:09

 But as I just I don't mean to laugh at all, it's just you clearly have a great sense of humor about all this. And you know so.

Speaker 2

42:21

 I started using the trekking poles. Yeah. I am taking the mountains as one for balance, but I was also like feeling my way like But I would, I would use them just to go down the driveway. Get my mail will come back up and that would be exhausting. But I would do, I would do it and it will get better at it. And then I would go down to like the neighborhood gate and come back and then I got on my treadmill in the garage and I would just hit the quick start and it will be like half a mile an hour. I will just hold on to do with your life, you know, and I would just walk and then I hit that little do the speed up button, beep. Beep. Beep. And I will go little bit faster so you can actually damage those running.

Speaker 1

43:08

 Again. Wow. So I mean you did what you could do and you focus on incremental progress, it sounds like so and again as we start to move toward, you know, the end of the show, I know there's a ton more to your story, and we recognize that but compare yourself now to at that point, Maybe just take the running as an example. How did you get from, okay, I can walk, you know, on a treadmill slowly to the race. You just, you just did, which is incredible. I mean, how, how did you make that leap?

Speaker 2

43:51

 I am always pushing myself to improve. One was just to get off my body but then there's fulfillment. There's joy in accomplishment, right? And then beyond accomplishment, it was like this Maslow is it was actually a Tony Robbins hierarchy of needs. And its personal needs. And we need to feel like we have meaning. We need to accomplish things. We need you, no connection with The rest of our society, and sure we need to look at our highest order of success. Is that to give back and I found to contribute to society? I found that if the more I can succeed the at the more I can tell my story, I can it's like a road map, do a blueprint for Or somebody else's survival. And, so I continue to try my best at to succeed fail and succeed over and over again. But yeah, keep trying and like, hey, here's how I did it. It worked for me, let me show.

Speaker 1

45:20

 You. That's, that's awesome. That's truly inspiring. It's a great. You're definitely setting a great example. There's no question about that. So it's, so I mean how was this on your you mentioned, you know, your girlfriend at the time, but how has this affected your family life for you was, what does that look like? How's this adversity? Affected your.

Speaker 2

45:50

 Family. Well, it happened 11 years ago so two of the boys went around and the oldest is never known me as a side of that. Then I only met well, when I started dating my wife after going blind and deaf got it but one basic Your thing is, you know, they haven't let me have a driver's license in 11 years so.

Speaker 1

46:27

 That's it sounds like you have tried.

Speaker 2

46:31

 It's a challenge. Yeah. Maybe Tesla figure that one.

Speaker 1

46:37

 Out. So yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 2

46:41

 But it's everything's I just, I just everything's a puzzle. Everything's a game challenge to figure out, and we look at every day. I was just something, you know, like any other family, right? Any other business and it, you know, another group of people, we just try to figure out how the best go about our days in our lives.

Speaker 1

47:06

 Yeah, I loved it. That's awesome. It's a puzzle. It's a challenge. It's a game. So, let us get into your business is a little bit. Just, let us talk about your, it sounds like you have two primary businesses, right? It's your, that your owner of, and Talk about those. If you would.

Speaker 2

47:24

 Well, wow, I was learning how to walk again, and I was waiting for this cochlear implant to be installed. It takes a long time. It was almost a year or before I could actually have a conversation with somebody and six months before I actually heard anything. So, in that time, I have got tried to look at those, I was, I was focusing outward and Thanksgiving is coming up. And since I love to Cook just to be my profession, decided to throw a huge, huge Thanksgiving feast, and we invented all the invited, all sorts of people and your family, and friends, and even some stranded EOD students from the Kong the holiday time. And I started, I started cooking weeks in advance and start making desserts. Cakes pies cookies, you know, like putting it in the freezer and I started make it bad after batch of fudge. I mean, I am just like this is, this is When I was really having a heart, you know how hard it was really struggling with the time? My new disability but I started when I started cooking, I forgot about it. You know, I was, I was focused on creating this something wonderful for other people giving them a wonderful experience and at that time, my wife noticed, two things, one was a smile on my face. You haven't shed and seen in months and the other thing she noticed was before it was piling up. So if she started sticking it out the front door like you have to be real stealthy around a bunch Deaf guy.

Speaker 1

49:03

 And he must have some ninja skills.

Speaker 2

49:10

 She just, she was just giving it away, friends, neighbors, and they start coming back and asking if they could buy some for a party birthday. Some. And the capitalist in May is that, of course, you might write exact turned into extraordinary Delights.

Speaker 1

49:28

 So, it was entirely organic. It wasn't like a plan. And.

Speaker 2

49:33

 No ambition to become a punch business owner but it just kind of snowballed eventually there was, you know, my garage there was the treadmill, the rower next to the stationary bike next to a shrink wrap machine. No it's not and it was soon. So we were doing corporate orders, thousands of pounds, and we needed to expand. So After a couple years of just building up the brand and the business we started having some success, and we needed to decide what we were going to do with the revenue, and we decided to get into real estate. We're bought a started with probably the worst idea ever for a blind. Deaf guy was out of state from online auction site on saying. So I was saying, And we're going to.

Speaker 1

50:35

 Was we were going to use.

Speaker 2

50:37

 Hard money and of course it went just like compassion, everything, everything, went wrong. The first, the first, I put it in the contract for the auction in my own name and then, of course, hard money, you know, the hard money.

Speaker 1

50:54

 Lender. It said, no. So.

Speaker 2

50:56

 We have to do what way to go, all cash. And then, of course, the renovation. Just exploded. Yeah, thankfully, our estimates were way off in the right direction and, and, you know, it was as this a 2019 2020, and they're the real estate market was just starting to really take off. Yeah, it survived. You know, they we survived our real estate. Put us the on first project, put us through the wringer and then now we are personal Do we have five units in Akron Ohio? Both long and short term about would just completed another renovation project there and that's going to be another short-term rental. We have, we're limited partners on a 52 unit in North Carolina, okay? And I have recently started another business flipping and wholesaling and you know picking up more for our portfolio in depends. What area with a fellow Wounded Warrior, brother of mine, Daniel, that's awesome.

Speaker 1

52:08

 Because you didn't have enough to do right? You needed something another business. So that is, that's super cool. So, which of the three then which, which one is kind of drives your profits right?

Speaker 2

52:24

 Now. Prophets.

Speaker 1

52:29

 Yeah.

Speaker 2

52:33

 Yeah. I guess it does. Yeah, yeah, yeah, fudge sales, kind of slow. And it didn't just don't because we take extra care to put it in your like a cooler with dry eyes and.

Speaker 1

52:55

 Of.

Speaker 2

52:55

 Course the shipping horse or been exorbitant? Yeah, but we are gearing up for the holidays and that's where we really do. Make the most of the money for the year. We have one project nearing completion. We're halfway through another project, and we're about to pick up our another one, a million-dollar flip in Pensacola. And so it kind of seems like money is always going, but we did learn how to use these. You know, these experiences have learned how to utilize private money and hard my own and it's not just ours, but I tell you what, it's amazing. How. Well the Akron short-term rentals cash flowing, it's amazing how well it's doing. He wouldn't think because it's not, it's not really like one of those vacation.

Speaker 1

54:00

 Destination. Yeah. So, is it, what is it? It's business people are, what, who was your typical client profile?

Speaker 2

54:08

 You know, it runs the Spectrum from Family Travel. There's there are three major hospitals there, so sometimes we get traveling nurses, or, you know, patient families, that kind of stuff. There's Akron University, and we will get In your family of the graduates. That kind of thing. There's also a lot of you know lesser like the Lesser known but known to the locals, how points of interest. Yeah. They're one of the largest outdoor concert venues is like 10 minutes away and in the midwest interest down. Okay, so it does really.

Speaker 1

54:51

 Well. That's awesome. That's I mean and Real estate is a fantastic way to go. I think to like you said you had some you needed somewhere to put your money but it sounds like you're doing a little more than just parking money somewhere. But so what would you say kind of looking back on, you know the adversity you have been through what lessons? Have you been able to apply to your businesses?

Speaker 2

55:19

 You know, of course in the military. It's all about teamwork. Yeah. Even though I used to put the bomb suit on and I would be the one guy that walked down range. I have to rely on my team down by supporting elements, you know, are people in the error people? You know, it's just there's so many. Elements and so many resources at my disposal. I can't do it all on my own. So when I became blind and then death, I had to put that really to work and ask be able to ask for help and build a team. So to do, just about everything, everything turns into a team sport, even running. No, it's, so I just turn That same team building skill into business with partnering with my friend to do the wholesaling and flipping. And yeah I taught him introduced into real estate. After learning myself and we share duties. I yeah, he does. He's like the cheetah CEO, and I am The like, the cheap pizza order, but everything there's no, we build a system and you find it, you know, that the whole Hunan how.

Speaker 1

57:03

 Mentality. Yeah. I love that. Yeah. Was that Dan Sullivan? Is that right? Who not now. Yeah, it's a good book for sure. I love that. So as we start to wrap up here, I am going to fire off a few rapid fire questions. So you go with.

Speaker 2

57:25

 That certain was doing.

Speaker 1

57:30

 If you were given ten million dollars tomorrow, what would you do with it?

Speaker 2

57:34

 Hmm, I would take about forty percent and invest 50 percent would go to setting up my family. And their comfort, whether that be, you know, retirement accounts home whichever and then 10% from to Tidings.

Speaker 1

58:02

 Okay, I love it. What's I am almost hesitant to ask this one with you because it seems like you're not afraid to get uncomfortable but what's one area of your life personally that where you need to get a little more uncomfortable. Right now.

Speaker 2

58:21

 Would area of my life is making me.

Speaker 1

58:22

 Uncomfortable and which, which area of your life. Should you get more uncomfortable with what part of your life should, should you challenge yourself in, in the next? You know, the rest of this year? Let us .

Speaker 2

58:36

 Say, I am addicted to air conditioning.

Speaker 1

58:42

 And.

Speaker 2

58:45

 Has of those. I need to ma do better at developing personal relationships. So, you know, might be a better husband, be a better. Father. And then, you know, my family and my friends, I need to reach out to them and find out what they're up to more. Yeah, I can relate. Gaston was the youngest on the challenge and share on business and all that. And I think I neglected that, yes, I feel that work.

Speaker 1

59:17

 No, I understand that's I can relate to a lot of that. Okay, so this one's less about you personally but what is one thing I heard this on another podcast I stole it. What is one thing in 40 years that people today will feel nostalgic about today you know so in 40 years what are people going to look back on that we have now that with nostalgia?

Speaker 2

59:49

 Standard shifting or yeah, there are standard manuals.

Speaker 1

59:57

 Transition. Well, there you go. Yeah, I do. Is it, is it to.

Speaker 2

01:00:05

 Maybe how about physical books?

Speaker 1

01:00:08

 Physical books is a good one. Yeah, I like that. That's actually yeah. Do you have a? Are you able to consume books or how does that work?

Speaker 2

01:00:22

 Audiobooks now there's, there's a number ways. I mean, like, do audiobooks Kendall? I can there's so many awesome apps out there for accessibility. I can use my phone's camera and just scan a page and it will read it to me. That's awesome. It's so still better because all of those are like kind of the robot Siri, it looks up their voices so it's still better when it's audiobook. Yeah, sure. Right.

Speaker 1

01:00:53

 Got it speaking of that. What do you listen to podcasts or?

Speaker 2

01:00:57

 Anything? All the time, all the time. Because this thing is a pollutant, all this thing is Bluetooth connected to my phone. I can look like read my mail in my pocket. Oh, I can listen to audio books. I am always like a most of the time I am in The Matrix and My wife has to come over.

Speaker 1

01:01:15

 Like, that's really interesting because, you know, we have that just at our home with just that the air pods, and I was like, my wife will get annoyed because I start talking to her, you know, and I don't realize that she's listening to her latest murder podcast, not listening to my podcast, but, you know, in your, in your case, I would imagine it's a little bit more challenging for your wife to even know when you're listening to something or not. What podcast do you listen to do? You have Apple recommendations.

Speaker 2

01:01:46

 I have listened to so many. I really love micros. That's the way I heard it all. Sorts of real estate related Bigger Pockets and lots of was Hunter. Thompson's cash flow was critical. Yeah. Yeah. Our or Capital razor? Yeah.

Speaker 1

01:02:12

 I finally read his book, I am Young at it right now. Raising know it's different when I see decreases.

Speaker 2

01:02:21

 Yeah, that's a good one. I got I love his hundred topics my dear, but I also love listening to, you know, self-improvement something Lewis house, Tom belly. Oh and just these guys are Crushing it, business and light, and relationships and there's an incredible great tips for just, you know, living a better.

Speaker 1

01:02:54

 Life. Absolutely, I couldn't agree more. You mentioned at my lead and Tony Robbins and just being exposed to that type of mindset. Even if you're not going to, even if your life looks different from theirs, it's can be inspiring and educational. I love it. So where can our listeners? Runners, find you online if they want to reach.

Speaker 2

01:03:16

 Out. Well, on all the major social media platforms. I think I mentioned earlier, the Instagram is beyond me, but you can find us at EOD fudge.com and at EOD Confections on all the social media.

Speaker 1

01:03:37

 Pages. Fantastic Erin has there. Is there any question you wish? I would ask that I haven't.

Speaker 2

01:03:45

 Asked? They would go through God, through a pretty much I am thinking. What am I having for lunch? I don't know.

Speaker 1

01:04:00

 What's nice. I guess I am thorough. Yeah, what's next?

Speaker 2

01:04:05

 I just finished 2000 km virtual race over the last four months. What's next? Maybe a nap.

Speaker 1

01:04:14

 But right.

Speaker 2

01:04:15

 I am running an In person, 100 Miler back in my hometown back room. It's a, is the called the canal Corridor, 100, and it's all along the Ohio Erie Canal Towpath. And I have done it once before two years ago. And I can't wait to get back to it. Again, that's in October. That is so.

Speaker 1

01:04:36

 Cool. And I mean yeah this is your definitely an inspiration, you know, I just you have obviously been through so much, but I just want to thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your story and I really hope the listeners get something out of this. I know they will and I would encourage everyone. I think I am going to be ordering a lot of fudge for Christmas this year.

Speaker 2

01:05:07

 So remember my family. Yes, sir.

Speaker 1

01:05:10

 There you go. Any final thoughts for us? Aaron?

Speaker 2

01:05:15

 I just, I would recommend everybody don't be afraid of her down. That's how we learn success. Doesn't teach us anything. I have been failing up. My entire life is screwing up so many things and hopefully I have learned a thing or two because, you know, I do feel like a better person today than I was yesterday. So, I have got to be doing Something. Okay?

Speaker 1

01:05:46

 But.

Speaker 2

01:05:48

 I am not afraid to take a risk calculated, but I am not afraid to fail. I would recommend everybody else do the same.

Speaker 1

01:05:57

 Its fantastic advice. That's yeah you have dropped a lot of knowledge in this practical knowledge and you know, just it's been excellent. So I really appreciate you taking the time are. And I know I had to harass you a little bit here and there and find you in. All platforms, you are definitely. You have a lot of going on and you're an in-demand speaker, and so I do appreciate you taking the time and best of luck to you with your multiple businesses and thank you so much. Thank you.

Speaker 2

01:06:31

 Now, I appreciate the invite, would you mind if I did a quick plug those around? You can see in the background here, there's a black apron. Yeah, we have a really cool. Tactical apron people can see me in on our Tick-Tock show Aaron hands, cook without looking, but we haven't for sale on our website EOD fudge.com and could be a great holiday pick up if anybody's interested in combat cooking.

Speaker 1

01:07:03

 Combat cooking. So EOD fudge.com and.

Speaker 2

01:07:09

 Go to our apparel page and you will see the combat Perhaps some tactical.

Speaker 1

01:07:15

 A / that's so cool. And then The Tick-Tock, what was The Tick-Tock information again.

Speaker 2

01:07:22

 At EOD Confections.

Speaker 1

01:07:25

 Awesome. Yeah, I got a trick. Got my daughter's on Tick-Tock. I gotta try to get there myself but thank you so much into it. Oh man, you have been. Thanks a Lot Jammer. Yeah, absolutely are. And I really appreciate you taking the time. And speaking of time to our listeners out there, we also appreciate you taking the time. Your time is very valuable resource. Thank you so much, everyone take care.

Speaker 2

01:07:55

 Thanks so much for tuning in to this episode of the form adversity to abundance podcast. If you're enjoying the show, please feel free to rate, subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen to your podcasts, that helps others find the show, and we greatly appreciate it. Thanks again for listening, and we will catch you in the next. Road.