Entrepreneurial Empire
Learn the fundamentals of where you are in business and how to scale with your host Jacqueline. Your business will go through many stages, and every stage will have it's own set of requirements. Let's unravel the journey ahead together and find strategic solutions that will help you conquer it all.
Entrepreneurial Empire
Non-Profit Excellence - John Hartsfield
Ever wondered how the power of community can drive both business success and philanthropic greatness? Our latest episode features John Hartsfield, the co-founder of Icon Talks, who provides an insight-packed narrative of his 18-year entrepreneurial journey alongside a 15-year commitment to changing lives through charity. Listen in as John reveals how his organization has evolved from local grassroots initiatives to an influential global force, all while maintaining a strong ethos of empowerment and community service.
Embark on an enlightening exploration of mentorship's profound impact on youth development with us. John Hartsfield takes us through the transformative ripples of the mentorship program he passionately supports. It's not just about the inspiring "see it, believe it, achieve it" philosophy; it's the real-life stories of individuals overcoming obstacles that truly underscore this chapter. Discover how Icon Talks balances the glamour of high-profile endorsements with the humble, hands-on work that fuels a successful nonprofit's heart and soul.
As we wrap up, John Hartsfield casts a spotlight on the meticulous strategies and tireless efforts behind Icon Talks' philanthropic model. We celebrate local heroes like Dr. Diana Burns Banks and share John's vision for the future that interweaves service with global branding. This isn't just a conversation; it's a masterclass in building a legacy that transcends borders, with actionable takeaways for both personal and professional growth. Join us for a truly inspiring episode that champions the essence of giving back and crafting impactful legacies.
Learn more about Icon Talks and get involved by following them on instagram:
https://www.icontalks.com/
https://www.instagram.com/icontalks/
Welcome to the Entrepreneurial Empire podcast. This is the place where you can find business and career strategies, techniques and real life success journeys of individuals who have built businesses to the million dollar revenue mark and beyond. I'm Jacqueline Hernandez, life coach and business development consultant. I've worked with startups, fortune 100 companies, network marketing, direct sales organizations, startups, fortune 100 companies, network marketing, direct sales organizations, churches, nonprofits and government agencies all to become the authority experts in their industry. Lead with people and scale their revenue. Let's get started. Hello entrepreneurs, and welcome back.
Speaker 1:I am so over the moon excited about our guest here today. Let me tell you a little bit about him. Okay, so he has been an entrepreneur for over 18 years. He's been in the philanthropic space for about 15 years now, going strong, and he is just doing dynamic things all over his city, but not just his city. That was not a far enough reach for him. He took it nationwide and they are getting ready to go global.
Speaker 1:He is the co-founder of Icon Talks, which is Icon to Ican, and he is doing amazing things. He is sponsored by Porsche. He's also sponsored by many different big name brand companies and he has also partnered up with many and several billionaires. That saw what he's doing and jumped on board his cause to fill that philanthropic space and void for themselves. So I also have to include. He also is the recipient of a whole entire day named after Icon Talks from the city mayor of city of San Antonio, and also didn't stop there. Also, the city of El Paso also gave him a day in recognition for Icon Talks. So please fasten your seatbelt. I don't want you falling off the seat and being liable for the blown away information you're going to hear today, and please give us a warm.
Speaker 2:You really have been a mentor of not only myself, but many people information about what it is that we're doing, how we're serving, how we're impacting not only our community, but to your point we are about to go global, so I'm just truly honored and humbled to be here today, and I just want to give it back to you.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much, john. Okay, I am so excited. I've been wanting you on my podcast show for, let's say, a little over a year, okay, so I'm really excited. I've been wanting you on my podcast show for, let's say, a little over a year, okay. So I'm really excited to have you here today with us. So this is going to be good. Let me ask you my first question that I have for you. You know what I know you guys have been in Icon Talks has been established for about 10 years now. Is that correct?
Speaker 2:2015. So we're going into our ninth year, about to be 10 years. Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 1:Yes, okay, that's so awesome. So tell me a little bit about how you guys got started with the idea and where this idea is taking you today.
Speaker 2:Yes. Well, there's three other partners, there's four of us Dr Royer Hilliard he's an emergency MD here in San Antonio, texas, and then we have John Burns, who is an entertainment attorney, who is a leader in the diversity, equity, inclusion space in the corporate sector. And so they all grew up here here in San Antonio, went to school together their mother, the Burns brothers, their mother, dr Diana Burns. She's a pioneer in the medical industry, over 30 plus years of serving this community of San Antonio, but also she truly had a servant heart, and so they grew up with service first. And Dr Hilliard he's almost like well, not almost, but he is family rather to me. My great uncle is married to his sister, so we all grew up together and around 2014, there was a death in the family of the Burns brothers, so we were at the funeral and after that we just went to have, you know, grab a bite to eat, take their mind off of things.
Speaker 2:And John Burns and myself he had seen a lot of the things that I had done within the community in terms of having camps for underserved youth and get NBA professional athletes to come back and pour into these kids and have camps and get exposure rather to these kids that they normally wouldn't necessarily have an opportunity to meet a professional athlete. So he was like you know, I've seen you, you've worked and do philanthropic efforts with the camps that you've done within the community and I have represent because he was the entertainment attorney at the time he was he said to me I have represented some of the biggest names in hip hop, from Lil Wayne, chris Brown, you name. It had represented them in terms of some things that they were doing in the entertainment space. Like what if we came up with a speaker series and you know, around empowerment and influence, and these people can come on our speaker series and talk about obstacles they may have had to overcome in their lives to reach their current success? And I said that would be great. I said that would be great, but we have to have a philanthropic component onto it, because I truly meet with service. That's truly my life's passion and truly what I believe God has put me here to do. So he was like, yes, I love that idea.
Speaker 2:And so we left that dinner and we said we're going to go and we're going to tell five people five people about the idea and we're going to come back the next day and we're going to get through that. So he told his five people. I told five people and everybody said no, you know, you're successful, you're an entertainment attorney. What are you doing? You shouldn't do that. They told me like no, you're a successful entrepreneur, like you don't need to do this.
Speaker 2:And so I told him I was like JB, let's make it about services, make it about JB is what I call him, john Burns. But I said JB, let's make it about service, make it about JB is what I call him, john Burns. But I said JB, let's make it about service, make it about giving back, make it about the youth and truly you're going to watch what God is going to do in our lives. And so he was like I'm with you. And so we created the ICANN, the ICANN Foundation. What we do is we create mentorship and empowerment programs for underserved youth, underserved communities, and we have a multitude of programming fostering equity through early exposure for kids, and we started that coincide with Icon Talks. And I have a mentor. He's a high executive in Caesars Entertainment and so he really, over the past 25 years, has hosted every celebrity you name it coming through Vegas. And so he had told me John, if you ever need anything, just give me a call, so I was like well, I was like John.
Speaker 2:I told JB this. I was like you know my mentor Charles Dunn is his name I was like he told me if I ever need anything, give him a call. So I gave him a call, I told him what we're trying to do and he was like you know what? I really support what you guys are trying to do. So, really, he really had us on the phone with some of the biggest names emails Kevin Hart, wow, floyd Mayweather, I mean you name it but nobody wanted to lend their celebrity to a brand that was unproven right.
Speaker 2:And so I remember, at a pivotal point there was three, four months into it we're hitting the pavement, we were knocking on doors, we're calling people. And he said, man, you know what? I'm putting more time, effort and energy into this than I am to my own work being in the office. And he was like is this really going to work out and I'll take you back to the ACM days is? I just told him we can get a thousand no's, but we're going to get that one yes, and that's going to send us on a trajectory that we've never even thought of.
Speaker 2:I'm here for the no's, yes, and so we continued to collect the no's. But, probably four and a half months in, we had the privilege to get on the phone. My mentor connected us with Chaka Khan, a living legend and icon, Grammy Award winner, songwriter. I mean, you name it, she's truly an icon. Name it, she's truly an icon. And we got on the phone with her and we explained to her.
Speaker 2:You know what we're trying to do in terms of our nonprofit and give back to the community, but also give celebrity and influencers an opportunity not only to come on our platform but tell their story about obstacles they had to overcome in their life to reach their current success. So in January 2016, January 28, 2016, we had Icon Talks, a conversation and performance with the legend and icon Chaka Khan. That is amazing what this was. It was 35 minutes of intimate conversation. We've all been to a concert, a comedy show, but what's very unique about Icon Talks is we have a platform where we give these artists or celebrity influencers, we give them platforms to pretty much like you're coming into their home, sitting on their couch and having a conversation similar to what we're doing right now, and you're asking them things, intimate things.
Speaker 2:We learned that Shaka had left home 17 years old. She grew up in Cabrini Green Projects and, you know, then she had to overcome, you know, drug addiction, so on and so forth, but she was able to overcome that to be one of the icons and living legends that we know her to be today, and so that was amazing. That was unique about the conversation component. But then at the end of it we still have a segment where they close out the show with their greatest hits. So she was able to play seven songs and do the greatest hits.
Speaker 2:So you have conversation and performance and we were able to bring all of our kids from our mentorship program to come have an experience, meet and great opportunity once in a lifetime experience. And then we also honored some luminaries and icons within the community that have not only achieved a success in their own business but also have a component of philanthropy and giving back, have a component of philanthropy and giving back. So we started off so high with Shaka Khan that after that, everybody was willing to come on. They were ready for it.
Speaker 1:That is so awesome, okay, so let's let's peel this back a little bit right. You are super incredibly passionate about mentorship. Where does that come from? Because there has to be a background story on why you are personally passionate about mentorship. Because prior to Icon Talks, you were already doing some form of mentorship. So what was that passion driving you to do mentorship and to really go out into the community and make this plant your flag and say this has to be here, this has to be a component in young people's lives here today? So what was that challenge or what did you face?
Speaker 2:Well, I think it starts at home. I think my mom, my dad they were always hard workers, but my mom always volunteered, was doing things at the church, always every weekend, taking me to church. So she laid that foundation of God first in the home and so I always had a relationship with God and I saw through her leadership and service she was always willing to help somebody. She never told anybody no. And so I think it started at the home. But throughout my life I've been privileged to have incredible mentors, whether it was some of my basketball coaches, my uncle, who was a successful, prominent attorney, my great-grandfather, who served 35 years in the military, chief master sergeant. So I've been surrounded around. True, I call them everyday icons, but also they were willing to reach a hand and, you know, open the door for somebody that didn't have opportunities that they had. And so I saw that at home every day growing up, and I just truly had a passion to help those who are less fortunate or didn't have as much as I may have had at the time.
Speaker 1:So tell our audience here. Maybe somebody is interested in getting involved in philanthropy. What type of reward do you feel when you are with a child and you're helping that mentor Like, have you been able to see outcomes from personal situations or personal kids groups that you've been working with?
Speaker 2:Definitely. Yes, you know, our mentorship program truly starts fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade. You have the privilege of coming to pour into our kids and speak to our kids, but we truly believe that you get them early. Like I truly am a firm component of, and believer of, kids at an early age, early exposure. So we believe exposure leads to expansion. So you have to catch these kids at an early age and expose them to the opportunities that are readily available to them. Age and expose them to the opportunities that are readily available to them right.
Speaker 2:Growing up, I knew you could be a doctor, lawyer, school teacher nothing wrong with any of these professions police officer, but I didn't know that you can be in marketing or digital space or videography.
Speaker 2:You know, now we have social media.
Speaker 2:There's so many different things, right, and so what I try to do with our mentorship program is bring in everyday icons, people from all walks of life, all demographics, to pour into the kids, because there's a commonality, right, we all have faced some type of adverse situations in our life and we try to overcome them.
Speaker 2:I don't care who you are, whatever success level, you face some adversity in your life and these kids are pretty much living in adverse situations, underserved. They didn't choose their life or their demographic, but it is their situation and I want them to see people that not only look like them, to where they can resonate, because I believe see it, believe it, achieve it. So if I see somebody that came and poured into me and spoke at my school and they were able to become a doctor or an entrepreneur or author like yourself, man, you know what? And she had to struggle and overcome her obstacles and demographic and situation and things that didn't go her way, but she was able to achieve all this, I can do that too, and so that's the onus of our nonprofit.
Speaker 1:And that's what we try to do.
Speaker 1:I definitely have to chime in here and say the experience that I had with you and going out to your icon talks and being an everyday icon to your students and your group of mentees it was mind blowing.
Speaker 1:I mean, it was just magical. And everything that you're doing being able to see firsthand what you're doing in the trenches and you know, that's the one thing that I really want to talk about right now I kind of want to pivot here is that you guys stay in the trenches, no matter how big you guys have gone. I mean, you've been to Washington DC, you guys have been nominated from, you know, different mayors and different communities for what you guys are doing. So you guys are really being exposed to not just the community but also in politics, also by celebrities, and you know, and being in that realm, you guys have never kind of stayed in the clouds. You guys are like, ok, this is great, but our real duty is in service, is to these students and to be a mentor, and so talk to us about being in the trenches and why that's so important.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm going to share an intimate story with you In 2018, the late great Congressman, john Lewis. I was able to spend some intimate time with him. We were able to honor him at one of our first Icon Talks, but he had told me this is an incredible platform with you, what you and your brothers have started. And he said you have, and I'll never forget it. He looked me in the eyes as he was shaking my hand and he told me you have a responsibility. You have a responsibility to serve others, because God doesn't anoint everybody. With the platform that he's anointed, you guys, and you guys have a unique opportunity not only to bring people together from all cultures, all demographics, but use it for good and to serve. And so my prayer at night, each and every day is not for me, it's for we, it's to give us an even bigger platform so that we can truly serve, and through our service, I believe that we're doing God's work.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. It's so amazing and you could just definitely see the blessings upon you and everything that you're doing, your partners as well. I mean you guys are really out in the community and doing good, making impact and creating change. You're changing people's lives and their trajectories of where they thought they were going and you completely expose them to a whole nother world to say I can, I can ask for so much more, I can achieve so much more, I can go for so much more. So congratulations to you and your partners for everything you guys are doing. I can't I cannot say the most appreciation that I personally have for everything you're doing and again being able to watch you guys up front and close and personal and just seeing your progression through the years. So tell us a little bit about.
Speaker 1:I know a lot of people here have dabbled into nonprofits. Try to get things started. Let's talk about the red tape of that, because a lot of people struggle with getting established as a nonprofit, as a foundation, and they struggle. There's a gap between getting funded. So, oh yeah, you're gearing up.
Speaker 2:You're like I get asked that question a lot and that's probably one of the most asked questions to me personally, because everybody thinks that it is me, right, and I if you look at my Instagram handle Stronger, together, right. So, yes, I'm in the forefront, I get a lot of the visibility, but it's my team that allows me to be in the forefront. Team what Together, everybody achieves more. Together, everybody achieves more right.
Speaker 2:I love that I have an incredible team, desiree Serna. She is a nonprofit specialist, nonprofit guru. I would like to say she's amazing. She really had sat with us when we shared our idea in the beginning and she walked us through A to Z from mission state. What are you guys trying to do? What communities are you trying to impact? Who are you trying to impact? What are you trying to influence? And she really walks you through from A to Z. She can expedite the process. She has incredible relationships and she expedites. She has helped start their 501c3s, and I can go on and on about people I've referred here to that have started and for me, that is truly. I feel like man, I'm doing God's work. Not only am I serving my community, but I'm influencing others to lead through service and future leaders of tomorrow, and that's truly what it's all about.
Speaker 1:I love that. So I and I know this firsthand. I've seen this in many different nonprofits and establishing philanthropy there has been. There's that, I guess, that gap where they're doing really good work for the community, they're getting recognized by the city, they're you know, they're on the news, but they don't have funding. Like, how do you get the funding? How did you take your? Because you guys have surpassed the million dollar mark way years ago.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and, and I think because of the-profit right Icon Talks, we have a for-profit and we have two different models with Icon Talks. We have the conversation and performance, where it's ticketed events, where the community can buy tickets to the event, and that funding funds are non-profit right, and so we've been privileged and not everybody has this opportunity.
Speaker 1:That's smart, that is so smart.
Speaker 2:But we've been privileged enough to have successful careers that we were like you know what, we're going to fund it ourselves right, and so we were able initially to fund it ourselves right and create that awareness. And, like you said, we're going on nine plus years of doing the work of haircuts for the homeless, of mentorship programs, of toy drive at Christmas time for underserved kids who don't have the opportunity to open a toy for Christmas, Thanksgiving feeding over 750 homeless each year. So we've stayed consistent, We've done the work and people they take notice right. And so when you lead, leaders lead. When you lead by example, you get a community of other leaders, people, and you have to be able to meet them where they're at. Some give with their time, some give with their service and some give with their money, and all three are ways of giving back and there are good things to do. So you have to be able to meet people where they are.
Speaker 1:It's amazing. I love that.
Speaker 2:Now you just listed all the companies, I will add this but now we're getting to the point where we're recognized by corporate Fortune 500 companies and it's like my prayer has been answered and we're going to be able to do more and serve more and serve in different countries and bring some of the initiatives that we have global. And so with the funding and there's grants out there, there's so many different things that money is available to you, but you have to first do the work.
Speaker 1:Oh, I love that. Okay, we live in such a day and age where people want to get paid first, then do the work. I love what you just said right there. You got to put in the work. You talked about hitting the pavement four months in and you're like is this going to happen for us or not, you know? And and then even bootstrapping it with and funding it with your own money. I mean, you guys really took an entrepreneur approach when you guys started building Icon Talk. So that's amazing. And you talk, started talking about some of your programs and it sounds like you're partnered with with other things. So when you're feeding the homeless, let's say, on Thanksgiving, are you guys partnered with another nonprofit or community outreach?
Speaker 2:Yeah, Corazon Ministries, they do a lot for the homeless here in San Antonio and I'm glad that you asked that question because a lot of times people start nonprofits and they want to do it all themselves or so on and so forth. But that's why I said team. You know, together everybody achieves more. It's truly a team. And we have a community here of leaders. I mean, you come now, we have over 100 volunteers. You know, In the beginning, the first year, we had maybe 14.
Speaker 1:And so now, hey, 14 is still a lot for the video.
Speaker 2:No, it is, but I'm saying in terms of being consistent, doing the work. You know, word of mouth is the greatest form of marketing and so people, you know they're on the high after you serve and after you change somebody's life, even if it's a plate of food or a haircut, make their self-esteem feel a lot better. That enriches you and enriches your soul to where you want to talk about it. You want to. When's the next community event? What do you guys have that I can be a part of? How can I serve? And that's how it starts. How that I can be a part of? How can I serve, and that's how it starts. We've been able to have these incredible opportunities and these initiatives that we've created and we have an incredible, incredible team, which is the community that we serve. I mean, we just say, hey, we're going to do this event back to school and we have 200 volunteers, everybody's bringing backpacks, everybody's donating, and it's all for a good cause.
Speaker 1:Talking about work and putting in the work, tell me a little bit about putting together an event. So whether you're feeding the homeless, whether you're doing an icon ticketed talks event, what does that work behind the scenes look like? What does that work behind the scenes look like? And because a lot of I think a lot of newbies to the field of philanthropy or the field of nonprofit, they want to put on these events and then kind of burn out because they don't realize the work that goes into it. So tell us a little bit about the work that goes into that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's truly. It's truly all hands on deck. But you have to come up with a plan Like what are we trying to achieve, right? And you have to come up with a plan. And then you have to come up with a run of show and you have to visualize how you want this event to go. And so you know, we come up, each event, each city we go to, we know that there's going to be what.
Speaker 2:There's going to be people within the community that are successful business owners that we're going to honor and bring spotlight and recognition to, that are doing the work that may not, rather, have been getting the recognition.
Speaker 2:So we're going to bring spotlight and we're going to honor those people we're going to give into the community. There's going to be some type of philanthropic event, whether it's coming to bless kids at the children's hospital, whether it's speaking at a local school and then inviting those kids to the Icon Talks later that evening or the next day, to where they're exposed to a room full of entrepreneurs. And that's one thing about Icon Talks from entrepreneurs, philanthropists, doctors, lawyers, politics, politicians you have, I mean, so many. You walk into Icon Talks and there's so many demographics, so many walks of life diverse and you know we truly have an incredible team. We come up with a plan and we lead with philanthropy. We're going to come into your community, we're going to serve and we're going to bring spotlight to people that are doing the work and have been doing the work not only in their careers but through service, and it's truly going to be a light and a weekend of empowerment and inspiration.
Speaker 1:So when you are going into new cities or going into new communities, do you experience any red tape that's involved, or are you I mean especially in the beginning, when you were first starting out?
Speaker 2:No, it didn't happen for us like that, and the reason why is because we didn't start. Oh, we're going to go to all these cities throughout the United States right, we're going to start in San Antonio. This is where we started right. States right, we're going to start in San Antonio. This is where we started right. And I said we had Dr Diana Burns Banks. We had her here. Who is? She had the largest for over 35 years, the largest pediatric health office clinic in the state of texas, so she oh so she had a, she had a following she truly had served a multitude, thousands, hundreds of thousands of kids throughout those 35 plus years.
Speaker 2:And so we, we, we had a foundation of her um, and then they all grew up here in San Antonio. So they had a network of people that they knew. So we started here. And then my business partner, john Burns he lives in DC, he went to Georgetown, graduated Georgetown Law and he started his career. So he was there over 15 plus years and so our first two events were San Antonio and DC.
Speaker 2:We started where we had roots, right, yeah, and we had, oh, yes, we knew, and then from there we had the success, right, had success, and then we knew that we could put on these events and we had successful outcomes and were able to serve these communities. So then we were able to go and do it in a multitude of different cities and states and take it across the country. But you have to start where you're at and, like I, I tell people all the time they, oh, you know they'll see icon talks or icons that I can, and they'll be like, oh, but you guys are doing things on a whole nother level and I tell them it's intimidating, it's small baby steps. You, you have to start. Even even if there's only five people at your first event, that's five people that you're able to serve. I truly believe, if your heart is in the right place and you're doing things for the right reason and you're serving everything will work out.
Speaker 1:Yes, that is giving responsibility. Yes, yes, I feel it Really.
Speaker 2:God. I believe I'm going to tell you a little story. I believe God is my best friend. Oh, yes, you know, a lot of times, people you know they say they believe in God or they pray and so on and so forth. But do you actually have a relationship with him? And I share with people all the time that everything that I've ever wanted in life, everything that I ever prayed for, I've accomplished, I've achieved, but it never happened on my time when I wanted it. Because we live in a world of instant gratification, we want it now, now, now.
Speaker 2:It was on God's time, right, and I learned that as I was able to grow and mature that everything in life happens on God's time. We're all children of God. He wants us all to succeed. We have greatness, we're all his children. We have greatness within us, right. But a lot of people they'll be praying, they will do the work and then they'll get that, what, that bit of adversity and then they'll stop. But if you never quit, you can what you can never fail. If you never quit, you can never fail. So if you have prayer, if you pray, if you put in the work and you never quit on God's time, everything's gonna happen. And so everything that you pray about, he will bless you. It says in the about, he will bless you. It says in the Bible. He will bless you with all I say that, all the desires of your heart. But it's not going to be on your time, it's going to be on his time.
Speaker 1:What's that saying? How do you make God laugh? Tell him your plans, yes, yes, yes, yes. So you guys, as listeners here today, you might be anxious about something, and the one thing that I really want to point out with what John just said right now was wait on. It's not on your terms, it's not on your terms, it's not in your hands. You can have faith, you can have action, but you also have to have some patience and resilience. Right, and the other thing, too, that I love what you just said right now is that you can never fail if you keep trying. It's not about right now. It's about until you accomplish that goal, until you get to the top of that mountain, until you overcome that battle or that challenge that you're facing. So I love what you just said right there, john. If you could tell our audience right now go ahead.
Speaker 2:No, I was just in. That. Last statement I was making is you know, we pray about things that we want right, and then, when they don't happen, you probably have heard oh well, I was praying and God didn't answer my prayers, so I gave up on it, so on and so forth. But if you continue to have a relationship with them, let me give you an example. You have a family member that you talk to every single day and they fall in on hard times and they come to you. They're like jackie, jackie. Um, I fall in on hard times.
Speaker 2:I need you know whether it's money or I need you to do this, as opposed to somebody that you never hear about yeah, you never hear from a cousin you never hear from, but they're telling you just out of the blue you haven't talked to them in months, oh, I need this money. You're more prone to help the person that you talk to every single day. God is no different If you have a relationship with them. I talk to them every morning when I wake up. I think for another day. I talk to them before I leave home and I'm going to a destination. Let me get there safe and sound before every meal at night.
Speaker 2:So each and every day, I talk to him, my best friend God, five or six times, as opposed to just praying to him when I want something or when things are bad. And so he, I believe he answers the prayers of the people that are closest to him.
Speaker 1:Yes, but the biggest thing too, there is people that are servants and doing good works for for the kingdom Right, and that's what is all about the faith and putting in the work. You guys are doing amazing things and everything that you're doing right now. If you could tell our audience and give them any advice, what would that advice be to an entrepreneur and also somebody that maybe doesn't want to start a nonprofit or a or a foundation, but wants to give back somehow generously? What does that look like and how could they do that?
Speaker 2:yeah, um, like me, how I got into service and giving back here locally in san antonio, I would um, look every week, I would look in the paper, and in the paper there's always service opportunities, whether it's building a playground or helping volunteering for this nonprofit. There's always always news out there of where you can serve Right. And so every every week I would find a different opportunity that I was going to serve Right, and I remember at the time I would have to wake up early, 6, 30, 7. Some of my friends, colleagues, would be like why are you doing that? Why are you doing that? And I would be like I'm doing God's work and I would leave those opportunities of service. I would leave so filled and so passionate, like I was telling you earlier, you want to do more. How can I do more? And so I would just tell, whether it's nonprofit, for-profit business, just start, start, just start, start. Wherever you're at, just start and you can do the work. If you do the work and you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything Awesome.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much. Now is there a question that you feel like should be asked of you, but is never asked in any of your interviews that you do? Do you feel like there's an important question that you're never asked that should be asked?
Speaker 2:I can't no, I think everybody pretty much has asked, you know, all the questions that I would think of. I mean, I would ask the questions that you're asking me today.
Speaker 1:Awesome. Let me ask you this then. Last thing what do you see yourself doing in the next five years? What?
Speaker 2:does the next five years look like for John Hartsfield? Building a part of the brand, icon Talks and Icon to Icon, and going to a multitude of countries five or six countries and being able to have a global brand and a global imprint of service, leading with service. And that's truly what I live my life by and I know that I'm walking and living in my passion and I don't pray for more for me, I pray for more for we.
Speaker 1:Awesome, and I also want to leave it with this as well you are a father and you are a husband, you are a son and you're just an incredible family member. What does your son and wife think about what you're doing on the forefront?
Speaker 2:My son, he's truly. He tells me all the time Daddy, I'm proud of you and you know when.
Speaker 2:I ask him you know, what does he want to be when he grows up? He says I want to be a philanthropist, I want to serve and no matter what I do, I want to give. And so you know, I always have him at all of our initiatives. You'll see him in the imaging. You'll see him volunteering, sweeping, picking up, taking out the trash. But, like I said, early exposure. So exposure leads to what? Expansion? So exposing him to the opportunities of what it is that I'm doing, it only bodes well. I'm excited that I'm his father and I'm excited for his future and to see what he's able to achieve and what he's able to become. And my wife, she's my number one supporter. And my wife, she's my number one supporter. She's always at every single initiative, ICON Talks and we really have a household of servant leaders. Even my son, at his level, he's a leader In the sixth grade.
Speaker 1:He's leading the sixth grade. I love this, so this is amazing. I love what you said right there. You talked about your son sweeping and picking up and helping with the events and and being there. He's not there to just take pictures with the icons. He's there to serve and lead, just like you are. So he's definitely following, following in your footsteps and you are a great leader, Every great leader first had to follow right.
Speaker 2:And so every great leader had to follow. So he's following in my footsteps, but I had a multitude of mentors and leaders like yourself who I follow. You know, and you know one of my biggest things that I always say is you know, people are so quick to meet somebody and speak or so on and so forth. Every room that I walk into I remain silent and I listen.
Speaker 2:A lot of people don't understand that those are two words, but they have the same letters listen and silence. And so I listen, I remain silent and I observe, and I've been able to travel the country, travel the world and shake the hands of some of the luminaries and icons around the world that we know today and just truly blessed.
Speaker 1:That's amazing. Okay, so you talked about collaborations. You talked about starting from where you're at. You also talked about putting in the work and not being afraid of the work, not giving up. You know you can never fail if you don't give up. You also talked about bringing service into your own home and making sure every single person in your home has the same servant's heart as you do by living and demonstrating by example. You talked about your great team and putting forth and having the right people working with you, but you know, really, that emphasis on collaborating with people in the community and bringing them involved, by highlighting them and showing what they're showing others, what they're doing in their community as well Anything else that you want to leave our audience with here today as we wrap up.
Speaker 2:I would just say, truly, it's not about doing it yourself. It's about surrounding yourself with incredible leaders, incredible mentors that all share a commonality and you have some synergy. But truly, we are all stronger together. The more hands working together to serve one common goal, the better, the bigger the impact.
Speaker 1:All right, everybody. You heard it here firsthand from John Hartsfield. He is doing amazing things in his community. Look him up. You can look them up on IconTalkscom. Follow along what they're doing. If you have, you feel the passion to support his cause and what they're doing within the communities, definitely reach out, donate. Look at ways to get involved at any of their community services that they're doing locally. I know they're going to be out in the Silicon Valley here soon, so we're really excited about that. But again, so much respect for every single thing you're doing. You are not just talking the talk, you are walking the walk. You're putting in the work. You are in the trenches every single day and we just love everything that you're doing and have so much admiration for what you are doing and what you're continuing to do. So thank you so much, john, for being on here with us Entrepreneurs. Yes, this is the episode right here.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much, jackie, for all that you do, for coming to speak and point to our mentors. I see you have you know your certificate up there and so just truly excited about all the incredible things that you're doing your book, you're an author, you're a mother, you're an entrepreneur. So I just truly want to give it back to you and thank you for the opportunity of coming on and sharing my story here.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much, john. All right, everybody, until next time. Thank you so much for listening to the Entrepreneurial Empire podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, do me two solids Subscribe to the show so that you never miss an episode and leave us a review so that others can find this life changing content that we provide here. This show can be the very difference for someone you might know struggling in their business, and we need your help to bring us together. And thank you again for being a part of our entrepreneurial community and for tuning in each and every single week, until next time. Bye for now.