Summary
The Up in Your Family Business podcast episode features Todd Reimer interviewing Eric Johnson about his life challenges and how he transformed pain into purpose. Eric shares his early life struggles, including his parents' divorce and feeling responsible for their reconciliation. He recounts a severe motor vehicle accident in 2017, just days after his daughter's birth, detailing the extensive injuries he sustained, including a traumatic brain injury and multiple rib fractures. Eric discusses the impact of the accident on his professional life, forcing him to transition from building cell towers to real estate and eventually starting Capital Tree Service in 2020. He emphasizes the importance of framing struggles correctly, embracing failure, and maintaining a positive perspective.
Eric elaborates on the financial and marital challenges following the accident, highlighting his wife's strength and their reliance on faith. He describes the difficulties of dealing with a traumatic brain injury, loss of his sense of smell, and the emotional toll of being unable to provide for his family. Eric credits his entrepreneurial spirit, inherited from his family's long history in the painting business, for his drive to create a new path. He discusses the ups and downs of flipping houses and the unexpected entry into becoming a landlord.
The conversation shifts to the importance of mindset and resilience in overcoming adversity. Eric shares his philosophy of "embracing the suck" and focusing on small wins to maintain perspective. He emphasizes the significance of learning from struggles and using them as opportunities for growth. Todd reflects on his own experiences, sharing personal insights on managing stress, making choices, and finding balance in life. The episode concludes with Eric offering advice to business owners on prioritizing family and maintaining a positive attitude in the face of challenges.
Chapters
Introduction to Eric Johnson and the Podcast's Goal 00:00:04
Todd Reimer introduces Eric Johnson as a father, business owner, and survivor of life trials, aiming to share his personal journey to inspire listeners. The podcast's goal is to help family business leaders gain insights, solve problems, seize opportunities, and achieve multi-generational prosperity. Todd highlights Eric's ability to transform struggle into resilience and pain into purpose, emphasizing his passion for using his story to help others see their struggles in a new light.
Early Life Struggles and the Motor Vehicle Accident 00:04:26
Eric shares his early life challenges, including his parents' divorce before he was born and his childhood goal of reuniting them. He recounts a life-changing motor vehicle accident on August 26, 2017, where he was hit head-on by a dump truck. Eric details his injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, 13 rib fractures, and the surgical intervention involving three plates and 24 screws to repair his ribs. He mentions his daughter was in the NICU at Riley at the time of the accident.
Impact of the Accident and Initial Recovery 00:09:37
Eric describes his brief two-day hospital stay immediately following the accident, followed by a return for a five-day stay due to the intensity of his back surgery. He discusses the short-term and long-term consequences of the accident, including memory issues due to the traumatic brain injury and the loss of his sense of smell. Eric also humorously mentions his altered sense of smell, where his daughter's dirty diapers smell like buttered popcorn.
Transition to Entrepreneurship and Real Estate 00:15:59
Eric explains how the accident forced him to transition from building cell towers, a job he could no longer physically perform, to real estate. He and his wife decided to flip houses, leveraging their previous experience. Eric mentions his long-standing desire to own a tree business. He highlights the extensive recovery process, involving working out three to four times a week, to regain his physical capabilities after the accident and back surgery, which left him with a 12-inch scar.
Dealing with Anger and Marital Challenges 00:19:16
Eric discusses the anger he felt towards the company involved in the accident, particularly the possibility that the dump truck had known DOT problems. He emphasizes the importance of realizing that the driver did not act maliciously. Eric shares the marital struggles and financial challenges they faced, especially with a fresh traumatic brain injury affecting his personality. He notes that his wife was a stay-at-home mom at the time, and they had to rely on faith and a settlement check from Work Comp to get by.
The Start of Capital Tree Service and Navigating Business Waves 00:27:10
Eric recounts how he broke his left foot months before the accident, receiving Work Comp benefits that were terminated shortly after the accident. He describes starting Capital Tree Service in 2020 with just one chainsaw and his dually truck. Eric mentions learning to cut trees from his father at age 14 and gaining climbing experience at Wright's Tree Service. He discusses the challenges of starting a business from scratch, including navigating the "waves" of fluctuating business, and how their rental property helped stabilize their finances.
The Importance of Perspective and Choice 00:34:09
Eric and Todd discuss the importance of perspective and choice in reacting to life's challenges. Eric shares a statistic that a stress response should only last 10 to 15 seconds, suggesting that long-term stress is often self-inflicted. He emphasizes the power of choosing how to react to stimuli, whether positive or negative. Todd reflects on his own life, noting that he believes he is 90 to 95% responsible for where he is today, based on the choices he has made.
Turning Pain into Purpose and Embracing the Suck 00:47:48
Eric explains his philosophy of turning pain into purpose, framing struggles correctly to build off them. He likens the process to a blacksmith forging iron ore, where pain and struggle shape individuals into who they are meant to be. Eric emphasizes the importance of persistence and realizing that struggles are part of the process. He and Todd discuss the value of embracing failure and tough moments as opportunities for growth.
Advice for Business Owners and Balancing Priorities 01:13:31
Eric offers advice to business owners on navigating difficult times, emphasizing the importance of framing the situation correctly and realizing that tomorrow is coming regardless. He encourages perseverance and learning from struggles. Todd and Eric discuss the challenge of balancing work priorities with family and personal life. Eric shares his strategy of being home by four o'clock to spend time with his kids, emphasizing the importance of being present.
Final Thoughts and Lasting Impressions 01:33:04
Eric reiterates the importance of realizing that you are not alone in your struggles and that a significant portion of stress is self-inflicted. He encourages focusing on small wins to keep things in perspective. Eric emphasizes the inevitability of breakdowns and the importance of learning from previous struggles to overcome future challenges. Todd and Eric conclude by highlighting the transformative power of attitude, perspective, and framework in navigating life's adversities.
