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Celebrating 100-yrs of Hope and Encouragement with Tom Ziglar

Tom Ziglar reveals how his father Zig Ziglar became a force for good—not through greatness alone, but through a chain of people who showed up when it mattered most.
In this episode, Aaron Alejandro sits down with Tom Ziglar to explore the untold story behind one of America's most influential motivational speakers. Beyond the published wisdom and sold-out arenas lies something deeper: the small mercies—a first-grade teacher who drove to a sick boy's house, a scout leader who mentored a future history teacher—that made Zig Ziglar's legacy possible. Tom unpacks how gratitude becomes faith, why belief without a plan is incomplete, and what it really means to "be the light" in someone else's life. As Zig approaches his centennial celebration, Tom shares his vision for honoring a legacy that was never about the man—it was always about the ripple. 🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS • Gratitude is an emotional choice—the brain predicts scarcity or abundance, and you decide which story to believe • Legacy isn't built by one extraordinary person; it's built by ordinary people quietly teaching the next person • Belief without a concrete plan remains faith without action—PC Merrill's "But" was the turning point that changed everything • The #1 leadership quality according to Gallup 2026 research is hope—the ability to see a way forward when others see only dead ends • Small moments of showing up for someone—a teacher's house call, a mentor's belief—are the actual mechanism by which generations are shaped Celebrate Zig Ziglar’s 100th birthday and legacy of hope, encouragement, and leadership at the Ziglar 100 Transformation Experience on October 16, 2026, in Franklin, Tennessee. Learn more at Ziglar100.com. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introduction 02:40 - Gratitude as Faith — The Foundation 03:38 - From Entitlement to Gratitude — Emotional Choice 05:02 - The Brain as a Prediction Machine 07:20 - Aaron's Testimony — How Zig's Book Became His Mentor 08:26 - Sitting in the Back of Zig's Encouragers Class 10:23 - Zig's Early Life — Born in Poverty, Shaped by a Teacher 14:00 - Two and a Half Years of Failure — Then PC Merrill's 'But' 14:46 - From Zero to Number Two — Belief and Action 16:20 - 1972 — Faith as the Multiplier 20:14 - Miss Warren Drove to a Sick Boy's House 22:11 - The Mentorship Chain — Thomas Abernathy to Joby Harris to Zig 26:24 - Hope as the #1 Leadership Quality — Gallup 2026 28:32 - Never Give a Promise Without a Plan 31:52 - The Centennial Challenge — Alexandra's Big Idea 33:31 - Dave Ramsey's 'Absolutely Not, But for Friends' 36:05 - The Speaker Lineup — Champions of Zig's Legacy 39:18 - Tom's Vision for Speakers — Two to Three Minutes of Transformation 44:42 - Why Come? Gratitude, Growth, and Gift 47:44 - 'Be the Light' — The Theme Already Pre-Installed 51:33 - Legacy is a Ripple — The Snoopy Dance 55:01 - The Chick-fil-A Standard — Would You Trust Them With Your Child? 60:36 - The Weight Beneath — Tom's Vulnerability 62:23 - Aaron Honors Tom — 'We Are Proud of You' 63:54 - Closing — See You at the Top, and in Franklin 👤 ABOUT TOM ZIGLAR Tom Ziglar is the son of legendary motivational speaker Zig Ziglar and carries forward his father's legacy of helping people "see the way" toward their potential. As a speaker, author, and leader in his own right, Tom bridges the wisdom of his father's teachings with contemporary leadership research and his own hard-won understanding of what it means to honor a legacy. His work focuses on gratitude, hope, and the power of showing up for others—the quiet mechanics that build lasting change. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW Subscribe to Growing Our Future (FFA) for new episodes every week. #GrowingOurFuture #ZigZiglar #Leadership #Podcast

Success is a Decision Away with Billy Cox

Billy Cox lost his car at 20 and built a $2 billion sales career on one daily discipline — but the real story emerges when he reveals open heart surgery ten months ago changed everything about how he teaches success.
In this episode, Aaron Alejandro sits down with Billy Cox to explore what separates people who talk about success from people who live it. Billy walks through the exact decision-making framework that took him from $100 a month to leading teams across billions in sales, the agricultural metaphor that explains why "green means grow," and the moment gratitude stopped being a concept and became survival. 🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS • Success is a decision you can make today — not a secret formula you're waiting to discover • The three competitive skills every FFA graduate needs: knowing your numbers, understanding agricultural cycles, and building genuine relationships • Action comes before clarity — "God hits moving targets" — waiting for perfect conditions means never starting • Duty isn't burden — it's the thing that keeps you alive when everything else fails • Daily deposits into unseen accounts (discipline, gratitude, integrity) compound into the life you actually want to live ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introduction — Welcome and Billy Cox 01:16 - From $100 a Month to $2 Billion — The Credibility Story 03:13 - Success Is a Decision Away — The Thesis 05:34 - God Hits Moving Targets — Action Before Clarity 10:47 - When You're Green, You Grow — The Agriculture Metaphor 19:46 - Three Competitive Skills for Every FFA Grad 27:50 - The Sledgehammer Lesson — Duty as a Core Value 31:55 - You're Giving Me Chills — Live Transformation 34:53 - Open Heart Surgery and Living in Gratitude 37:42 - Sammy Hagar and the FFA Foundation 39:32 - You Simply Have to Decide — The Closing Benediction 👤 ABOUT BILLY COX Billy Cox is a sales veteran and agricultural leader who built a career generating over $2 billion in sales revenue. His philosophy centers on the intersection of duty, gratitude, and daily discipline — principles forged through decades of work in agriculture and refined through personal adversity. He brings the perspective of someone who has lived what he teaches. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW Subscribe to Growing Our Future (FFA) for new episodes every week. #GrowingOurFuture #FFA #AgriculturalLeadership #SalesVeteran

The Hat That Outlives You

When a California businessman inherits a Texas hat company, he discovers that success isn't about building something new—it's about becoming worthy of what you've been given.
In this episode, Aaron Alejandro sits down with Keith Mundee, President of American Hat Company, to explore how a corporate executive transformed into a cowboy hat craftsman and what that journey taught him about legacy, leadership, and love. From understanding what customers really buy to the discipline of daily reading, Keith shares how he learned to honor the past while building the future. This conversation reveals how the best leaders don't just run companies—they serve the people who make them great. 🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS • Legacy isn't what you build—it's who you become in the building process • People don't buy products, they buy the feeling and identity that comes with them • Reading 30 minutes daily transforms your leadership and decision-making capacity • True competitive advantage comes from loving your people more than your competition does • The cowboy code of conduct applies to business: keep your word, treat people right, and earn respect through actions 👤 ABOUT KEITH Keith Mundee is the President of American Hat Company, one of the premier hat manufacturers in the Western industry. After transitioning from corporate life in California to leading this iconic Texas-based company, Keith has become a respected voice on leadership, legacy, and what it means to serve something bigger than yourself. 🔗 CONNECT WITH KEITH You can find Keith Mundee here: Website: https://americanhat.net/ 🔔 SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW Subscribe to Growing Our Future (FFA) for new episodes every week. #GrowingOurFuture #Leadership #AmericanHatCompany #Podcast

"Who Factor"

Author, speaker, and life coach Brad Lomenick sits down to discuss life strategies like the "who factor" people in life that encourage, equip, and empower. Be a positive catalyst in an organization and the importance of being humble, hungry, and full of hustle.
We explore how gratitude beats entitlement, why access plus hustle changes careers, and how H3—humility, hunger, hustle—becomes a durable edge for students, educators, and leaders in agriculture. Brad shares the “who factor,” feedback loops, and the art of creating mile markers that last. • gratitude as a leader’s temperature setter • entitlement contrasted with service and hospitality • R2A2 framework for turning ideas into action • Brad’s journey, mentors, and the who factor • building networks and using access without entitlement • curiosity as a core leadership habit • H3 framework: humility, hunger, hustle in balance • rhythms that prevent burnout and enable generosity • agriculture’s future: tech, relationships, communication • feedback loops and practical self-awareness • memory moments and creating mile markers for others Go out and do something great for somebody. You might just plant that tree under whose shade you may never see Learn more at MyTexasFFA.org

Meaningful Impact by Living Your Brand

On this episode of the Growing Our Future podcast, we have the chance to sit down with Kerri LeDoux, Executive Director of the Live Like Johnny Organization and mother to the late Johnny Callan. Kerri shares a heartfelt testimony of Johnny's life and the example he led. She shares his desire to help others and how the FFA became the vehicle for him to live his brand.
At the time Johnny was a Ford Leadership Scholar and President of the Area IV FFA Association, Tyler Koch was the Leadership Development Coordinator. He shares the following about Johnny, "Johnny Callan wore the blue jacket like so many before him, and set the gold standard for genuinely selfless service like no other." He went on to say, "In my office at the Buzbee Law Firm I keep two photos, one of my daughter Meadow, and the other is of Johnny’s Dock. Johnny’s dock is my daily reminder to try and live, work, serve, and love like Johnny, so that my daughter just might live like Johnny too." You'll enjoy this story of Johnny and how we too can "live our brand" to make a meaningful impact on our community. Learn more at MyTexasFFA.org

Great History to Greater Opportunities

On this episode of Growing Our Future, host Aaron Alejandro welcomes Lorie Vincent, Founder & President of ACCELERATION by Design LLC. Lorie shares her inspiring journey from the Texas Panhandle to national leadership, her mission to empower rural communities, and why gratitude, collaboration, and bold vision are essential to growth.
🎥 In the video, Lorie shares her journey from growing up in the Texas Panhandle to leading efforts that empower rural communities nationwide. 💡 What you’ll learn: • Why gratitude is the foundation for building strong communities • How listening and collaboration spark real change • Why honoring heritage and thinking boldly can shape a thriving future • Her story is proof that when we plant seeds of greatness in our lives and communities, the harvest can impact generations. Learn more at MyTexasFFA.org

Don't Be Scared to Try

Aaron Alejandro sits down with Kat Villarreal, an agricultural science teacher and FFA advisor in South Texas, to trace her journey from a non-farm kid to building a thriving IDEA Public Schools FFA program (now ~350 members). Kat shares how mentorship, grit, and student leadership took her chapter from zero to state-level achievements.
What You’ll Learn • Three leadership skills Kat drills into students: confidence, responsibility, vulnerability • How to build a program from scratch in an urban, non-traditional ag setting • Why mentorship and access (college visits, contests, public speaking) unlock opportunity • Practical ways FFA shapes real-world skills: handshakes, advocacy, communication, teamwork • The mindset that it’s “okay to win”—and how to earn it Learn more at MyTexasFFA.org

Grow Good

🎙️ On this episode of the Growing Our Future Podcast, host Aaron Alejandro sits down with Melissa Rosenbusch-Spicer, a lifelong educator and champion of agricultural science. 🌱
👩‍🏫 Melissa shares her journey from growing up in a family of ag teachers to shaping lives as a 29-year ag educator, and now carrying her passion into her work with Bloom for Good. ✨ What you’ll learn: Why faith, family, and purpose are the foundation of lasting leadership. How agricultural education builds life skills that go far beyond the classroom. The leadership traits every student—and professional—should practice: communication, work ethic, dependability, and compassion. 💡 Melissa’s mission is clear: to pour into the next generation so they can grow their future with confidence, character, and heart. 👉 Tune in to be inspired by the power of ag education and the mentors who make it possible. Learn more at MyTexasFFA.org

Agriculture ... Chase the Dream

In this episode of the Growing Our Future Podcast, host Aaron Alejandro sits down with Kade and Morgan Hodges, owners of Hodges Livestock, to share their inspiring journey from meeting in college to running a thriving family ranch.
You’ll hear how they: ✅ Turned major setbacks—like losing half their leased land—into breakthrough opportunities ✅ Pivoted into innovative solar grazing with 1,300 sheep ✅ Built their business on faith, resilience, and creativity ✅ Lead with purpose as stewards of God’s creation 💡 What you’ll learn: Practical leadership tips, how to adapt in challenging markets, and why relationships and persistence are game-changers in agriculture. 🌱 Their mission: To be faithful stewards of God’s creation, producing profitable, productive livestock for consumers and fellow ranchers while preserving the ranching way of life. 🎧 Tune in for a story of grit, vision, and purpose that will inspire anyone chasing a dream.

A Series of Webinars on Topics Related to
Leadership, Education, Agriculture, Advocacy, and Development.

Celebrating 100-yrs of Hope and Encouragement with Tom Ziglar

Success is a Decision Away with Billy Cox

The Hat That Outlives You

"Who Factor"

Meaningful Impact by Living Your Brand

Great History to Greater Opportunities

Don't Be Scared to Try

Grow Good

Agriculture ... Chase the Dream

For more information about Texas Agricultural Science Education, the Texas FFA or sponsorships

A Series of Webinars on Topics Related toLeadership, Education, Agriculture, Advocacy, and Development.

Celebrating 100-yrs of Hope and Encouragement with Tom Ziglar

Success is a Decision Away with Billy Cox

The Hat That Outlives You

"Who Factor"

Meaningful Impact by Living Your Brand

Great History to Greater Opportunities

Don't Be Scared to Try

Grow Good

Agriculture ... Chase the Dream

For more information about Texas Agricultural Science Education, the Texas FFA or sponsorships

A Series of Webinars on Topics Related to
Leadership, Education, Agriculture, Advocacy, and Development.