Welcome to another episode of Tank Truck Talk, where hosts Brian Amthor, Executive Vice President of Amthor International, and Alayna Pickeral, marketing and truck sales specialist from Powell’s Truck and Equipment, tackle the pressing issue of stress management and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. In today’s discussion, Brian and Alayna delve into the challenges of separating professional responsibilities from personal life, the sacrifices involved in achieving business success, and the strategies they’ve employed to prioritize their well-being.

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You’ll hear personal anecdotes from Brian and Alayna about their techniques for compartmentalizing work stress, the importance of being present with family, and the joy of unplugging during company trips. They’ll also share their experiences with mindfulness, leisure activities, and the significance of not letting work infringe on precious family time.

Join us as we explore the necessity of balancing career ambitions with personal fulfillment, the value of creating lasting memories, and the universal relevance of work-life balance for everyone. Whether you’re a business owner, a job seeker, or someone simply striving to find harmony in everyday life, this episode promises valuable insights and practical advice. And, don’t miss out on the lighter side – from humorous references to Pee-wee’s Playhouse to memorable adventures like parasailing in Aruba and Yankees Fantasy Camp. So, sit back, relax, and let’s dive into the critical topic of achieving equilibrium between work and life!

Episode Transcript

Brian Amthor [00:00:00]:
Listeners. It’s Brian Amthorpe, executive vice president of Amthorpe International, and this is Tank Truck Talk along with

Alayna Pickeral [00:00:06]:
Elena Pickerel here from Powell’s Truck and Equipment, marketing and truck sales specialist.

Brian Amthor [00:00:11]:
So, guys, today, we’re gonna talk about how we deal with stress in everyday life and in the business world. That is our topic of the day, and I think I’m gonna call this one this title for this podcast, prioritizing our well-being and establishing a good work life balance. What do you think? Does that sound good?

Alayna Pickeral [00:00:29]:
I like that.

Brian Amthor [00:00:29]:
Alright. So, you know, we we I think we said in an earlier podcast how we, you know, we you’re running a family business and it’s hard to check it at the door. Right? Mhmm. But I even see, you know, other folks that work really hard and and they’re so dedicated that they also take it home.

Alayna Pickeral [00:00:48]:
You know

Brian Amthor [00:00:48]:
what I mean? Yeah. It’s hard to check at the door as well because of a high level position they have, whatever company they work with. And it’s, you know, it’s something that, it’s not just you’re not just owning a family business and it it it could be anybody. Right?

Alayna Pickeral [00:01:02]:
Yeah. So Work life balance is important for everyone.

Brian Amthor [00:01:05]:
Right. So establishing a work life balance is key.

Alayna Pickeral [00:01:08]:
You know what

Brian Amthor [00:01:08]:
I mean? Absolutely. And I think even for me, you know, prior to myself and even you, lot of the the the the the successes that, that we’re having now were, you know, all the the downfalls, the chances, the up you know, were all, you know, done ahead of me or or prior to me. Right? So, you know, coming in, you know, a lot of things, you know, that that help bring to what what success do we have today, things were I’m trying to think of we’re now gonna start over that sentence. So, you know, obviously, you know, in our in our both of our businesses. Right? Yeah.

Alayna Pickeral [00:01:45]:
We a

Brian Amthor [00:01:46]:
lot of the sacrifices were done prior to us.

Alayna Pickeral [00:01:48]:
Yeah. To get

Brian Amthor [00:01:49]:
us to get us where our businesses are at. So, you know, a lot of those things that, that our predecessors have done, we we don’t have to do. So it’s like we have to continue it. Right? And we’re gonna have our own challenges and our own things that we deal with.

Alayna Pickeral [00:02:03]:
Success never comes without sacrifice, but I know exactly getting a 100 percent what you mean.

Brian Amthor [00:02:08]:
Right. So there is the, you know, there’s obviously when you’re starting a business, there there’s the sacrifices are higher. Right? Then but as you get to a level where it plateaus and you’re growing, at that point, it’s more maintenance. Right?

Alayna Pickeral [00:02:19]:
Absolutely.

Brian Amthor [00:02:20]:
But if you wanna grow, there’s gonna be different types of sacrifices. Absolutely. So as a dad and a husband, you know, and, you know, getting that work life balance especially when you’re, you know, running a 1000000 miles an hour, you know, in multiple locations as as as our company has. And you have multiple locations as well for with your business. You you have a you have a a truck body company. Absolutely. You also have a, you know, a chassis, you know, dealership. Is is finding that balance.

Brian Amthor [00:02:47]:
And, you know, my thing is that, you know, because you know, I could come home, right? And you know, if if I have a bad day and my wife had a great day, you know, it’s not fair for me to come home and be in a bad mood, right? So, you know, that’s where you need to like, okay, check you at the door, Come in and you’re home now. You’re not at the office. Kinda car a car check-in. Carmentalize. Jeez. I can’t hear you.

Alayna Pickeral [00:03:13]:
But neither can I? Oh my gosh. It’s contagious.

Brian Amthor [00:03:15]:
I know. It’s it’s but you want

Alayna Pickeral [00:03:18]:
Oh my god. I’m done.

Brian Amthor [00:03:19]:
Compartmentalize. There we go. Alright. There we go. Let’s take this a minute. But you compartmental Jesus Christ. I can’t stand it again. If you know what I’m trying to say, guys.

Brian Amthor [00:03:27]:
You know, I take my brain and I, like, put it away. Right?

Alayna Pickeral [00:03:30]:
Yep.

Brian Amthor [00:03:30]:
So I stare, and I’ll deal with it tomorrow.

Alayna Pickeral [00:03:33]:
Yep.

Brian Amthor [00:03:33]:
But so now I I go to the other side of my brain. Okay? And now I’m a dad. Now I’m a husband. I’m a dog dad. You know, but it’s, and and that’s who I am at that point. Yeah. I’m not the boss when I go home. My wife tells me it all the time.

Brian Amthor [00:03:46]:
We’re not the boss at 19

Alayna Pickeral [00:03:48]:
them, Trish.

Brian Amthor [00:03:48]:
Yeah. At 19 Alpine Lane. You know? So and and it’s true. You know what I mean? And it’s you know, I I go from work. So the thing is is is being present because with my wife, being present with my with my son, and putting them first. Right? So, you know, if it’s, you know, because they are first. They are number 1. They are they are my family

Alayna Pickeral [00:04:09]:
comes should be.

Brian Amthor [00:04:09]:
Right. My family comes before business, comes before anything else. Yep. And so, you know, how do you do it? What, you know, what do you okay. Before I talk how I do it, I’m gonna ask you. What do you do when you to kinda get that work life balance?

Alayna Pickeral [00:04:25]:
Yeah. So definitely a little different. The only I’m only a dog mom. No. You’re not. I’m only a dog mom. So they don’t need they don’t depend on me as much as, you know, being a husband and dad and, you know, son and whatnot. But, you know, when I I think as a young person, I know you and I have talked about this before.

Alayna Pickeral [00:04:47]:
Work life balance is important. Mhmm. The day and age that we live in, like, doom scrolling or whatever, you don’t wanna bring say you have a bad day at work. Say I have a bad day at work. I try to I sit in my car for a second before I leave and remember that this is my job. This is not controlling my life. It’s not taking over my life. I need to not let it like you said, not let it ruin my Right.

Alayna Pickeral [00:05:11]:
Friend’s night, whoever I’m going out with, I’m doing dinner because it’s not their problem that I had a bad day.

Brian Amthor [00:05:15]:
Right.

Alayna Pickeral [00:05:15]:
You know? So you gotta separate the work life. And I think the best way to separate work life balance and leave work at work and be Elena at home Mhmm. Is mindful. I’m very mindful about that. I try to compartmentalize and leave work at work. I I know. Woo. No longer contagious.

Alayna Pickeral [00:05:37]:
Yeah. But, yeah, I just try to focus on leaving work at work. Like, a lot of times my friends will give me a hard time for checking my emails. I’ll be out at, you know, hope you have a bar drinking.

Brian Amthor [00:05:48]:
I’ll interrupt you there.

Alayna Pickeral [00:05:48]:
No worries.

Brian Amthor [00:05:49]:
Alright. And that’s that that’s a key thing I wanted to add is shut the phone off.

Alayna Pickeral [00:05:53]:
Shut the phone off. And that’s my problem. Because once I look at my email, I can’t stop, and it’s like, oh my gosh. Now I have this problem, and I I’ve been I’ve done that multiple times. I’ve looked at my email at we were out somewhere, me and my friends, on a weekend, and I’ve been waiting for I wanted to check my email and find good news about a deal I was working, but in turn, what’s happened is bad news about a separate deal or a poor Right. Customer problem or who knows? And it just your night. It ruins my whole weekend because I shouldn’t have opened my phone.

Brian Amthor [00:06:20]:
That’s right.

Alayna Pickeral [00:06:20]:
But I have to remember Yeah. All the time. Like, that’s a perfect example. If I wanted I get the urge to check my email because I’m excited about something else. Yeah. I have to remind myself, last time you did this, it did not go so well, and you ruined your night, and you wanted to go home.

Brian Amthor [00:06:33]:
Shut it off. Exactly. Is, you know, unless it’s unless it’s a text from someone

Alayna Pickeral [00:06:36]:
Be present in the moment.

Brian Amthor [00:06:37]:
Exactly. Be present. Because it’s not fair.

Alayna Pickeral [00:06:39]:
It’s not.

Brian Amthor [00:06:39]:
It’s not fair, you know, to to to William, my son, or Trish, my wife, that, you know, we’re out to dinner at the family dinner and that, you know, if if I look at my phone and something bad happens and I get in a bad mood and we’re having a great time Yep. It it it’s not fair to them. They didn’t deserve that.

Alayna Pickeral [00:06:55]:
Not. Yeah.

Brian Amthor [00:06:56]:
So it just and I don’t mean to interrupt you.

Alayna Pickeral [00:06:57]:
I think you’re

Brian Amthor [00:06:58]:
right this way, but shut the device off.

Alayna Pickeral [00:07:00]:
Shut the device off.

Brian Amthor [00:07:01]:
Or turn it over and, you know, have that conversation with the family. Talk about your day. Talk about school. Talk about whatever is on your mind. Talk about anything but Yes. But but the job. But go ahead.

Alayna Pickeral [00:07:13]:
I’m sorry. You’re fine. No. That was what I was gonna say is that, you know, you just gotta remind yourself that everything that back to immediate gratification. Everything doesn’t have to have immediate gratification.

Brian Amthor [00:07:22]:
Yep.

Alayna Pickeral [00:07:23]:
And just to be mindful. And one thing that I I wouldn’t say struggle with, but, like, it’s hard for me is I need to remember to loosen the grip. One time, I was listening to someone someone’s I was like a

Brian Amthor [00:07:35]:
It’s not compartmentalize.

Alayna Pickeral [00:07:36]:
No. It’s not compartmentalize. No. I was just, like, a speaker at an event, and I just couldn’t think of keynote speaker. There we go. A keynote speaker. Right. And I’ve never forgotten it.

Alayna Pickeral [00:07:46]:
They were like, you can’t be the boss all the time if you’re the boss. And even if you’re not, you gotta

Brian Amthor [00:07:51]:
says it when I’m home. You’re not the boss here.

Alayna Pickeral [00:07:53]:
So Exactly. You can’t be the boss all the time, but you gotta loosen the grip. Yeah. Like, you’re on vacation

Brian Amthor [00:07:57]:
Yeah.

Alayna Pickeral [00:07:58]:
You can’t always not respond, but you gotta loosen the grip and think someone else can handle this. And I that’s something I live I try to live by as I’ve Mhmm. I do it all the time. Loosen the grip, Elena. Loosen the grip.

Brian Amthor [00:08:09]:
Yeah. And and and sometimes it’s hard for you know, because you’ve always been available even for people. A lot of people understand because they need breaks. Right? That you’re away. Look. I’ll deal deal with it on Monday or whatever. But, you know, some people just, like, you know, look it. I don’t care you’re on vacation.

Alayna Pickeral [00:08:24]:
They need what they need and you don’t wanna burn a bridge.

Brian Amthor [00:08:26]:
That’s right. So you do what you have to do. Exactly. You know? And it’s hard not to do that.

Alayna Pickeral [00:08:30]:
It’s not always fun.

Brian Amthor [00:08:31]:
No. It’s not always fun. And it’s always something that that that you have to do and, you know, is, you know, find things that you love. Right? What makes you happy? Now, obviously, my family makes me happy.

Alayna Pickeral [00:08:44]:
Absolutely.

Brian Amthor [00:08:45]:
And my business makes me happy, most of the time. But taking the business out of it, you know, and what do you know, what does Alina like to do to to have fun? What do you do to to kinda, like, you know, decompress? You know what I mean?

Alayna Pickeral [00:08:57]:
I like to travel. I also really like have recently gone into pickleball. Oh. Big fan.

Brian Amthor [00:09:03]:
That is, like, such, like, an old person’s game, isn’t

Alayna Pickeral [00:09:05]:
it? I love it, though. It’s so fun. Is it

Brian Amthor [00:09:07]:
26 how old? I mean

Alayna Pickeral [00:09:09]:

29. Yeah. But I guess old in pickleball

Brian Amthor [00:09:12]:
Oh, okay.

Alayna Pickeral [00:09:12]:
Standards. I don’t know. Yeah. Yeah. A lot a lot of my friends have been playing. I it’s actually funny. One of my best friend’s moms is the reason that I got into it. So Okay.

Alayna Pickeral [00:09:20]:
They I mean, I don’t know what the age limit is, but it’s pretty fun. And then I love going like I said, I love traveling. Yep. And in between all of that, I like to make time for concerts.

Brian Amthor [00:09:30]:
Mhmm.

Alayna Pickeral [00:09:30]:
I dig into music, dig into movies. Sometimes if I’ve had a rough week, I’ll go to the movies Mhmm. By myself even

Brian Amthor [00:09:36]:
Yeah.

Alayna Pickeral [00:09:37]:
And just decompress and turn my phone off because I’m not gonna be checking my email Yep. At the movies. But, nope, love concerts, love movies, love spending time with my dogs, friends, and family. You know? Anything that I like spending time with people. I really think that experiences

Brian Amthor [00:09:51]:
Mhmm.

Alayna Pickeral [00:09:51]:
Are important, and I like to prioritize experience over other things.

Brian Amthor [00:09:56]:
Yeah. Making memories.

Alayna Pickeral [00:09:57]:
Yes. Making memories. You know,

Brian Amthor [00:09:58]:
I have a family friend I’m very close with and he always tells me making memories, make memories. You know what I mean? And and that’s and then that’s really the the approach I’ve taken to life is, you know, you know, and everything you do is a memory.

Alayna Pickeral [00:10:10]:
Absolutely. Whatever

Brian Amthor [00:10:11]:
I do with my son tonight or my family this weekend, you know, it’s it’s making a memory. You know what I mean? It may not be a big, big memory, but this could be or it could just be a small memory.

Alayna Pickeral [00:10:19]:
That’s what you’re gonna remember. Everything else that those bad work emails are not what I’m gonna remember when I’m 80. I’m gonna remember all the memories and things

Brian Amthor [00:10:27]:
That’s right.

Alayna Pickeral [00:10:28]:
That I did with the experience than people when I was not at work.

Brian Amthor [00:10:31]:
You know? There’s it’s like, you know, there’s a there’s a poem that they they read at funerals a lot. I think it’s called the dash. You ever heard of it? So it’s like

Alayna Pickeral [00:10:38]:
Maybe at the last funeral I went to.

Brian Amthor [00:10:40]:
Yeah. Yeah. So you have you have the you have the year you were born and the year you died, and there’s a dash in between. And how you live that dash, you know, says a lot of values. I I I forget how it goes, but it’s really meaningful because it’s true. It’s like that line is your life.

Alayna Pickeral [00:10:54]:
That’s so true. I’m I clearly have not heard it because I actually really feel like that.

Brian Amthor [00:10:57]:
It’s great. And the thing is

Alayna Pickeral [00:10:58]:
Maybe we’ll post it on our podcast Instagram so you guys can all see it too.

Brian Amthor [00:11:01]:
Yeah. It’s it’s really good because it’s how you live that dash, how you affect others, how you live your life, you know, how, you know, and, you know, and and and living life to the fullest. And, you know, because when you are on that point where it’s it’s the end, you know, are you gonna worry about how much money is in your bank account? Are you gonna worry about did you get that deal? You know, or you know, you know, how’s my car doing? You know what I mean? Yeah. You’re gonna care about the relationships. You’re gonna be you’re gonna care about, you want family around you. You’re not gonna hold on to the checkbook. You’re gonna hold on to the checkbook.

Alayna Pickeral [00:11:31]:
Did that truck make it

Brian Amthor [00:11:32]:
Yeah. It’s right.

Alayna Pickeral [00:11:32]:
10 years or did it That’s right. Did it burn up? Yep.

Brian Amthor [00:11:35]:
You’re you’re not holding like I said, you’re not holding the checkbook. You’re not holding on to the expensive watch.

Alayna Pickeral [00:11:40]:
I’m holding your family friends.

Brian Amthor [00:11:40]:
You’re holding your family friends. And and that’s what it is. And, and and that’s where it’s at. You know, the thing is too is find what you love and do what you love. Now for me, I as people know, I’m a big New York Yankee fan.

Alayna Pickeral [00:11:52]:
So Yes.

Brian Amthor [00:11:53]:
So a couple years ago, for my birthday, my parents and my wife surprised me with Yankees Fantasy Camp. Oh, man. Now Ava doesn’t know what Yankees Fantasy Camp is. I think many major league teams have this is that you pay to go to their spring training stadium. This happens to be in Tampa, Florida. And you play with ex Yankees. So you start with a pre camp and you it it’s sort of gets you ready for for the camp, and then you have a kickoff event, and then you have 5 straight days of doubleheader games. A doubleheader games, you play 2 9 inning games in a day.

Brian Amthor [00:12:26]:
So you play 9 inning in the morning and 9 innings at night. And, you know, when you go there, it’s very intimidating because my coaches were at shankies. They got world series rings. Right? So and the guys that go there, are they gonna be jerks? Are they gonna be nice? Are they gonna be I’ve made tremendous friends that I still communicate to these days. Friends that have great jobs are just cool to listen to their stories. One guy is an author and he’s a a writer for the Yankees and, you know, you know, it’s just like it’s just all walks of life and Yeah. We were put together on this team and instant instant bond. Right? And we’re our team is terrible.

Brian Amthor [00:13:03]:
We all tease about it. We we we know, but, I don’t care. If I was asked to go play on another team and that is gonna guarantee me the the the world series of the spring or the other fantasy camp, I wouldn’t do it. Yeah. Because of my relationships that I have with the guys that I play with every day.

Alayna Pickeral [00:13:19]:
Yeah.

Brian Amthor [00:13:19]:
So what turned out to be, I thought was gonna be a 1 year 1 year one shot thing. I went again last year. Now I’m gonna go again this year. And it’s, you know, it’s my wife teases me. She goes, oh, there’s gonna be a one time thing, you know, but it’s but, you know, it’s something. Go ahead.

Alayna Pickeral [00:13:34]:
No. Go ahead.

Brian Amthor [00:13:34]:
Oh, so it’s just it’s just one of those things that I just look forward to. Yeah. You know?

Alayna Pickeral [00:13:38]:
I know. And I don’t know if you guys know this, but you’re listening to an all star winner from the Yankees camp. So just let me make that clear. He is not a noob when it comes to play on field.

Brian Amthor [00:13:49]:
Yeah. I was very blessed. I have some I had great coaches, you know, and, you know, it, it’s funny. You know, you you you’re after you’re trying hard and, you know, yeah, I I was very fortunate to to be given the all star 2 years in a row. And all my friends, and I think even your father, called me and asked me what was a, participation part

Alayna Pickeral [00:14:08]:
participation trophy. I’m sure he did. That sounds like him.

Brian Amthor [00:14:10]:
I’m like I’m like, no. I actually earned it. You know, I have bruises. But, it’s it’s a lot of fun. But it’s it’s something I look forward to. My wife and my son, they fly down to see me. My parents come down from their home in Florida to watch and but it gives me a week of shutting it off.

Alayna Pickeral [00:14:25]:
Yep. They

Brian Amthor [00:14:26]:
don’t allow you to bring your phone into the stadium or in out of the locker room Yeah. In onto the game. We’re a face app. You could bring your phone, but you can’t be on it.

Alayna Pickeral [00:14:34]:
Yeah. You

Brian Amthor [00:14:35]:
can take pictures. But if you’re caught texting or on your phone, you get charged a fee.

Alayna Pickeral [00:14:40]:
We’re gonna get you a digital camera this year. That way, you can’t they’re on the I don’t know if you know this, but they’re back coming back in. They’re very popular.

Brian Amthor [00:14:46]:
So they find you. So, like, if you caught on your cell phone and you had to give a donation to the Yankees charity.

Alayna Pickeral [00:14:51]:
I love that though. Kinda like a swear jar.

Brian Amthor [00:14:53]:
Exactly. Exactly. Right. And they call it kangaroo court, and they raise money for their charity for the Yankee Foundation. But that’s just one thing that I do, you know, that I love to do. I collect sports memorabilia. But my my downtime for me, like, you was at your concerts and your friends and and your dog is timing my wife and my son. You know, we just came back from Delaware for a couple days and just, you know, just being present with them and just being in the same room.

Alayna Pickeral [00:15:16]:
That’s what it’s all about.

Brian Amthor [00:15:18]:
Yeah. And just, you know, just walking around and you know what I mean? And I might look like I’m bored, but I’m not. I’m just there just enjoying it and just Taking

Alayna Pickeral [00:15:26]:
it all in.

Brian Amthor [00:15:26]:
Just taking it all in and just, you know, and because that’s what’s important, you know, to me. Yes.

Alayna Pickeral [00:15:31]:
Work so you can have the experiences.

Brian Amthor [00:15:33]:
That’s right. That’s right.

Alayna Pickeral [00:15:34]:
If we didn’t have to, we wouldn’t.

Brian Amthor [00:15:36]:
That’s right. No. That’s true. And everybody needs to realize this that, you know, find that feng shui. Find that thing that, you love to do and make and don’t because what’s gonna happen is you’re gonna kick the can down the street and you’re gonna I’ll do it again next year. No. No. I’ll wait again next year.

Brian Amthor [00:15:51]:
No. No. And it gets to make it too late. And then you can’t do it. Right? And then you then you look back with regret. Well, I

Alayna Pickeral [00:15:56]:
wish I

Brian Amthor [00:15:56]:
did that and you live the what ifs. Right?

Alayna Pickeral [00:15:58]:
You don’t wanna I hate a what if and I don’t wanna think back. What if I had done this one thing differently?

Brian Amthor [00:16:03]:
Right. You know? And it’s just like, you know you know, you can do both. And that word that we can’t say. Right? You know?

Alayna Pickeral [00:16:09]:
Compartmentalize. Compartmentalize.

Brian Amthor [00:16:11]:
You can break it and, you know, and kind of kinda have that, you know, that that that separation which is needed because, you know, that’s that that’s just you know, it it works for so many people. And I think it’s just a great way to approach things.

Alayna Pickeral [00:16:24]:
Absolutely.

Brian Amthor [00:16:25]:
Because, you know, one thing, you you never wanna live your life with a regret. You know what I mean? I mean, you know, we we were in Aruba. We took our our son to, to Aruba back in June for my birthday. I went down there, and I am not one of Freda Heights. So my wife convinced me to go what’s it called? Parasailing. Mhmm. Right? So we’re on a boat with a bunch of people. Now Aruba is full of tourists.

Brian Amthor [00:16:46]:
So we’re on a boat with a bunch of tourists from the US, and, there’s this this couple. And I offer them a $100 to go up with my wife. So I had to

Alayna Pickeral [00:16:53]:
So you didn’t have to.

Brian Amthor [00:16:55]:
Have to do it.

Alayna Pickeral [00:16:55]:
It’s funny that you’re scared of heights. I’d be more scared about getting eaten by a shark

Brian Amthor [00:16:58]:
in the water. No. No.

Alayna Pickeral [00:16:59]:
That would be my worst nightmare.

Brian Amthor [00:17:00]:
So I go up there, and I’m I’m I’m I’m in this Paris sailing thing, and I my eyes are closed the entire ocean. Go open up your eyes. You’re fine. You’re being a wuss. I’m like, no. I’m I hope my eye up and I’m still way up there and I’m feeling the wind. And so so these guys are riding a boat and we get down. They bring us down and they know because I was complaining the entire time I had to go on this thing.

Brian Amthor [00:17:18]:
They dunk us. Like, I guess there’s a way they they

Alayna Pickeral [00:17:20]:
they Yeah. Because I’ve seen them on on the videos online.

Brian Amthor [00:17:22]:
It’s like, take it one. I’m like, alright. Burgers. I’m sorry. I don’t know what I’m doing. And they do it again. I’m like, you know exactly what you’re doing.

Alayna Pickeral [00:17:30]:
That’s what I’m talking about. Those are the videos I’ve seen where, like, sometimes, like, the I don’t I’m sure it’s not a string, but

Brian Amthor [00:17:35]:
Yeah.

Alayna Pickeral [00:17:36]:
It breaks, and then they’re stuck in the water. That is

Brian Amthor [00:17:38]:
Yeah.

Alayna Pickeral [00:17:39]:
I would not be scared about the up high. I’d be scared about the line getting cut.

Brian Amthor [00:17:42]:
Yeah. Yeah. So it was just but, again, it’s a memory that I I look fondly back on and, you know, and doing things like that. You know? And it’s just, you know, really sometimes we forget what the important things are.

Alayna Pickeral [00:17:55]:
No. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that find something you love and find something you love and spend time with the people you love.

Brian Amthor [00:18:03]:
Mhmm.

Alayna Pickeral [00:18:03]:
And I think that’s really what counts.

Brian Amthor [00:18:05]:
Yeah. You know, because it’s the work is still gonna be there.

Alayna Pickeral [00:18:09]:
Exactly. You don’t wanna be like those, you know, the cartoons of the people sitting at their cubicles and the gray and black screen

Brian Amthor [00:18:15]:
Yep.

Alayna Pickeral [00:18:15]:
Dying inside. You don’t wanna be that person. You wanna be someone that comes to work happy. And will you be happy all day long while you’re at work? No. But you don’t want to you wanna leave work happy and come to work happy and just compartmentalize work work life.

Brian Amthor [00:18:31]:
You ever seen well, you’re probably too young for this, but there’s a show called Pee wee’s Playhouse. And they would say a word and y’all would scream. So every time we say compartmentalize, I think we should

Alayna Pickeral [00:18:41]:
We should get them to add the scream in. That would be so funny.

Brian Amthor [00:18:44]:
But that’s yeah. But you know it’s right. It’s just like because the work’s still gonna be there. You know what I mean? And, again, I’m not saying there’s that thing that had level of importance at work. You gotta take care of your business. You gotta take

Alayna Pickeral [00:18:54]:
care of your customers.

Brian Amthor [00:18:55]:
Yeah. But you know what? But really, on a Sunday afternoon, it’s important to get that call and answer that email when you could be sitting on the back porch with your wife or your son or playing catch or, you know, or, you know, you know, and or or going to a ball game or whatever. It’s just like it’s just you you gotta realize what’s important and and and focus on that and just be able to shut it off for a while and and be present, you know, where you’re at.

Alayna Pickeral [00:19:20]:
A 100%.

Brian Amthor [00:19:20]:
And and like like I said, turn it off, turn the phone over, and, you know, I like these things. I I’ve seen these contests where people go out to dinner and they put their phone, like, in a jar.

Alayna Pickeral [00:19:28]:
Yes. And the first person’s phone that lights up, they have to pay.

Brian Amthor [00:19:32]:
Yeah. You gotta pay.

Alayna Pickeral [00:19:32]:
I love that. Maybe we’ll do that next year in Key West. Exactly.

Brian Amthor [00:19:35]:
It’s really fun. But, but, yeah, it’s just like, like we’re saying, we, international trucks Yep. You know, gives us a trip to Key West every year, our companies, and we go down there and we fish in the Atlantic. And, or is it the gulf? We I think what is it down there?

Alayna Pickeral [00:19:50]:
You’re asking the wrong person. The only time I’ve been fishing, guys, is on this trip. So 3 or 4 times now, and I’m not a fisher.

Brian Amthor [00:19:57]:
And we’re out there, and we’re we’re baking, but the phones don’t work.

Alayna Pickeral [00:20:00]:
The phones don’t work, and it’s nice.

Brian Amthor [00:20:02]:
Yeah. And, you know, it’s it’s it’s, it’s great fishing. And, you know, we have we have a great time. And, you know, it just it just we’re just sitting there just kinda like, oh, you know what I mean? It

Alayna Pickeral [00:20:11]:
it just makes me feel bad about it. Don’t when you can, like Yep. Unplug, I guess, is the word. Mhmm. You can unplug from everything, and it’s, like, back to what you were saying, like, you know, Sundays or being out there. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never had one life or death phone call when someone’s urgently called me.

Brian Amthor [00:20:27]:
Yeah.

Alayna Pickeral [00:20:27]:
Yes. Things are important. But at the end of the day, if it’s that important, somebody else can handle it.

Brian Amthor [00:20:32]:
How many times have you gotten a call from somebody work related that it’s emergency? You talk to them ASAP, and it’s not not

Alayna Pickeral [00:20:39]:
It’s not. And it’s countless times. That’s what it messes my point. It’s been countless times, and it might have been emergency to them. It was only an emergency to ease their peace of mind.

Brian Amthor [00:20:48]:
That’s right.

Alayna Pickeral [00:20:48]:
And not a real emergency. I think maybe, like, 2 or 3 times someone’s truck, like, a brand new truck was, like, catastrophic failure. Like

Brian Amthor [00:20:56]:
Yeah.

Alayna Pickeral [00:20:56]:
Once or twice. Everything else

Brian Amthor [00:20:58]:
Right. Yeah. You had those situations you have to address. Don’t get me wrong. And, you know Of course.

Alayna Pickeral [00:21:03]:
Yeah. Things happen.

Brian Amthor [00:21:04]:
But, you know, it’s, because my wife has said to me, she was was that really needed? Was that really an emergency? And I’ll think about it. I can’t. It’s not it’s not emergency.

Alayna Pickeral [00:21:14]:
Most time they’re not emergency to you. It’s emergency to somebody else. Yeah.

Brian Amthor [00:21:17]:
And did did you really have to take that call? And I’m like, you know what? And she I can’t argue with her because she’s right. I didn’t have to take that call. It’s just ingrained to do it. And I have to train myself to

Alayna Pickeral [00:21:26]:
set it up. Yeah.

Brian Amthor [00:21:26]:
And and that’s what you have to do.

Alayna Pickeral [00:21:27]:
I’m sure we both have room to grow in that area.

Brian Amthor [00:21:30]:
Oh, 100%. And, you know, I’m I’m guilty of it.

Alayna Pickeral [00:21:32]:
We’re the honestly, we’re both guilty of it. We both are workaholics. So

Brian Amthor [00:21:36]:
Yeah. You know? And, you know, it’s gonna take some time, but it’s I I’m definitely a lot better now than I was years ago for sure. And I have, you know, my wife and my son to really thank for that because, you know, just realizing, you know, how important time is. And, you know, my son is 13 years old, and you’ve seen, obviously, William grew up over the last couple of years. Yeah. He’s 6 foot 1 and, you know

Alayna Pickeral [00:21:56]:
He shot up like a rocket over the last 5 years.

Brian Amthor [00:21:59]:
Right. I look at the picture that’s in my office of of my family and, you know, he’s, you know, you know, 6 inches below me and and, you know, he’s a kid. Now he’s, you know, 13 at 6 foot 1 and he gets I think I could probably get him into bars and buy beers. So, you know, so it’s just time. Time is you know, and you can never get time back.

Alayna Pickeral [00:22:17]:
You can never get time back. That’s the one thing you can’t get back.

Brian Amthor [00:22:20]:
They say time heals all wounds, but at the same time, you can never get it back. So and it sometimes it takes a sad event to realize that.

Alayna Pickeral [00:22:29]:
Oh, a 100%. And

Brian Amthor [00:22:30]:
and that’s the worst because at at that point, well, how come I never, you know, someone passes away? How many times do you say, you know what? I was supposed to call that person or I was gonna, you know, I I meant to go go see them, but work took over. Or

Alayna Pickeral [00:22:43]:
Things got in the way.

Brian Amthor [00:22:44]:
And then and then when that once that person is gone and I’ve I’ve done this recently with somebody that passed away and I meant to call that person. I didn’t. And it things work, life got in the way. And the thing is I always make I’ll do it tomorrow. Right? But tomorrow, you know, it just never, you know

Alayna Pickeral [00:23:00]:
No. A 100%. And then on the flip side of that, you have working your whole life away.

Brian Amthor [00:23:05]:
Mhmm.

Alayna Pickeral [00:23:05]:
I’m not gonna retire this year. I’m gonna retire next year, the next year, the next year. And then you finally retire and something horrible happens and you they pass away and they don’t get to get to

Brian Amthor [00:23:15]:
the stuff. Stories. Not so many stories, but a a few I can count on one hand of a couples that the wife retires, then the husband retires. He worked longer and they handed they’re gonna plan. They got an RV. They’re gonna go across country. They’re gonna go live in Myrtle Beach or Florida, whatever. And 1 guy died in the way of the airport.

Brian Amthor [00:23:32]:
Okay? I’m the the the the the the first day of travel

Alayna Pickeral [00:23:36]:
That’s horrible. You know

Brian Amthor [00:23:37]:
what I mean? Or they get down there and and one one one wife, she she she died within the 1st week. So, you know, I mean, you don’t know what’s gonna happen. And, again, I

Alayna Pickeral [00:23:46]:
Tomorrow isn’t promised. And you’re, like, sometime I know that’s hard to think about, but when you’re, you know, my 29 year old self clearly not talking about me. Yeah. But, like, planning, you know, retirement. But, like, that’s something that really you gotta think about. Like, you work your whole life

Brian Amthor [00:24:03]:
Mhmm.

Alayna Pickeral [00:24:04]:
Trying, working, like, someone like you, which I know Trish and William are helping, but, like, you know, work your whole life.

Brian Amthor [00:24:10]:
Mhmm.

Alayna Pickeral [00:24:11]:
All the time, phone all the time, never going on vacations or the full vacation or short vacations because work is important. But you gotta remember, you wanna spend life in doing enjoying your time once you’re retired. And I think that’s part of, like, planning your future.

Brian Amthor [00:24:25]:
That’s right. And the thing is you look at it, like, you know, I’m gonna hold off till next year. I’m gonna get $200 more on my Social Security.

Alayna Pickeral [00:24:31]:
Is that $200 worth it because you got 3 3 months instead of a year 3 months with your family and friends? Right.

Brian Amthor [00:24:37]:
Yeah. Exactly. You know? Because, it’s it’s it’s that time. It’s important. And, you know, it’s just it’s just being able to and not everybody can have that balance the same way as we do. But, you know, but it’s just important to to find that and, you know, really realize and and and focus on what’s important to you. So, you know, is that deal more important that you’re gonna get? Is that truck sale, that tank sale, whatever more important than maybe, you know, a dinner, a night with your wife. Or going out to the concert with your friends.

Brian Amthor [00:25:07]:
And it’s not. You know what I mean? In in the grand scheme of things. You know what I mean? So it’s a

Alayna Pickeral [00:25:12]:
Would I remember that event that dinner with my customer more than I remember a concert with my friends? Probably not.

Brian Amthor [00:25:18]:
Probably not. That’s right. And you know what I mean? And, you know, when my you know, William’s 13 and, you know what I mean? And in 5, you know Yeah.

Alayna Pickeral [00:25:25]:
He’s gonna be off at college. Spend time with him while you can while he’s home.

Brian Amthor [00:25:28]:
That’s right. 3 years perfume and gasoline. Right? So, you know, and he’ll be, like, in his car, you know, and and so it’s like so am I gonna put work ahead of being with him now when he’s younger? Because when he gets older, he’s gonna have his he’s gonna wanna do his own thing. Right?

Alayna Pickeral [00:25:42]:
I can tell you. Yeah. Blink of an eye. That’s right.

Brian Amthor [00:25:45]:
That’s right.

Alayna Pickeral [00:25:45]:
I don’t even have kids, and I know that the time goes by that fast.

Brian Amthor [00:25:48]:
I mean, yeah. Exactly right.

Alayna Pickeral [00:25:49]:
So you gotta spend it with them while you can.

Brian Amthor [00:25:50]:
That’s right. You know what I mean?

Alayna Pickeral [00:25:51]:
That applies to, I guess, everybody spends time with your loved ones.

Brian Amthor [00:25:54]:
That’s right. And you can be successful. You can

Alayna Pickeral [00:25:57]:
You can still be successful.

Brian Amthor [00:25:58]:
100%. You can be successful.

Alayna Pickeral [00:26:00]:
Have a long career, happy career.

Brian Amthor [00:26:02]:
Be successful. Build the business up, you know. And it but it also comes down to part of that is having the right people around you.

Alayna Pickeral [00:26:10]:
Around you. A 100%.

Brian Amthor [00:26:11]:
Putting the right people around you that build you up, that’ll pick you up when you’re down, that will that would that you can learn from, that will teach you, and you could teach them. And just really just just have that team that allows you to be like, at the end of the day, everything falls on you. But at the end of the day, what you have is people to help you.

Alayna Pickeral [00:26:28]:
A 100%.

Brian Amthor [00:26:29]:
And I and I I You

Alayna Pickeral [00:26:30]:
can have a to be successful, you gotta have a good home support system, and you gotta have a good work support system to make it all flow.

Brian Amthor [00:26:37]:
That’s right.

Alayna Pickeral [00:26:38]:
That’s right. Said feng shui.

Brian Amthor [00:26:39]:
Feng shui. You gotta have that feng shui. Well, I mean, this is this is a topic that, you know, there’s I don’t think there’s a business owner that this topic does not, apply to. And you know what I mean?

Alayna Pickeral [00:26:50]:
Honestly and you don’t even have to be a business owner for it to apply to you. I know a lot of, you know, a lot of people in today’s day and age when we’re focusing on spending time with our loved ones, work life balance is important when people are looking for jobs too. So, you know Yeah. You gotta think be thinking about it.

Brian Amthor [00:27:06]:
Mhmm. Yeah. And and and, again, it’s, again, it’s also, again, balance.

Alayna Pickeral [00:27:11]:
Balance.

Brian Amthor [00:27:11]:
You you know, you know, you can’t, also spend too much time on the beach. Right?

Alayna Pickeral [00:27:16]:
Absolutely not.

Brian Amthor [00:27:17]:
Expect the business to to be successful and to grow. So it it it’s all about having that balance and just, you know, knowing what’s important and and and

Alayna Pickeral [00:27:25]:
And when to make certain choices. You know?

Brian Amthor [00:27:28]:
That’s right. And make the right choices. Yeah.

Alayna Pickeral [00:27:30]:
It’s a weighing scale balancing act. Which one of these is more important today to this application to my my mindset, my mental health, my company success, my career success? You gotta weigh them out. In each situation, you gotta analyze and see what’s best for you in that moment.

Brian Amthor [00:27:46]:
You know, as as much as a, you know, getting a deal is important to just the success of my business. If I was ever told, look. You gotta work late to get this deal. Can I miss time with my son or anything like that? And that customer doesn’t you know? I respect their time. Right? And and and and and what they do, they need to respect my time because it’s just as important. You know what

Alayna Pickeral [00:28:09]:
I mean? Absolutely.

Brian Amthor [00:28:10]:
And so, you know because

Alayna Pickeral [00:28:11]:
if the roles are reversed and you were working on a deal down the road and they were doing something, they would want you to, you know, work with them.

Brian Amthor [00:28:18]:
That’s right.

Alayna Pickeral [00:28:18]:
Same thing.

Brian Amthor [00:28:19]:
It goes both ways.

Alayna Pickeral [00:28:20]:
A 100%. Give and take. Give and take.

Brian Amthor [00:28:22]:
That that’s the thing. So well, I love this topic. I mean, it again, so many of these topics that we talk about could be multiple episodes, and and they might be. But I

Alayna Pickeral [00:28:31]:
was gonna say, guys, if you’re there’s this topic that you we talked about that, you know, we ran out of time and you had more questions about or you really like that particular topic, you can always let us know, and we can go back for a part 2.

Brian Amthor [00:28:42]:
Yeah. You know, we have our website

Alayna Pickeral [00:28:44]:
Or do a miniseries?

Brian Amthor [00:28:45]:
Yeah. Yeah. Or do do a multiple, you know, podcast series. But, you know, you know, visit us on our website and, you know, submit some some questions Absolutely. And or ideas for podcasts. You know, give us, you know, give us

Alayna Pickeral [00:28:58]:
We wanna hear from you guys.

Brian Amthor [00:28:59]:
Yeah. You know, give us, you know, ideas. You know, you can tell us good things and bad things of what you think. You know what I mean? And we’ll we’ll we’ll love to just hear what you think of the show and topics you wanna see come out. And Absolutely. And I’m I mean so, you know, when you get a chance, our our website is tank truck talk.com. And, you you can go on there and kinda learn about our podcast. We’re just getting this thing going.

Brian Amthor [00:29:24]:
We’re very excited about it. And you can, you know, you can contact us. You know, if you if you anybody wants to sponsor our, our podcast, we have sponsorship forms. I know general inquiries, partnership inquiries, social media, Love to, you know, see you. You know what I mean? If if you’re a listener, you know, send us your picture. Tell us where you’re from. Right? I mean, it would be great to see where people are from, and you might get some people from all over the world. You know, who knows?

Alayna Pickeral [00:29:49]:
You never know.

Brian Amthor [00:29:49]:
So we’re we’re we’re excited about this going down the road with you guys, you know, on this journey together as we, move forward. So for that, we’re gonna end this episode. And, thank you all and Alina. It’s always a pleasure. I love it. And, we’ll be, seeing you guys soon.

Alayna Pickeral [00:30:05]:
See you soon.

Brian Amthor [00:30:05]:
Bye bye.