#13 - Ray Carnes

This episode is a conversation with RecTec Grills co-founder Ray Carnes. How did Ray motivate himself to start a new business on the lowest day of the stock market in 2008? One simple question "Why Not Me?".  Boom! This is a story you need to hear!

Go to their website to learn more about RecTec pellet grills.

Thanks to our sponsor Mule Town Coffee Company in Columbian Tennessee. 

Transcript

spk_0:   0:08
Hi, I'm di Lauderdale. And this is the modern Southern gentleman Show stories and conversations to lead men down the path to becoming the best version of themselves. My guest today is Rake Horns, co founder of Wreck Tech Grills in Augusta, Georgia first found out about Ray and their story when I bought one of their grills a couple of years ago a suggestion of a friend and I love the product. And once I learned their story, I really wanted to be able to tell it. So, uh, during all this insanity of Corona virus, Ray and I were able to ah, have a conversation, and it turned out to be a fascinating story to hear him tell. And he left me with a phrase that he uses that I'm really beginning to try to incorporate into my own life. And that is why not me. I mean, why not me to do whatever the goal that I have with the dream that I have? And that's been raised mantra. And it has been one that, um, I need to start incorporating more, uh, before we get started. This episode is sponsored by the guys and girls at Milltown coffee company in Columbia, Tennessee. Ah, their storefront is right on the square in historic Columbia, right? Ah, right by the courthouse. Um, but these days, while they're not able to have people in the store and were not able to go anywhere, you can still go to their website Milltown coffee company dot com and order some of their Ah, they're wonderful coffee. I love those guys. I love what they're doing and appreciate their support of the show so much. So, without further do you hope you'll enjoy my conversation with Ray Corns. Hello, Ray Corns. We finally got to be able to talk,

spk_1:   1:55
Man. It's difficult, but we figured it out right? Figured

spk_0:   1:58
it out. This is really weird. We're recording this on April 7th, which should be the middle of Masters week. And that matters because you guys are in the Augusta adjacent area. So I've been to the Masters a couple of times, and so I'm wondering what's Augusta like this week without the master's there?

spk_1:   2:18
You know it. Sze just quiet. Generally speaking, I I'm supposed to be out of town this week, so we always travel Masters Week because we were in our house. So, uh, we were headed to Turks and Caicos. Ah ah, Supposed to leave Friday, Um, and unfortunately, you know, we couldn't. So, uh, it's a little bit strange to not have a Masters week. You know, when you grew up here and and it's just a part of, ah, that first week of April, everybody knows it's coming. And so it's kind of quiet.

spk_0:   2:53
Yeah, I would. I would imagine so. We've always heard the stories about you guys that lived there bugging out, renting your house and get the heck out of Dodge. And I kind of get that. I lived in Tuscaloosa for five years, so Ah, we had game day 77 Saturdays a year. There's 130,000 people coming into Tuscaloosa for an Alabama football game. And so the first time I came to Augusta for the Masters a few years ago, I said, Oh, my gosh, they have the same thing we have. Except they have it. They have their seven days in one week,

spk_1:   3:26
one week. That's right. It's a different place that week. I mean, it changes the whole city.

spk_0:   3:31
Yeah, I'm sure. All right, Well, one of the reasons I wanted to have you own. They're a couple reasons. Number one. I love your product. Ah, I have. Ah, I'm on my 2nd 1 Actually, I bought my 1st 1 and then I wanted one with the really nice controllers, the computer controllers on it. So I bought it. And then, Ah, I think I'm up to four. That other people have seen and have tasted the food that I've cooked on it. And they bought it. Direct that grill. So I wanted to have young that for that. But the other reason was the story of your company is one I think men desperately need to hear. Especially given the times that were in when we're going into very uncertain economic times. And so can you kind of give the guys the version of how you got the company started? Especially when you started you and your partner started wrecked it grills.

spk_1:   4:25
Sure s o I have this. I've told this story a few times, so I have, like, kind of the cliff notes version, But basically, you know, I, uh I'm a guy that's always have, like, ideas, you know, I think this would work in this work. And my partner, Ron Candy, he's ah, he's He's a guy that I would call with all these crazy ideas and he would poke holes into him, you know, he played that devil's advocate, you know? And, uh So, um, I, um, had this idea kicking around my head for years and years to make, uh, just the ultimate peligro. But as people can really, I'm sure relate Thio. It's very difficult to make a giant change or t take a giant risk when things are going well or decent, you know? And I owned a Carlyle a little Carl. I called looking call auto sales and literally, it was a one man operation. I was when? When? Ah, I went to the car auction. There was nobody on the car lot. There's a paper in the window and said looking call. But, you know, I was selling a few cars. Ah Hee told description of the car was on the

spk_0:   5:44
window and said to meet you

spk_1:   5:45
tonight. Uh, and I was selling a few cars and paying the bills going on a couple vacations a year, you know, and, um and so I didn't want to take this risk. Uh, I couldn't take that leap of faith. Well, fast forward toe. Oh, a No. Nine, you know, in economy tanked. And all of a sudden, you know, I go from selling you 20 cars a month to zero, and, um and I'm just sitting on the couch just one day, just so just defeated. But, uh, you know, like, what am I going to do? And I'm like, You know what? Okay, this isn't working, you know? What do I have to lose? I said, I'm gonna build a grill. I'm like, What's another right? Okay, I got you. So I go in the bedroom because I I don't want my wife to hear this. Made me think how crazy it is. And I just called my buddy Ron. I'm like a man. I want to build a grill in China, and, uh, he's like, What are you talking about? I said, listen to me now. And so we've always loved and been passionate grillers just loved always. That was always our thing. We were roommates way back in the day for years, and, uh so I said, Ah, I I said, Of course I don't. I didn't have any enough money to do it by myself. I asked him if he would partner up with me and I I spit, like, two days in the bedroom on the phone with him, And the second day, he called me and goes, Ah. All right, man, I'm in. Uh, I walk out. Ah, uh, he he literally has the email the day the stock market hit the absolute lowest. He has the email that day that he said I he e mailed me, said, Let's do this. So it was at the bottom, and I walked out of the bedroom and I go, Hey. Ah, my wife was reading a magazine on the couch and then forgetting I said, Hey, honey, uh, I'm building a grill in China and

spk_0:   7:44
she looks up from the magazine

spk_1:   7:47
and she's okay. Good luck with that.

spk_0:   7:49
I said, No, I'm

spk_1:   7:49
serious. I said, I'm serious and she says, Okay, honey. But you could tell she's like, whatever of another one of his ideas. Then a few weeks goes by. All of a sudden, I've got drawings, and all of a sudden I'm making plans to go, you know, out of the country, and she starts about a month ago. Heard about two months. Go by and she finally likes it. Let me see what you got here. Like I got all these papers in my lap and she realizes that I'm pretty serious about this. So, you know, it turned out, and to your point, what you're asking it in these times of uncertainty, what was the most uncertain and most depressing and lowest point kind of for me in my life was the greatest thing that ever happened to me because I was able to just take that risk. And, ah, so I My goal is simple. I, uh I said I'm a build the best paella grill, you know, something that is not available on the market that I would want to own. And I'm gonna have a world class customer service. And I said, in this day and age, when you do something wrong, the entire world knows about it. I said so we're gonna be the best when it comes to customer service and is really just those two things. A good product with the customer service and, uh, in man. And then I started at a necessity. You know, when I started selling wreck tax, it was just me. I was the forklift driver. I was the shipper. I was the salesperson. I was the janitor. And ah, but I started giving out my cell phone number, and that resonated with people. So to this day, every single customer which is insane has my cell phone number that when I'm on right here and ah, and so it really resonated because they because we said, you know, it's it's Ah, it's a We call it the wreck tech, family, the wreck, tech, lifestyle and ah, but it's resonated with people. And really, because it's that old school customer service and and just doing it's not really the rocket science we just did did it right, you know, and, uh, and people appreciated it and recognize it. Like you said, You so forth, people, you for your friends. But wreck Tex. And it's just that word of mouth because our customers, uh, see that we're doing it a little different, you know?

spk_0:   10:11
Yeah. Yeah,

spk_1:   10:12
and but But basically, that's the story. You know, in a nutshell. It took us one year to sell the 1st 90 Grill's barely could keep the lights on. Ah, you know, blood, sweat and tears. And there's now that we sell 3 400 grills in a day, you know? So, um, it's been a heck of a journey here. Heck, of a journey and a lot of fun.

spk_0:   10:33
Well, you bring up, um, a super simple business model. I mean, if you think about it from everybody, spends a lot of time and money trying to come up with a business model. And yours is it's so simple, but maybe the most difficult to execute, right, good product and world class customer service. Right? So basically, you're trying to be chick fil A

spk_1:   10:59
right, and they Yeah, exactly. And But

spk_0:   11:03
here's the challenge. Because I've interviewed a guy on the show before who was, um, marketing one of their marketing managers for a while. And he and I were talking about this, and my question for you is the same was for him. How do you get everybody on your team? Everybody who's a part of the company to buy into that world class vision? I mean, not You know what I'm saying? Just because Ray has it, how does Ray impart that to everybody who works for you.

spk_1:   11:34
Okay, that's an excellent question. And part of it is, I've been incredibly fortunate with a lot of people that I've known, like all the way from, um, not middle school, but elementary school actually work at Wreck Tech. And, um, I have a simple concept when I interview somebody eyes. If if I won't have that person over to my house for dinner, I'm not gonna hire him. Number what their resume looks like. And so I look at people and I want to like him and and I want him. I'm friends and this is to my detriment sometimes. But I am friends with all my, uh it causes problems that you might imagine, but I'm friends with all the people that work and way have a bond, and they ah, they're passionate about it. And it's just that that interview process, I mean, sometimes we will for a position, and we're all we've been expanding so rapidly, we'll interview 2030 people because they just have to. They have to. It has to feel right in your ah, and it's hard to explain that we know it when we feel it. And, um and that's really all we've done. And, uh, so, you know, my best man at my wedding, Stevie the guy. You've seen the videos? He weren't there. My first friend I've ever met in Augusta, Georgia, from fourth grade. David, Right. He's the warehouse manager. Ah, and, uh, my general manager, Ben, he's been there with me since the beginning. When we sold those 90 grills, you know, he got there about a month in he He lives it. I call it owning it. They own it like I own it. They believe in it. And they take it seriously. It's just Ah, I guess the answer. Your question is just taking that patients to find the right key people when you hire.

spk_0:   13:23
Yeah, uh, when I've hired people in the past, I was told something about 20 years ago that I've never forgotten. And and it's the three C's to hiring people. The 1st 1 is character. If they're not high character people, you don't want him, no matter how good they are at their job. Second, is chemistry a little bit about what you're talking about? Do they fit in with you? Do they fit in with the team that's already there, and then the third is competency. How good are they at their job? Because I found that if someone has great character and great chemistry, if there's something's comes in their competency that we need to work on, we can send somebody to a class or get some training or whatever. But every time I followed all those, all three, I never made a bad hire. But every time I waffled, own just one of them, I made a bad hire.

spk_1:   14:15
That's excellent advice right there. And I'll remember that because, you know, there's been times that we've made mistakes and we forced it. And we're like, Don't will never do that again. Ah, and it's only happened a few times, but it's exactly what you said. You just made it work because you're desperate and it's always a mistake.

spk_0:   14:33
It just it always comes back to bite you. But you know, Ray, I would think there's another piece of this of the folks on your team buying in tow. Wreck take. You said they own it. I would submit that they bought into you and your cut in your partner they believe in you too.

spk_1:   14:52
Well, that's very kind. But I I hope so. And, uh, I got way. Have they? I always say they make me look like a rock star. They make it easy for me to look good. What? We have great people.

spk_0:   15:04
Yeah. I mean, but I'm a huge believer in the old saying speed with leader speed of the team. I mean, the people are doing those kinds of things because they've seen you do it right. Because you were the four truck driver. You did everything that it took to get it done. And I think that's important for men to understand when you're starting a business, uh, people are gonna buy in as much to you as they are the product of the service that you're selling. You have to be someone who's worth following.

spk_1:   15:33
Well, I appreciate that. And I hope so Him is. It's humbling. Sometimes I appreciate become hurts.

spk_0:   15:40
All right, So if this is where you are, I mean, think about what you just the story you just told in the middle of one of the worst economic downturns we've seen in at least in my lifetime, probably. And even said your partner made the decision to get him with you on the day the market just bottomed out. Then I'm curious as to what happened in Ray's life. Early own that could equip someone to do what you did. So where did you grow up there in Augusta?

spk_1:   16:12
Well, my dad was in the army, so I moved a lot, you know? But he retired it for cord here in Augusta when I was, like, 12. So I considered home. I was born in Michigan, actually, but lived in Germany in Miami. He was a Homestead Air Force base in Miami. And then we moved here, Um, but ah, a little bit of a dysfunctional childhood if I'm being honest. But the, uh I always I, uh, was a a good communicator. That was my gift. I always tell people who exploit the gift that God gives you. That was lying. And ah, and so, um, you know, I went on my friend. I didn't go to college when all my friends went to college. I was a door to door vacuum cleaner salesman. You really? I was a door to door vacuum cleaner salesman, and I tell people in my heart I'll always be a vacuum for yourself and what

spk_0:   17:11
I mean by

spk_1:   17:12
that. It was the greatest education that person could get because I learned and talk to adults at the 18 year old kid every walk of life. So I would be in a home one night with a doctor the next night with a lawyer the next night with a carpenter and an eye. So I had to learn to communicate. Uh, I don't level and ah, it was the greatest education for me and I, you know, I had a good we had a good product. I know that sounds like shady, but it was well, it was legit. Good product with I believed in it. It was hard to go in people's houses at night, you know, at the end. And so I finally had the coming get out of it. I outgrew it. But it was the greatest. It was better than any in my mind. It's better than any college could have taught me. Um and so after that, then I went into the car car business. I just spoke of and s o I just, um I just that That's the skill set that I've utilized is, ah, the communication skills and what I learned. Um, those I sold them for like, 10 years. Ron, the turning my business partner was the vacuum cleaner salesman with a massive twisting. That's how we met and I was. And he'll love this. I'm always quick to point out I was the number one vacuum cleaner salesman, that country, he was number two. And, uh uh So that's how we met. That's how long we've been friends since we were 18. So I've known Ron for 30 years, you

spk_0:   18:49
know, you're you're proving something. My wife and I were, uh, sitting around a couple of nights ago when she was reading and she read a quote to me and I'm gonna butcher it, but I I hope I'm going to get close. She said you can either learn to sail. Ah, person can either learn to sell or they will work for somebody who doesn't mind selling.

spk_1:   19:10
I heard this hour work for saying something nice. I

spk_0:   19:13
think the point I butchered it a little bit, but the gist of it was so many people say they don't like to sail and this person was saying You either can learn toe like it or learn to sail, or you're going to spend the rest of your life working for somebody who doesn't mind selling.

spk_1:   19:26
I got you. Exactly. He got you. Yeah. You know what I've always said? Selling to me is is long as Zig Ziglar had a great line. Ah, He said the only difference between a professional salesman and a professional con man is their intent that a professional salesman is not trying to scam you. He has a quality. If he's doing the right thing like my wreck Tech. I have a quality product. I want you to be happy. I want you to enjoy that product. So I have no intention of defrauding you out of your money at all. My intent is that make you happy. And so his point is the only difference between those two people with the economy and is to get your money and give you a bogus product or whatever it happens that they even you follow him saying I just don't remember that. And ah, is so I've always said selling is to me it's just selling yourself being a nice person. Ah, you know, um, it's not necessarily selling the product. Being able to talk about the teachers and benefits, explain it inarticulate manner and and have good intentions about what you're doing. You know?

spk_0:   20:41
And I think Zig was actually who hit my mind when you mentioned that you were a vacuum cleaner salesman. Ah, raising

spk_1:   20:49
hands.

spk_0:   20:49
Yeah, man. I mean, you guys between you and Diego did to the hardest jobs in the world. I mean, you know, door to door salesman, just tough. But, you know Ah, I think you learned something from that, Um, kind of the same way that some people do when they get into Amway or some of that kind of stuff. You do learn a skill set of communications skill set, but you also learn, I think, how to read people pretty quickly

spk_1:   21:20
for sure, right? And take a body language the whole bit how to read people and understand if they want you to just get away from him. But

spk_0:   21:31
and I don't mean that in a manipulative way, but to find out. OK, why is this person interested in this product? You know, the famous line from gosh, what's in the movie was Glengarry Glen Ross, and it's all about Salesman. And, ah, one of the really scummy characters looks at one of the other salesmen and says, You know, the guy don't come on the lot. Let's he wants to buy a car, right? So what his point was, you know, they're they're wanting to buy. They are a qualified prospect. We call it in the sales business, but a good somebody who's really good at sales, I believe, goes and says, OK, what need are they trying to feel and, well, my product feel that need for them? And then I have to show them how that product, how my product won't do that for them.

spk_1:   22:19
Exactly. Ah, that's Ah, I've seen that movie. And, uh uh um that you're right. They were very shady. And some of those some of those movies get sales people such a horrible reputation, and that's one of them. But I I'm I used to love gig because he fought that battle, you know, used logic. Zigler, with my like, kind of my mentor, I read I listened to his audio tapes when I was driving to my appointments and everything but basically, he championed. Uh um, you know that professional sales pending and what honorable career it wasin the the fact that you were trying to help people, and I just ah, always took that heart. Well,

spk_0:   23:01
I think, uh, I think salesman, I don't think there's anything being to look down on it. So I I do business development for the company I work for. Ah, I do this podcast and you know, I'm selling it to people when I'm putting it out there saying, Listen to this because it's gonna help solve some problems in your life. There's nothing wrong with being a salesman. There is everything wrong with being a crook, and the two are not interlaced at all. I mean, I grew up in a family that owned a car dealership, so I grew up in the car business. Right. So you know that and you were again in the used car business. So you go from being in, um, selling backing planners to selling used cars. You just wanted everybody to hate you, didn't you?

spk_1:   23:42
I make that joke. I said I wanted to do something a little more prestigious than vacuum, so I wouldn't use cars and everybody dies laughing every time. That's

spk_0:   23:52
funny. That's funny. I just love the fact that you obviously have the hustle in you, right? Because when your car business was in the tank for reasons outside of your control, you had one of two choices. You there, you know, curl up in the fetal position and blame everybody else and just watch everything go away. But you didn't do that. You decided, Well, what the heck I've got to lose. Let's go for something. Let's try it. And I love that hustle

spk_1:   24:22
The swing for the fences And I said, Honey, we may, ah, end up living in a you know, ah, trailer. We might have to town size, I said. But I'm giving this a try. And she said, She said, Good luck. And I gotta hand it to her for supporting that, that you know, she supported it. She's like, good luck, and so that's pretty cool. Story

spk_0:   24:44
go. All right. We have the big three questions that we ask every guy who goes on the show. So let me Let's get to him. Question number one. What has surprised you the most in life?

spk_1:   24:55
Wow, I wish you would have gave me giving me these beforehand way surprised me most in life. Gosh, man, I don't know the answer to that. That's very tough question. Um,

spk_0:   25:12
yeah, it's reason I won't give those questions out to anybody before the

spk_1:   25:15
show. Uh, man, I'm so there's some stuff I want to say that that's a little too deep, So Okay. Uh um, the I guessed what has surprised me the most is the the success of Wreck Tech. Honestly, I'd be a has been amazing story. I can't. I have two is very surreal when I walked there aware we have a 270,000 square foot warehouse, very surreal to walk through there and see for cliffs going back and forth. And, uh, I remember being on the little broke down for Cliff I was talking about earlier. And now there's, like, you know, all these new Toyota poor Cliff, like eight of them or dying of them in there. And so I guess is it still shocks me every time I have to pinch myself when I walk to that warehouse. That's

spk_0:   26:05
awesome. Okay. Question number two. Who told you the most about being a man. And what did they teach you?

spk_1:   26:14
Um, that would be honest to goodness my best friend. Who's best man at my wedding. I mentioned earlier. Stevie's father. He, um I didn't have a real good father figure. Ah, and, uh, his dad, um um he's passed by now. His name is Steve Fredericks. I remember watching and learning how to be a man from him. Like to be a kind person and to do the right thing even when nobody's looking. Ah, and he Ah, he really helped me. I really remember looking up to him and saying, I want to be more like that guy. Then, you know, the one that I got went home to every night. And so he really helps make me. Ah, you know a gentleman. He was just outstanding soul. That and I missile.

spk_0:   27:12
That's awesome. All right, here's the last question. If I could take the DeLorean from back to the future and pull it up in front of your house there in Augusta and stick you in the driver's seat and on the little control panel punching your 18th birthday and send you back to where you were sitting across the table from 18 year old Ray. What would you tell 18 year old Ray?

spk_1:   27:36
Um, they should dreams and chase your dreams. Take the risk. The best quote I ever told myself, and I didn't tell myself the way later was that sounds so simple. I've said this many people, but why not me? Wow. And that's what I said when I tried wrecked it. I was like, You know, you hear the success stories and and I go, why not me? You know, you hear all it is is somebody takes a risk. At some point, they put it all on the line. And so, uh, the answer that would be why not me? It's the most profound little three words I probably ever said to myself.

spk_0:   28:17
Well, I think that got us to the end of our time. Ah, I have thoroughly thoroughly enjoyed this. And so where do people find out about wreck tech grills? Give a little pitch.

spk_1:   28:29
Okay, it's wrecked it grill. Dotcom. We have YouTube channel were on all social media. The greatest thing you can do is follow us. In my opinion, if you're on Facebook, it's follow wreck tech on Facebook and you can see realize testimonials from customers. They are enjoying their wreck tech and truly cooking on. And if you know there's no, uh, fluff there, it's really testimonials. And you could see how much people enjoy the product. Eso wrecked a grill. Dotcom is where to get it. But I really love the following on Facebook. We're on Twitter, and all that stuff is well, but instagram, Pinterest and all, But, um, Facebook is our you know, our kind of our go to we have, I think, 180,000 followers on

spk_0:   29:13
Facebook. It's crazy. Yeah, uh, in just for from from my perspective Ah ah A lot of the stuff I've learned to cook on the wreck Tech I've learned by watching Jody and some of the guys doing the live demos of how you cook How do you prepare stuff and that kind of thing? So, yeah, I fully agree until people just follow you guys own ah, Facebook and you'll learn in time.

spk_1:   29:37
Jody Jody was built for what he does. Doting Greg. They are perfect. I love Well, I'm a fan of theirs. I watch

spk_0:   29:45
you because when I first bought my Grill. You were still doing some of the videos?

spk_1:   29:49
Yeah. I still need to get back in there when I miss It s o. I will again, uh, I'll start doing more videos that sews this whole Corona thing. You dies down a

spk_0:   30:00
lot, right? That's it, my friend. Thank you for your time.

spk_1:   30:04
Well, thanks for having me. And I really enjoyed it. I appreciate it.

spk_0:   30:13
Thanks again to Ray. I mean, I can't imagine what it was like starting a business and really making the decision to start the business on the day that the stock market crash back in. Oh, a. And to see where they've come from then to now is just one of those true quote unquote overnight success stories. So I loved hearing, and I love Ray telling the story, and I hope you enjoyed. And I hope you got is much motivation out of it is I did so thanks for listening. And we'll see you on the next episode of the modern Southern Gentleman shows