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Ep. 22: Funding the Future: Matthew Lesko on Grants for Regenerative Design and Sustainability
34 Plays3 months ago
“Stop waiting for the stars to align. And waiting for money. See, I don’t even think you need money. There’s ways to do anything without money.”
Here’s something you might not know: the U.S. has an untapped treasure trove of government grants ready to support regenerative design projects. In this episode, the iconic Matthew Lesko—also known as the “Question Man”—guides us through the maze of resources available to help you fund your environmental dreams. With over 50 years of experience, Matthew shares his unique journey and the quirks that led him to become the go-to expert on government grants. From farming subsidies to funding community gardens, this episode explores practical steps to secure financial support for your green initiatives while staying true to your mission.
Matthew Lesko, famously known as the “Question Man,” has dedicated his career to uncovering government grant opportunities in the U.S. His colorful personality (and suits!) make him unforgettable, but it’s his expertise in helping people navigate free resources to better their lives and communities that sets him apart.
Learn more and connect:
http://www.findhelp.org/
https://www.leskohelp.com/
• Matthew Lesko’s YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/MatthewLesko
Explore these valuable resources to further your journey in regenerative design:
Discover more about Paulownia trees and their sustainable potential at https://www.paulownia-la.com/.
Dive into the Twelve Laws of Nature and unlock the secrets of harmonizing with our planet at https://www.12lawsofnature.com/.
Fulfill your garden aspirations with expert guidance from the Garden of Your Dreams masterclass at https://www.gardenofyourdreams.com/.
Ready to take actionable steps towards your dream garden? Book a complimentary 30-minute training session with Matthieu for immediate results: https://calendly.com/garden-of-your-dreams.
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Transcript
Introduction to Agricultural Mentorship Programs
00:00:00
Speaker
We have something called the County Cooperative Extension Service. If you want to start any kind of ag business, you would call them and not go to Google. Don't find somebody a consultant. They will know all the programs, you know, to do, and they're free. So we have free mentors to help you become a farmer. And and we want more people to come become farmers. People don't start trying things until they have the right idea. No, you'll never do anything.
00:00:27
Speaker
because there is no wrong idea if you're not doing anything. The wrong idea is doing nothing. Anything above that is great because you're going to learn something to grow on.
What is the Regenerative Design Podcast?
00:00:40
Speaker
Hello and welcome to the Regenerative Design Podcast. I'm your host Mathieu Mahes and in this show I interview the leading authorities in the world of regenerative practices. People who do good and do well. Are you a person that cares about your environment and our planet? Are you a person that wants to leave the planet to our children to be something that we can be truly proud of?
00:01:04
Speaker
something to enjoy for many generations to come. But are you also a person that believes we can do all of this and do good in business? Well, I have really good news for you. You're here listening to the podcast that is all about making our planet a better place and making your business more successful.
Exploring U.S. Government Grants with Matthew Lesko
00:01:25
Speaker
Enjoy the show.
00:01:29
Speaker
Hello, welcome to another episode of the regenerative design podcast. to Today we have another amazing guest. His name is Matthew Lesko. He's also better known as the question man. And Matthew is an expert in everything that has to do with government grants. He's an expert in knowing what government grants are available in the US for people to tap into that so they can actually get grants to help them in their life more specifically. Today, we're going to talk about all the grants that are available for people to do something good for and our environment, for their personal life, for their health. So Matthew, I'm very excited to have you on the show. How are you doing today?
00:02:14
Speaker
Very good. Now, I bet you say that to everybody, though. What do you mean? Well, i yeah remember I used to do a lot of talk shows years and years ago, and I see the host say, oh, my very special guest today is Matthew Leskow here. And then I'll do my thing. And the next person will go, my very special guest here is John Schwartz. Very, very special.
00:02:40
Speaker
Well, I only have special guests coming onto to my show. I said the bar high. so That explains it.
Lesko's Career Insights and Purpose-Driven Life
00:02:48
Speaker
Great. So, Matthew, tell me more about your backstory. like Where did everything start and how did you get into the work you're doing today?
00:02:56
Speaker
Well, I've been doing this for 50 years now after I had a whole bunch of things that failed. um I'm 81 already and I feel like i about 10, 12 years to go and I got to work every bloody day because what I feel I'm doing is important and it's the best thing in life.
00:03:14
Speaker
is to get up in the day and have something you feel is important to do. I mean, that that just gets through all the shit you're going to have to get through in life.
00:03:28
Speaker
I love that. I agree with you. Because life's going to beat you up no matter who you are. So you get beat up out there. And I think a way to not take all that personally, because it isn't. It's just the universe shits on everybody. And you have to have a ah purpose in life that's a little bigger than just you. um And I've been fortunate. It took me a while to do that. And in the beginning of life or professional life, you're figuring out how to feed yourself. yeah and And then I think where you're trying to figure out, oh, what are you good at? and And it's deeper than that. And I think you get more confused the more education you get. Because everybody tells you the things that you should do to succeed. um and And so you're looking outside, and we don't look inside. And thank God I failed at everything. I got an MBA in computers. I was a professor. and
00:04:27
Speaker
ah computers back in the 70s, had a software company that failed and everything. That wasn't me. I mean, that was where the country was going in an opportunity. ah But it it thank God it failed because I'd be mediocre or something. all right And you can't grow is, I mean, I feel we're all organic, you know, we're like, ah true I mean, I don't know for sure. I don't i don't study this stuff scientifically. I'm just ah thinking from my heart ah and that we have to keep growing or else we die, you know.
Embracing Authenticity and Personal Branding
00:05:00
Speaker
And we have things that keep growing. ah And to grow the best. And I think we grow in order we could give the best. How can we give more of ourselves? Not less. That's why people think of work as something boring. No, this is this is a mission in life. How you can contribute.
00:05:20
Speaker
to other people's well-being and how well can you do that and how hard you can do it, not easy. I mean, easy is boring. You want something to challenge. I mean, you don't want to play ah soccer against a five-year-old. You can beat them, right? And that's easy. No, you want somebody to challenge you, so you challenge yourself every day to grow. and That's why everybody, man because they're they're not looking at in themselves what they have that special that they could give. Because if you find that out, then you could do that better than anybody else. Because everybody says that's weird about you. Well, that's a clue on and what you're special at. You're weird. It's a clue to your uniqueness. And your uniqueness is a special thing you have to give to all the rest of us.
00:06:14
Speaker
Yeah but we all want to be successful so we copy other people's success and we're not even good at it. I love that but tell me I love what you're saying about like failing you're happy that we failed. I think there's some value in failing failing yourself to success trying different things yeah until you find what what is For you the weird thing about you. So tell me what what's what's weird about you and how did you come to understand it? What it is? Well, it's what I call it like like the way I dress I mean I dress like this is everything I love it cartoons all over people should watch it on YouTube what Mike cars have question marks on them and everything and and That's me inside
00:07:00
Speaker
you know It took me a long time to even um to have the courage to start wearing question mark suits because yeah yeah especially being in America, and ah e I grew up in the all the macho guys and I thought I'd have to but defend my honor every day. And I'm not that kind of person interested in doing that.
00:07:22
Speaker
and and But I saw what it did. I mean, it really changed my life because it showed, to me, my clothes show what I am inside. So I'm wearing outside what I feel inside. And this way, a lot of people don't like it. And I've been kicked out of so many television shows but when I first started wearing it. i But this is me. And ah if you like this, I know I'm gonna like you.
00:07:50
Speaker
So it's a filter. So if you think I'm an idiot idiot, we're saving each other a lot of time, spending any time together. So it's a filter. And because this is me inside, what I feel, ah how I feel. And and it just opens so, I mean, I can't believe the life I have because of wearing these suits and still do. I take long walks or exercise all the time. and And it just makes people smile. I mean, what better job there is there for any of us to be able to just do something that makes people smile or when they look at you? That's amazing. Yeah. I mean, it just what and a stumbled in by accident. And I think that's it in doing anything. Now, to me, one of the philosophies now as is your heart is smarter than your brain.
00:08:46
Speaker
Because that's where the good stuff is. And that's where the humanity is. Your brain, your conniven, calculating, all this kind of stuff. It's, you know, you might as well be a ah bot.
00:09:02
Speaker
yeah But it takes courage to go the follow your heart. yeah that We get no encouragement. School doesn't. you i were I was so bored in school, I just got thrown out all the time. ago I just entertained the students. It wasn't anything malicious. but yeah And that's the gift. we have ah We all have something that could make us more lovable than anybody else.
00:09:30
Speaker
and that's the gifts we have. But we're afraid to show them because it's not normal, it's not whatever. And what you do. boy, you get more love. And that's the key. And and actually, at my age, I got 81. And, you know, my whole life, I've been trying to get smarter, faster, stronger, you know, ah in a male culture in the United States, that's what life is. Well, by the time 81, I'm not going to get better at any of those things. They're just going to start sinking. I keep my mind that it's getting worse. I
00:10:04
Speaker
Now, speed is getting slower. Anyways, strength is getting less. But I could love harder. o a So you could love harder. So that's why I wear hearts now.
00:10:17
Speaker
and That's one thing I could keep growing. You have to find something to grow for the rest of your life. and we got just Living so goddamn long. you know My grandparents died and they're 63, 64. Shit, I'm already 81. I have another 10 years or so.
Empowerment through Government Grants
00:10:35
Speaker
at least you know but latio i'm just curious like how does a man that's so interesting and flamboyant i would say as as like you're you're outspoken let's say how does a man like you end up getting specialized in helping people to get government grants because they seem very far, they seem like two worlds that are far apart. yeah It does. I don't see them as grants. I see them as tools in our society to help you do what you want to do or get out of financial trouble. So I see, you know, if you're a lawyer or something, you go to a lawyer or something like that. yeah ah To me, I see people are stopping themselves from doing things because they don't have money. Okay.
00:11:24
Speaker
I could show you money or how to get free money, do whatever the fuck you want. Or i'm I have so much debt, I'm in trouble, I don't know what to do. Hey, I'll show you where to get money to get out of debt and free financial help to do that. oh What I also see in doing this work is that our society and yours is too, probably not as much because you're more.
00:11:50
Speaker
ah more community-oriented. In the United States, I feel there's two modes in the United States and probably in most developed societies. We have capitalism, which just works pretty good. yeah know But that only represents about two-thirds of our economy is capitalism.
00:12:09
Speaker
We have a third of our economy that in what I say is communityism, or just community, where we help each other. you Churches, government does that, nonprofit organization. In the United States, that's a third of everything. So two thirds of everything we have requires you money to participate. okay One third gives money, so you can participate.
00:12:37
Speaker
Interesting. But the problem is we don't know how to use the one-third. All we know is Google. Google is all about capitalism. Everybody there is going to get money from you to do something. So when go people go look for help, they go to Google and all like, yeah, I could solve my problems if I had money. They'll have money. What the hell am I doing here? yeah And so they get scammed. They go deeper in debt to try to solve a problem, whatever. And they don't know how to use the community part.
00:13:05
Speaker
because they don't advertise, they're not looking for you. They don't have that kind of money. Capitalism looks for you and spends money to find you. and So let's talk more about it and we could tie it back obviously to the podcast in regenerative design so it's all about doing something good for the environment and doing good at business. I think your work and support doing that obviously in farming for those who are listening in farming it's it's quite a common thing that you have subsidies to support farmers otherwise they get flooded by
00:13:39
Speaker
yeah Produce that comes from countries where the currency is is just different and they can't compete So that's that's kind of a common thing already But is there well we can talk more about that. What's what's your experience with the with the farmers?
00:13:55
Speaker
All the farmers are a small fraction because we have industrial farm. We we got five people making all the food kind of thing. But it's a big, it's it's growing again because we have now more food to table stuff. it's Our rural area, my son is one of these people. I'm going out to see him tomorrow.
00:14:17
Speaker
ah I need an off-the-grid kind of thing and more self-sufficient farming. And we have an infrastructure for that um that is really captured somewhat by the manufacturing, but it tries a lot. And I think what's best, we have we have something called a county cooperative extension service. If you want to start any kind of ag business,
00:14:39
Speaker
you would call them, not go to Google, don't find somebody a consultant. They will know all the programs you know to do and they're free. So we have free mentors to help you become a farmer. And and we want more people to come become farmers. We have more programs for people to get into the ag business. I was just putting, where was it I find new programs all the time. ah But to get into the,
00:15:07
Speaker
meet some state and most of this at the state level. There's national programs, but that's the money usually goes from the state and the federal to the state and then the local county. And so that's why most of the places is locally.
00:15:30
Speaker
okay And you talk to the people there who do that all the time. Instead of going on Google, you just get overwhelmed. And its to me, it's talking to somebody that knows this, been doing this for 20 or 30 years, and they know what's there. They may not know everything, but they give you an overview and tell you the best things to look at. Because otherwise, you get a fire hose in Google, and you don't know what good thing from a bad, but these people read all that stuff. They know the best already. So that's why, to me, as we get more ah computerized and ah digitized and everything, that ah we have too much information to process and to tell what's good or bad. And that's why people are important.
00:16:16
Speaker
You know, as the people have been doing this 5, 10, 15 years, they know all this stuff and they could cut through this for you. I'm sure there's new little sprouts of important stuff that they may not know about, but to get the grounding is really relying on people.
00:16:34
Speaker
Nice. So tell our listeners, how do you specifically help ah people to get what they need?
Community Platforms for Grant Access
00:16:41
Speaker
Well, I train them. I train them to do, but you don't need. Here's what you do. You want to start any kind of business in America. ah The first thing to do is go to SBA for small business administration dot gov and then slash local dash assistance.
00:17:00
Speaker
sba dot.gov slash local dash assistance all small letters and you put in your zip code there and see the a community society supports people to help you decide what business should be in where to get the money the legal help you need um you need marketing help you need technology everything all that is free and you make you put in your zip code and you'll find a half a dozen to two dozen organizations in your zip code that will sit down with you one-on-one and help you do that for free. People aren't trained to do that because they go to Google and going to just keep stumbling into people that want money and they profess all this kind of shit. yeah And it's hard to beat them because
00:17:49
Speaker
It's so easy. I mean, I've been marketing my whole life, you know, 50 years of business or more. And it's it's hard to market. The key is to me to try to understand what will make you give me money.
00:18:03
Speaker
yeah i mean And in marketing, in slower times, we had to do it through direct mail. So I do an ad, put it in the mail, wait two, three weeks to get there. Hey, no, I didn't sell anything. So that was a bad thing to say. Now, you could do that process in mano seconds. So I could try a million things to make you, to figure out what will make you give me money.
00:18:26
Speaker
on yeah yeah on the internet. So easy. Yeah, that doesn't work. Try this. better Instead of waiting for the mail and see if you read it and soon. Take forever. So and that's right. You can't, you can't beat the internet. I mean, in Google, I mean, and with AI, no, it's only getting faster. And actually, you know what, AI is better.
00:18:50
Speaker
ah but But because now I think instead of going to Google looking for grants to do something, if you go to AI and I use chat GPT and put in say I want to start a farm in Minnesota. ah Give me all the programs and the people who helped me with money and helped to start a farm in Minnesota and that are non-profit and government offices, you'll get them. And because I know them and I test this all the time, you'll get the real stuff because nobody's selling you anything.
00:19:25
Speaker
Well, that's great advice. That's like going to me it reminds me back in the 70s and 80s when I used to go to the library to find stuff out. You know, that's where all the information was. and Nobody's selling me anything there. It was just literature and journals and all this kind of stuff to to get that do the research. Now that it's on the internet, but you can't get through it and do it. This podcast is brought to you by the Garden of Your Dreams Masterclass. Are you struggling with finding the right tools and tricks for your garden? Are you lacking the confidence to be a self-sufficient gardener? Do you sometimes get overwhelmed by the lack of knowledge and time you have to actually do gardening? Then the Garden of Your Dreams Masterclass is for you.
00:20:16
Speaker
So on on a day-to-day basis, how how do you support people in in their endeavors? Well, I have a group, and it's a community, I call it. And I used to sell books, reference books, and stuff like that. People stopped buying reference books. And it took me a number of years to find out how can people how do people want to buy this stuff? And to me, I found it's a community. They don't want to buy a book. They don't want to even buy a class, and they're a community. To be with people,
00:20:44
Speaker
themselves. So now i we have a group, about 12,000 people, and they only charge $20 a month. I used to charge tens of thousands of for this, because rich people pay that, because they they're going to make millions off of it. But I don't want to help rich people anymore. They're so boring. of the average person And to get them to use this system, and wanted to do it for $20, not $200 or $400, with all the experts they're telling me, and we are we're making progress. And now they help each other.
00:21:15
Speaker
Like right now before I went on with you, ah we have you know always me or other other members helping members. Hey, this is what I got. This is how I got it. You can do it too. And so they're available on Zooms to ask members question other members questions of how they did it. yeah So the community, i'm I'm really, I mean, and this happened by accident. I just had a platform. and you know, a way to get a subscription for, and get money from people that keep myself ah fed. ah But now we're so profitable now that, and we're just a small little company, we give out $70,000 in grants to members. So our extra profit, give back to members. And that's like 40% of our whole business, we're able to be profitable and give it back to members.
00:22:07
Speaker
That's amazing. What a beautiful endeavor. And the members are helping members. and It's community. yeahs true Guru or whatever. i just Sort of like the train seal, you know, that attract people into the zoo. i agree But it ah Facebook just came out, they're giving out $100 million. dollars And they have this big campaign, all this publicity, they're giving out $100 million dollars to small businesses to do anything, $100 million. dollars And I looked at that, because I'm very proud of we're giving out that all this money, because I thought I'd have to be Jeff Bezos to do something like this. A little pipsqueak like me is able to give out $170 a month. ah So I looked at, bay ah
00:22:57
Speaker
ah you too mean Facebook has $140 billion dollars in sales. So their hundred million, the percentage of that sales is 0.0007% of sales. We're given 40% of our sales well in grants and that's sort of nice to poke. That's amazing. You can be very proud of that. And I just want to know more about like how it became to be an accident. Like you just started small and then how did you promote it or it's just the the members started recommending it. I don't
00:23:37
Speaker
I'm convinced, again, your heart is smarter. ah And you don't you don't know what's the best way to do because you don't have feedback. Feedback is the most important thing. And feedback from people you want to help. So what I started doing first was, OK, I'm available free. I'll help you with anything. How do you package something? And you just keep trying.
00:24:03
Speaker
i yeah they there ah People don't Start trying things until they have the right idea. No, you'll never do anything because there is no wrong idea if you're not doing anything The wrong idea is doing nothing Anything that's wrong Anything above that is great because you're gonna learn something to grow on You don't know what it is And that's why you have to do a lot of stupid stuff that looks stupid from behind. And then when you find it, you look everybody thinks you're a genius. shit No, I just stumble. That's it. I love that. that's see And that's where most people get hung up. They have this beautiful idea or an idea or a direction.
00:24:49
Speaker
and they just ponder upon it how to do it and when to start then waiting for the right moment maybe looking at the stars and waiting till the stars are light and waiting for money see i don't even think you need money there's ways to do anything without don't money oh yeah i agree and And that's in particular with technology before, like when I grew up, oh, if I want to have a store, I think maybe a men's store or something like that, that's a couple of hundred thousand dollars to have a store. Now for $20, you have a store on Etsy.
00:25:20
Speaker
exactly ah So it's so easy to start anything. And the only thing you have to worry about is customers. Nothing else is important than we get I want to start a business and you go online and all the lawyers and everybody and experts tell you whatever. None of that matters. No, don't even, especially here in America, and I said, don't even figure out what you need to do with the government. Forget it. You don't have a customer. You don't have money. You figure out how to get a customer and how to get money ah because it's going to take the government three years to find you. yeah so And none of my businesses at first lasted that long. So I said, why am I wasting my time?
00:25:59
Speaker
And if they find you, then you owe someone a little fine or something like that. That'll be a nice time if you're still in business in three years from now. So that's all, you know, and the people, oh, should I be incorporated? l That's a matter that's not critical to your success. Critical to your success is just getting a customer. And that's why we spend all this money doing all this other stuff um and then go out and get customers. and We have no more money left or whatever or time and probably don't really need it. and So that's why you you find out how you're going to get customers, get feedback from people. You know, do ah ah you know a crowdfunding site. um This is what I want to do. You want to join me? Hey, constant 20 bucks at least. See what will people buy and not not ask them for advice on, hey, would you pay for this?
00:26:51
Speaker
People will be nice, and they say, yeah, and they try to be nice. Ask for money. So even if you don't have it yet, and you could do that ahead of time with a crowdfunding site. OK, this is what I'm going to have. You want to be in? It's going to be only 10% if you join now you know to see what people will do with money. People will be polite. Will you buy this, that? am Maybe. yeah You maybe get something there, but not until they give money. And that's it. And don't ask your friends unless they're your market.
00:27:20
Speaker
and and i got got I would be doing commercials. I'd show them my commercials. and They have all this advice. And I'd take it and try to fix it. And I realized they never bought anything from TV. you know I'm selling on television to people who watch television. and yeah My friends, social friends, never buy anything from TV. It's not the best advice to get. Right. And and then loved ones, I feel, ah could be your worst enemy.
00:27:51
Speaker
Yeah, it protects you from failing. Absolutely. Right on. And you have to fail. Only way you're gonna learn. I mean, and I think of it like if my son, when he was at one years old, trying to walk, and he may crawl over this thing and try to take a step, I said, you're gonna fail, don't do that. Then you're gonna fail. You never learn to walk. So that's it stupid but valuable advice. Yeah.
00:28:19
Speaker
Now, I'm curious more, ah Matthew, about the topics around gardening, sustainability. hu What programs are you aware of in America that can support people to ah either on the private level or even the business level to to do green development? we We have lots. And they're growing every day. They're local. ah Every county government will have them. we have You can get grants for community gardens.
00:28:49
Speaker
ah Department of Energy. You want to go to your state office of the Department of Energy. Biden just ah put a whole bunch of money to make your house greener. And they have $17,000 worth of grants you can now get.
00:29:04
Speaker
And they're just starting to pop up. I mean, the the law was passed two years ago. And now it's coming through the system. Finally, it'll be gone. And people will finally ah be able to get this money ah to get more green appliances and weatherize your house better and and all that. So it's it's it. And you call see those organizations at the state level. So everyone you go to your State Department of Energy.
00:29:32
Speaker
Are you online? Can I show you something online? Can you go separately and look at this website? Find help.org.
00:29:46
Speaker
ah but i thought but um bo yes okay ah oh you know what i bet won't work you you overseas you need i mean i'll put Let's try my zip code.
00:30:00
Speaker
two zeros zero zero nine www dot find help dot org right right ah It seems to be blocked from this part of the world. Yeah, that's right. You're not. Okay. that that's That's a community database of community things. now every If you put my zip code in there, you'll see three, 4,000 nonprofit organizations that help you with anything. And so if you want to repair your house, you could put home repair in there um because you want to weatherize your house or something like that. ah and you'll easily find 30, 40, 50 nonprofit organizations that give money and help ah to improve your house. Gardening, you can put gardening in there. that's interesting And it's the same thing.
00:30:44
Speaker
and so I love that because I have a program where I teach people online how to design, create and maintain their own garden. And it's starting to be very successful because it's completely offline ah sorry online to be online. So it's it's it's ah easier to teach and um have clients all across the world.
00:31:04
Speaker
So whenever I can support them in in getting plans or other materials or other resources for them to to be better at it, I'm definitely going to look into it. Okay, well, that that is a place for them to get resources. ah And it's anything, you can put rent in there, yeah you can put mortgages, ah ah financial, you know, your debt, you can't get out of debt, you get free credit counselors to get you out of debt.
00:31:33
Speaker
ah everything in there. It's amazing. I don't know if, what do you call
Global Impact and Sustainable Development Guidance
00:31:39
Speaker
it? When I was in China, we we had something that the computer couldn't tell you where you're from. What do you call that? You know what I mean? ah you You disappear as where you are. can't they I don't know about that.
00:31:57
Speaker
sort of like a dark web or something. But you doing yeah yeah so but you had to to see anything in China, you had to get V-I-V-I. Yeah, right. You had to get a VPN. Yeah, vpa that that's what it is. So they don't know where you're from. so Because otherwise, ah you couldn't see anything. And you couldn't see Google or anything like that that China didn't want you to see. But if you got a VPN, then then you could see it. So ah Maybe you want to look at that if you have a lot of clients. and oh yeah so think its great advice so have you Have you seen any programs that you specifically know or even some case studies with with clients or stories that are related to green developments?
00:32:45
Speaker
Oh God, it is is loaded. i mean and Tell us, you what's the best story that we have from a that experience in the last year? well I can't think. I helped many people not with gardening. yeah ah but Or sustainable development, maybe even. oh That's something you see now. With $14,000,
00:33:12
Speaker
you know, of grants ah to do that. And see, it's the source. And the other thing you have to, if you're a gardener, you could get a free lesson on gardening in every, you want to get the Department of Agriculture locally, and they have free courses that will train you in gardening. And you become a master gardener. and like ah The Agriculture Department does that in every county. That's right.
00:33:41
Speaker
The County Cooperative Extension Service. Let me give you a link.
00:34:12
Speaker
Okay. We're gonna have to cut this out a little bit, just making a note for our team. ah Where is, ah is there a chat here? No. Oh, shit. oh I have a link I want to give you. This is how to find your local ah ah county cooperative extension service that ah teach you gardening, help you find money for gardens, help you find free plants and stuff like that, all that stuff with gardening.
00:34:39
Speaker
ah is available in every county in America. all that If they're not here. We'll put that in the show notes. I'd love to share that. Do I have anything? that Do I have an email of yours or something? yeah We'll find it out. and by we'll We'll get that sorted. Matthew, I'm very impressed by by the work you're doing. What are you still most excited about for for the future?
00:35:09
Speaker
Oh, how many people I could help before I die. Do you have a specific number? No, I don't know. But no, it's putting your effort somewhere, have somewhere to do. Every day is different. I don't know what, or how it like podcasts, I just start doing that. I used to do a lot of interviews in the 90s. And I mean, I mean, Oprah a whole bunch of times and all these big shows, because that's how you sold books. And with the internet,
00:35:40
Speaker
that And so I'm still learning new ways to educate people and and to have something of value that they could do. And I'm getting closer to that. I see that this thing may be able to, after I'm gone, yeah.
00:35:54
Speaker
Because I always thought the government should be doing this, and they never got around to doing it. I waited for 50 years. And we should have a single place that people learn about all the programs that they could take advantage of that we have for free. And we still have to fight Google. And so I'm getting closer to think this may be it. Well, yeah. Do you have your, how many members you sit? 12,000 members are there? Awesome. Yeah. There's more, but I think a lot of them don't pay.
00:36:24
Speaker
That's incredible. I would do this all for free, so it doesn't matter. No, I think it's important to, because that's also part of what the regenerative design podcast is about, that whatever endeavor you want to achieve is now specifically about doing something good for the environment or the planet. There should be a business aspect to it, because otherwise it's not sustainable. Exactly. That's why I feel, see, ah That's why inventions and something, I always feel that people, oh, the world should have this, but if the world doesn't want it, you know, you can't make the love to ah somebody who doesn't want your love to find out what they need and love them their way. and Otherwise you're just making love to yourself. And that's no fun. Yeah. And that's why I feel, yeah. So that's why you start with the person and it's so hard.
00:37:19
Speaker
in market studies to find out what people really need, and it's better to have something to ask them for money for. So you can see if they really if that really is not.
00:37:32
Speaker
and that's ah really And it just takes some time. So if your heart's in it, you'll be in it and stay until you figure it out. If it's not, i'm just here for a quick buck, um then you go back selling real estate. I like that. So, Matthew, what is your single best piece of advice for our listeners here that are ready that have already started their own business or want to shift to trade their own business, do something good for our planet, for our environment, so that it can be a beautiful, that it can stay a beautiful planet for many generations to come. i that They obviously want to get paid
Starting a Sustainable Business with Passion
00:38:09
Speaker
for it as well. what's What's your best advice on that? yeah The trick is how do you get paid for it? And I think the easiest way is some kind of service like you're trying to do. So you're teaching people and whatever, and that costs no money to do. You just have to find members. But it's following your heart.
00:38:26
Speaker
is, you know, your mind probably said this already, your heart is smarter than your brain. And that will get you through a lot more in life because you're going to get beat up no matter what you do, the life is not going to like what you do. and And you can't get out of doing that. So you got to have your heart in it to make it through. Oh, I love that.
00:38:51
Speaker
I think it's a beautiful way of looking at it, listening more to your heart to achieve your goals. right On that note, Matthew, I think we're going to start wrapping it up here and I'm super thankful for you to come on here. Just for people that are interested in about your work, about your program, can you tell us ah how they can find you, how they can connect with you, where they find you? Let's go help.com. That's the $20 thing. Let's go. That is L-A-S-E-S-K-O. Help, H-E-L-P dot com.
00:39:29
Speaker
Okay. Or, uh, I have about nine, eight, 9,000 videos on YouTube, uh, that I put a couple up every day. Uh, and that's youtube dot.com slash Matthew Lesko. Nice. That's amazing. That's hundred videos a year in the course of your life. Oh, that's right. A over you. Impressive.
00:39:55
Speaker
Well, I hate writing. and have but so Speaking is better. All right, Matthew, thank you very much for coming out to the show and hope to have you on sometime soon again. well Hurry up. I only have about 10 years left.
00:40:10
Speaker
yeah All right. Thank you very much. Take care.