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Kicking Up Dad Jokes and Coast-to-Coast Trends
67 Plays6 months ago
This week, we're joined by Justin Brands' dynamic sales duo: Michael Bachkanji from the West Coast and Andrew Pipkin from the East Coast. Get the scoop on the hottest cowboy boot style trends from both coasts and brace yourself for a barrage of their best dad jokes. It's Western style, it's humor, and it's a whole lot of fun – you won't want to miss this one! For a full episode transcript, visit our website at: https://www.justinboots.com/en/kick-your-boots-up/podcast.html
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:00:02
Speaker
You're listening to the Kick Your Boots Up podcast, where we swap stories of the West. Whether you're just waking up or getting in for the day, come on in and kick your boots up. Hey everybody, thanks for listening to the Kick Your Boots Up podcast. We're here for another episode, and boy are you in for a treat. But before we get started, you know I've got to remind you, please like, subscribe, share with all your friends. This is going to be an episode you don't want to miss out on, plus there's going to be some high quality content. so Just disclaimer there, but before we get started, I've got to tell you a little bit about these guys here You know, it's it's not very often that we get to do a lot of internal Tooting our own horns here at Justin and we have two of Justin's finest and I say finest loosely
00:00:44
Speaker
already These guys are they come highly recommended to be humor and the cool thing about them is they're in completely opposite parts of the United States we have um Andrew pipkin to my right and he's actually in Georgia, Florida covers those territories So thank you for being here Andrew. Thank you for having us We'll get to know a little bit more about him in a second. Also, we have Michael Bakanji, who covers three states, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Thank you so much, Michael, for being here that we're going to get to share their different insights on what it's like in the different parts of the United States. I mean, Florida, for crying out loud, Oregon, there's a lot to talk about there. So
Michael's Journey into Sales
00:01:19
Speaker
we're just going to dive right on in. And I'm going to ask you first, Michael, you originally started as with an accounting numbers degree. So how does that translate to what you do now? I mean, I know sales is all numbers, but like tell us about that.
00:01:31
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, went to University of Oregon or got my bachelor's in economics and minored in business and really it's just a ah really a kickstart into the world of business and being a sales rep, you are your own business owner almost. I mean, you're running your territories to the best of your ability and and trying to dive into the numbers and see what's working and seeing what's not working. and So it translates pretty well, it does, but it's just a little bit more fun than my economics classes. so Definitely, and did you i've got to ask baanji did you have a hard time spelling your name when you were a child? no no No, that one came pretty easy for me, I was pretty intelligent as a kid, not sure what happened, but um you know first day of
00:02:19
Speaker
The first day of class was always interesting. I'm at the top of the list, B-A-C-H, always at the top of the list for the chart, of attendance chart. So the teacher was always, they'd say, Michael, and they say, but and I would just stop in there here. I'm here. And it would always end there that kind of start there. Well, okay. So you have a daughter now you have two yeah two daughters, not just one daughter, one son. Okay. Okay. So now you have to start. You have to teach them just how I planned it, how to say and spell the last name. Do you have any tips there? Like, what are you going to do? What's your game plan?
00:02:52
Speaker
Oh, man. I don't know. Maybe just scramble it all up and try to make them figure it out. You know, baptism by fire. Yeah, they yeah they definitely respond well to ah food. They're very food motivated. So dogs. Yeah. Yeah. Very similar to dogs. So I think we'll start, you know, somewhere with treats and we'll go from there. OK, yeah, that's good. Some Cheerios. That that works.
Andrew's Path from Architecture to Sales
00:03:15
Speaker
Andrew, how about you? I mean, something that you guys don't know out there is not only he he is he a sales rep, but your degree was in architecture, master's at that. So you had a plan. You were going to build buildings, construct structures. And then tell us your story. Like, how did you get at Justin in selling boots? And how does that translate? Like, is designing and selling boots very similar to that?
00:03:34
Speaker
Yeah, so I started, had an undergraduate degree in architecture at University of Florida, worked. Gators, right? Oh yeah, go Gators baby. um Worked in Dallas for a couple years at an architecture firm and then went down to Texas A&M for my masters, um where I also did a focus in historic preservation. um Within that, unfortunately, the housing market crash happened. Had a really good close friend of mine from University of Florida that was actually a Tony Lama rep, Cole Carter. Shout out. Yeah, got to give him a shout out. He was working territory in Florida, Georgia for Tony Lama at the time and told me there's an opportunity to interview for a sales training position at Justin. I kind of looked at it as a once in a time opportunity and here I am 12 years later.
00:04:20
Speaker
Oh yeah, and you're killing it. It's been fine. And since you mentioned Florida, Georgia, and you say it just like that, I've got to ask the most iconic question ever. Have you ever met Florida, Georgia Line? I've never met that. I've been at the bar for the Georgia line or BAM, I guess it's, was it BAM online? You've crossed boardvada georgia i've cross the I hope. times yeah Shane, if you're listening, I hope he's crossed the line. whenda Definitely crosses the line for sure. Okay. So to have a little bit of fun, to get to know you guys a
Casting the Movie of Their Lives
00:04:46
Speaker
little bit better. I've got to ask if we were going to have a movie about your life, Justin's going to produce it. What actors would play you and would you be the main character? Would you be a supporting character of your life? What's the outlook we're going to take care of? I mean, it's got to be a main character, but I'm thinking something like... which yeah I think... Is that Galf Knackus or something like that? Will Ferrell. yeah I mean, it's just, it's going to be a comedy for sure. The two of you both? Who's who's who? Oh, I'm Will Ferrell for sure. Or John C. Riley. there Yeah, especially like stepbrothers. We're shaking bake all day long. All day. yeah
00:05:21
Speaker
The tuxedos, I know we were joking a little bit after or before the podcast, but um really you guys were considering expensing tuxedos just for this podcast. And I want to say, I appreciate that a lot. I really need this excitement from the podcast. So thank you for that. Absolutely. We got the interview. We had to come do the interview. scene Yeah. And we went out, you know, it's just, just the nerves getting to us. The spotlight is bright. Yeah, it's bright. We don't want to steal your shine to you. think You make the show. You are the show. So. so It's yours. Whatever, whatever, whatever. Yeah, we don't want our stars to rise too fast. Plus, my bag was already 52 pounds, and so I had to, off I was the guy unzipping at the counter and pulling stuff out. yeah That's so embarrassing. It is, but you know, at 7 a.m., Portland, Oregon, I don't really care.
00:06:08
Speaker
you know Most girls have that problem. We have jewelry, we have boots, we have all the things, but what's your deal? What's what's so heavy in your suitcase? Are you bootleggin' some alcohol across the line? or what A couple pair of boots, um mostly mostly just all the dress clothes. yeah You have to dress for success every day and have a different outfit, so I think that's what took up most of the weight. Yeah, that's fair, rightfully so. yeah Okay, so you guys are a fun group and I know your guys' is celebrity look-alikes or the stars in your movies have a lot of fun together and they listen to music. There's a lot of car karaoke and stuff. So what is your favorite pump-up song? I'm gonna ask you first, Michael. Pump-up song? I mean, I have a lot of songs. I love music, but I'd say a Blow by Chris Stapleton and Bruno Mars. Okay. That will get you pumped up. Listen to that right now and tell me that you're not pumped up. Holy cow, that's a good one. I didn't even think about that. It's hard. It's hard to think of one, but... Blow, okay. I just touch your roll by 69, boys. I mean, it's classic. He's throwing it back. I don't like that. You know what my next question is for you guys though, right? You have to put on a performance of your pump-up song, so give us like a little line from Blow.
00:07:19
Speaker
give you a line from Blow? Oh gosh, I can't do it. I can't do it. Are you are you afraid your wife's gonna see this and embarrass the family? Oh, she's definitely gonna see this. She's already told me she's gonna see this. ah so She will watch it over and over. My daughter will probably mention it. yeah so I'm just gonna, I'll just try to keep it as least embarrassing as possible. You're gonna keep the role model status. Yeah, role model. I don't blame you. How about you? Are you gonna give it a try? Tootsie roll? Yeah. Cotton candy sweet as gold. Let me see that tootsie roll. Yeah, I like it. I mean, if you can't, you can't get pumped up to that. Magical music. Then I know what to tell you. A better man than me. I appreciate that, guys. Yeah, thank you for that. And I've got to get a little bit serious, because I'm genuinely curious, and I think that people out there are
Lessons Learned in Sales
00:08:04
Speaker
too.
00:08:04
Speaker
um A lot of people in cells got to start somewhere, and I asked you a little bit about how you got started, but what do you think was like the biggest thing you learned when you first got started as cells are reps? You started traveling in your territories. um You're going on eight years here? 12 years. 12 years here. Okay, so you've got some experience, both of you do, very similar timelines. What's your best what's the one thing that you can throw us down with some wisdom on? like You learned this, you rose above. It can be embarrassing, that's okay. So when I was, I did about four months of training in the office and I'd go travel with some reps for that time period. ah Lynn Lasky, which is one of the great Justin reps, I did a lot of work with him at some of the horse shows in Oklahoma. And the best advice he ever gave me was selling is a lot like shaving a little bit every day or else you turn into a bum.
00:08:52
Speaker
So it was kind of one of those like, he did make the point, he goes, not a lot. You don't have to go work a lot, but a little bit every day. It's Alaska-ism right there. Exactly. I like it. He's the man. He's the man. No, that's very solid advice, especially I think of our young Owen Walker that's really only been a sales rep for six months, truly. I know a lot of you guys love to give him a hard time and some hazing, and we'll talk about that in a little bit, but that's like, I think I've heard you say something very similar to him in the past, so that's really good. Can he shave, though? Is he old enough? He's grown with his hair yet? I don't think so. I don't think so. It's babyface Owen. Yeah. Bless his heart. Bless his heart. Maybe next year. You know, I'd say you really just learn as you go. And you learn from your mistakes, just like your life. That's just how it works. And I went out kind of the same deal. I was out just traveling with manager at the time, doing some training, and visiting some small accounts in California.
00:09:47
Speaker
You know, we had gone in the office. We had gone through the kind of our our our line release and how we're going to present the whole line release. And I, you know, I practice it and got it down. And then we visited a feed store, a small feed store in California. and You know, I'm trying to show them the whole line, but I'm showing, you know, I'm trying to get them to buy fashion boots and I'm showing this higher end stuff, but but I wasn't considering the fact that you need to know your audience and where I am. And I was like, so you don't think you can, you know, sell this fashion boot? And of course she's like, uh, no, look around. We just need a good waterproof, you know, muck boot. And I said, yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And so, uh, you know, I learned pretty quick just to know your audience and, and, uh, that, that really, uh, paid off for me. So.
00:10:34
Speaker
talk about humble beginnings right like that was a humbling moment you're like oh crap okay I'll figure that out well that's kind of fun too seeing the accounts that are coming in here and you're getting to meet with them you'll have you'll go from full-on work product only because they want to they want something that works that's waterproof that'll get the job done to some that get to have a little bit more fun all the flexibility so what's it like doing that like the diversity there you have to kind of be well versed in both areas right yeah Yeah, you gotta wear a lot of different hats, we like to say. yeahp There are a lot of different boots, we should say. yeah um yeah it's just you know There are so many different accounts. It it is very diverse, like you said. and you know When you run around in your territory for long enough, you... get to understand where people are and and what kind of accounts you're visiting. So you know you can kind of model your your you know you're attire or or the assortment that you're going to bring into the store that day. You can you just model around who they are. So specify it to that account.
00:11:31
Speaker
Absolutely. yeah so something It really just takes time to pick that up. you know Being in the field, constantly doing that. You get the personalities of the counselor working with the customers. and yeah Like you know Michael said, knowing that audience and knowing it inside and out on both sides of ah the aisle. Yeah, that's a big part of it for sure. I think you guys both do that really well in your each respective areas. So I've got to ask you then a little bit about the trends in
Regional Style Trends
00:11:58
Speaker
your areas. So obviously very different. Florida is probably traditionally, as they say, stereotypical sunny, warm. There's a lot of retirees, a lot of vacationers, tourists and the whole state ah as a whole. And then same with you, Oregon, Washington, Alaska area, very different. So let's talk about that style trends. What do you guys see differently from each other? We'll start with you, Andrew.
00:12:18
Speaker
So Florida's, Florida, Georgia is generally probably four to five years behind. Say you're Texas, Oklahoma on the style trends. So, um, yeah, the broad square tow took a while to really take hold and get in that area. I'll see now it's there. We're seeing a little bit more round tow, but your round tow product is still kind of a constant, um, East coast look, um, overall, but. A lot of it is just work boots. Probably one of the biggest misconceptions of Florida in general is because of the retirees, because of the beach, you're not selling a lot of boots. Well, there's a lot of boots being sold in Florida because pretty much outside the coastal areas, everything inside, everybody's wearing... A ton of industry up there. Yeah, a ton of industry. Down there. A lot of agriculture. I mean, at one point it was the... Yeah. I think it had the largest herd of mama cows in the country, you know, in Florida, which is, I think Florida's largest export at one point was beef cattle. See, I was going to say oranges. I would expect oranges are obviously a big one, but beef cattle as well. It's kind of an understated industry that people don't really necessarily know about or associate with Florida.
00:13:25
Speaker
That's a cool fun fact, too. That is a good fun fact. And yeah, I mean, actually, similarly, Oregon, Washington tends to be about five years but behind the trends of the core market, Texas. So that's interesting. I learned that. I didn't expect that. But, um you know, Oregon, Washington, very diverse. and it's It's really split right down the Cascade Mountain Range. So the west side of the state, you have your big cities, the Seattle, the Portland, Eugene. And you know that's a lot of fashion. And um you know you'll have your your summer rodeo fans that are dressing up that don't normally wear boots all year long. But when summer comes around and all the concerts and the rodeos start coming around,
00:14:10
Speaker
they're getting into their cowboy cowgirl boots and then you know kind of on the reverse side of that is the the east side of the state and states and that's very core market cowboy. It's almost you know you you're in the Tri-Cities Washington and it's pickup trucks and square toes and it makes me feel like I'm back home in Fort Worth so yeah very diverse and I have to carry a lot of different bags and be ready for everything yeah. Yeah, you guys really do. and And actually, I really didn't realize that because, yeah, there's the stereotypes, but you guys are kind of one and the same but texas in the Let's just say the center of the United States. Let's just say that because we'll include the northern states as well. um They kind of do kind of run the show at different times of the year. and
00:14:53
Speaker
Well, thank you guys for sharing a little bit about your lives and what you get to do in your day to day. And I feel like you guys are too fun of people to let a moment go to waste. So I feel like this is a perfect opportunity to play a game with you guys if you're down.
Dad Jokes Exchange
00:15:05
Speaker
Luckily, disclaimer, I gave him a little bit of prep and you guys will understand why in a second. but Basically, what we're going to do is we're going to play a game and they're going to try not to laugh. i I'm going to try not to laugh, although I feel like I can already lose right now. um I get to give a shout out to Coach says jokes and Logan Lyle. This is this is a segment where um we're going to say some dad jokes. Try not to laugh. Have a lot of fun with it. If we end up laughing, that's OK, too. So um I don't know who wants to go first. Are you are you Michael? Do you want to go first?
00:15:34
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I actually this is I saw this in the news just yesterday. There was this actress and she just stabbed her husband. And I can't remember her name. Reese. Read something to Witherspoon. No, no, no. With a knife.
00:15:55
Speaker
I'm out. I already laughing. Crickets. I shouldn't have told him before we did this. I should have left it up to surprise. Okay, Andrew, what you got? What did Tony Hawk say to the pair of Justins? Oh, that's a new one and a custom one to throw Justin in there? That's a custom. That's a Pipkin custom. Let's hear it. Are you going to skate? Or are you just going to boot scoot?
00:16:25
Speaker
that's That's... I'll just give him a round of applause for creativity there. That was a custom one. Michael, how about you? What's next? Why did the cowboy adopt a wiener dog? Oh, I know this one I'm not going to tell you. He wanted to get a long little doggy.
00:16:48
Speaker
I'm out. I'm telling you I'm out. She even knew it and she laughed. I did. I did. I love weenie dogs. I have one. His name's Gus. That's a good name. I have a good name, Gus as well. Oh, instant. I knew it. I knew we were on the same brainwave. Absolutely. Hey, Andrew, what's next? I was prepping for a customer meeting the other day and was wondering why I kept hearing music coming from my printer.
00:17:13
Speaker
Turns out my line sheets were jamming. do Ooh, that's good. That is really good. These are custom ones. These are original. I don't think you're going to find these on chat GPT or Google. I figured I'll tailor it towards the chat GPT sales stuff. LOL. You really don't know? I kind of know, but not really. Okay. Okay. Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants? I don't know. In case you got a hole in one.
00:17:45
Speaker
Okay, that one gets it too. There we go. Nice. Okay, I'm gonna jump in here because I feel like I can't let this opportunity go and miss. Okay, what do you call a cow with no legs?
00:17:59
Speaker
I can't, I can't say it because I know know it. Ground beef. why wow Oh, sorry. Different button. yeah yeah here so There we go. I should have said a mama cow. Yeah, that's true. I like how Pipkin described it. He said mama cow. Mama cows. Even better. Yeah. That's right. Okay. What's you? let's do Do you have do another one? Was it your turn or my turn? I just said my last one. Wait, did you run out?
00:18:31
Speaker
Oh, just freestyle off the dome here. Oh, sorry. Okay. Do you know how much Canadians love their Justins? Enough to break the ice. That's all they talk about. Oh, wrong one. I'm so sorry. No, no, no, no. There you go. Give us some credit. I like it. That was good. And since you're on the boot theme, we'll do one more bonus because I just, I can't help myself. The cheesiness. Okay. So guys, why did the cowboy take his boots off before going to bed? Hmm. I don't know.
Episode Wrap-up
00:19:05
Speaker
Because he wanted to give his soul some time off.
00:19:09
Speaker
You guys get it. We talk about souls every day. yeah we do we do Hey, you guys have been troopers. I really appreciate you taking the time to be on the kick your boots up podcast, to have some fun with us and to share your stories too. I'm sure there's a lot of people out there that have questions. So those of you that do, if you have questions about what it's like being a sales rep, what they get to do, anything about that, feel free to comment below. We read the comments. We take into consideration what you want to see. We're so excited for the next episode. So stay tuned. and thank you again for watching the Kick Your Boots Up podcast. Thanks for joining us on Kick Your Boots Up. I'm your host, Taylor McAdams, and we can't wait to share the next story of the West. Until then, feel free to like, subscribe, and leave us a review. Follow us on social media at Justin Boots to keep up with our next episode, and we'll see you the next time you kick your boots up.