Blue Ridge Excellence Presented by Authenica
Justin W. Brantley • October 11, 2019
I will never forget the first conversation I had with Craig Lucas. We had been connected through a mutual colleague that discussed with me the opportunity/possibility of taking part in Craig's "Seal Leadership Corporate Training Program." Craig reached out to discuss the logistics and dynamics of the event and we ended up speaking for about an hour. (This shouldn't surprise anyone who knows me because "Long-Winded" is an adjective that accurately describes me.) During this conversation I learned that Craig Lucas is one of the most passionate, interesting and ambiguous people I have ever spoken to. There were very few details provided about the Seal Leadership Program, but I was intrigued and loved Craig's energy so I was immediately in.
Read all about my Seal Leadership experience here...
So here we were, 2 months later and Craig invited me to take part in Blue Ridge Excellence. Of course, in normal Craig fashion, there were very limited details provided about what Blue Ridge Excellence is. Because that was consistent with the way Seal Leadership went, and I had an amazing experience there, I immediately said "Yes" and started to prepare for what was in store. Once again, I was not disappointed. I left the event saying to myself; "No matter what it is, I will never miss a Craig Lucas event moving forward!"
What was Blue Ridge Excellence?
Imagine a vacation at one of the most exclusive resorts in the United States (The Greenbrier), development seminars to assist you in taking your personal and professional growth to the next level, tear inducing anecdotes of adapting and overcoming adversity, and once in a lifetime experiences designed to break you out of your comfort zone all rolled into one. That's the best way to describe Blue Ridge Excellence! Unlike any other personal development retreat/outing I had ever been a part of, I left wanting more of EVERYTHING. I left with a renewed energy and spirit; and I left with a better understanding of life and this never-ending pursuit of success/happiness that we all spend our days chasing.
A Few Highlights of the Personal/Professional Development Speakers and Sessions:
Swen Nater & The Fireside Chat...
Brad Dickerson & The Interview...
"Success in business is 80% luck and 20% putting yourself in the right position to take advantage of that luck!" Brad Dickerson
Day 2 started with a walk, in which I saw some of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen in my life. For a few moments; I found myself saying, "Living in West Virginia wouldn't be so bad!" As we walked, one of my friends/fellow Seals classmates, Mike Rao nudged me and pointed out Brad Dickerson. He explained who he was, and that he spoke at the last event. I got excited to hear him speak and was quietly praying that Craig had him on the agenda to speak that day. After the Falconry demonstration, our group headed to breakfast and to my delight, Brad was speaking. As a person who loves the concept of Q & A sessions, I was even more excited to hear that Craig Lucas was interviewing him. Brad spoke about his successes as the CFO/COO at Under Armour. He then spoke about the struggles, challenges and how he overcame them at Blue Apron where he held the title of CFO and assisted them going public but he also had to step out of his box and lead as their President & CEO. He also spoke about leaving Blue Apron, and how he came to that decision. This especially hit home for me, because I have often hosted internal debates on when/if I should walk away from my job to focus more on my entrepreneurial goals and being a better/more present father (no debate more intense than the one that came after hearing Swen speak!). Brad spoke about how he made his decision based on a milestone period of time vs. a calendar period of time and how that made him more present and focused on his mission at hand. I immediately created a milestone period of time for myself and removed the idea of having a "Count Down" to my departure.
Trish Downing & The Bike Ride That Changed Her Life...
Trish Downing told her story which also brought me to tears. She vividly discussed the accident that changed the way she goes about life forever. From waking up and getting out of bed, to how she gets around on a daily basis. Trish challenged me to define my life's "Motto." She asked us to, in 5 words or less, define the motto that we live our life with each day. She embodies an "Eyes forward" mentality that inspired me to be grateful and appreciative of all of life's blessings. She proudly stated; "The only thing I can see in front of me are possibilities!" and I, as well as everyone else in the room, stood up and clapped for her.
Humble G & The Fiddle...
I am a man who has always LOVED music. Joe Pass once said; "If you hit a wrong note, then make it right by what you play afterwards!" Music has forever been my therapy. Having Humble G playing for the Closing Ceremony was incredibly fitting for me. Hearing his story and how having faith and believing in himself got him to the point that he's at now was AMAZING. Hearing the great news and blessings that have come into his life were awesome, I know he has a big announcement coming so I won't spoil the surprise here. I immediately followed him on Instagram (and you should too)!
https://instagram.com/humble_g_tha_fiddla
The Greenbrier Resort
Affectionately labeled "America's Resort", The Greenbrier is a historic landmark nestled amongst one of the most beautiful, picturesque backdrops you could ever lay your eyes on. They have hosted guests from around the world since 1778 including royalty, celebrities and business leaders; among them being 27 of 45 U.S. Presidents. To be added to such a distinguished Guest List is an honor in and of itself. But, I will tell you what stood out the most to me above all of that; being able to meet Frank Mosley! Mr. Mosley has been working at The Greenbrier since May 13, 1958. At 86 years old, he is all smiles as he greets guests. I immediately thought of him as walking history. I would love to be able to sit with him for an entire day and just listen to him talk about the last 61 years of his life and some of the things he has encountered being a black man in the service industry, especially in pre-Civil Rights era America. I wanted to know more about him, more about why he has continued to work into his late 80's. I wanted to hear about his family, his passions, what he likes to do in his time away from The Greenbrier. I left the Greenbrier praying that, at some point in time, somebody does a documentary featuring Mr. Mosley and his life.
https://www.greenbrier.com/
If you made it this far in my account of my experiences at Authenica's Blue Ridge Excellence event, then you clearly see that Craig Lucas' events can be life-altering and eye opening on your quest for personal & professional growth and development. They will leave lasting impressions on you and have you wanting more. More stories, more learning, more self-discovery. You will leave from the event with a better understanding of who you are and who you are destined to be. I look forward to meeting you at the next event...
https://authenica.com/
Read all about my Seal Leadership experience here...
So here we were, 2 months later and Craig invited me to take part in Blue Ridge Excellence. Of course, in normal Craig fashion, there were very limited details provided about what Blue Ridge Excellence is. Because that was consistent with the way Seal Leadership went, and I had an amazing experience there, I immediately said "Yes" and started to prepare for what was in store. Once again, I was not disappointed. I left the event saying to myself; "No matter what it is, I will never miss a Craig Lucas event moving forward!"
What was Blue Ridge Excellence?
Imagine a vacation at one of the most exclusive resorts in the United States (The Greenbrier), development seminars to assist you in taking your personal and professional growth to the next level, tear inducing anecdotes of adapting and overcoming adversity, and once in a lifetime experiences designed to break you out of your comfort zone all rolled into one. That's the best way to describe Blue Ridge Excellence! Unlike any other personal development retreat/outing I had ever been a part of, I left wanting more of EVERYTHING. I left with a renewed energy and spirit; and I left with a better understanding of life and this never-ending pursuit of success/happiness that we all spend our days chasing.
A Few Highlights of the Personal/Professional Development Speakers and Sessions:
Swen Nater & The Fireside Chat...
Swen Nater took his seat in a wooden stool in front of a blazing bonfire and I immediately leaned forward in my chair. As a basketball guy, Swen was the person I was most excited to hear from. I expected to walk away from this with an anecdotal story about him being cut as a Junior in High School or working his way through Junior College to earn an opportunity to play at UCLA for the legendary John Wooden, or overcoming the adversity of playing behind NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton. That wasn't the case. Swen didn't boast about being the only player in history to lead the NBA & ABA in rebounding. He didn't brag about his numerous accomplishments on the court. He pulled out his guitar and sang a song that he wrote for his daughter. This nearly 7 foot tall man sat in front of me in a small stool singing a beautiful song and I could clearly see that it was far more than a melody to him. As he sat the guitar down, Swen spoke about the hardest thing a father could ever have to endure; the loss of his daughter. As tears fell from my face, I leaned in even further to hear his pain come from his heart and manifest itself into words leaving his mouth. He confidently said, "I don't have it all figured out, and every day is hard..." In that moment, I gained more respect for him than any number of basketball accolades ever could have done. He spoke about his daughters battle with addiction. He spoke about his faith and how that has been the rock that he has clung to as he has grieved. He spoke about his grandson, Chase Maxwell and the hopes/dreams he has for his future. As a father of 5 who has sacrificed time with his children while pursuing career growth and development in order to provide for them, this hit me hard. It made me question everything, and forced me to go inward and ask myself over and over again; "What's really important?" No disrespect to anybody who spoke after Swen, but I don't remember anything else from that night. My heart was BROKEN. This man, who is literally larger than life, had accomplished the thing all of my young men dream of and work for; NBA success. He overcame every obstacle in his life; but ended up losing the thing that meant the most to him, his child. My heart broke over and over that night. I went back to my room and called my children to tell them that I love them. I prayed for Swen's grandson, and I prayed for Swen. I was so moved by Swen and his story that I texted and called Mick Cronin (The New Head Men’s Basketball Coach at UCLA) to tell him that he definitely needs to have Swen come speak to his team.
Brad Dickerson & The Interview...
"Success in business is 80% luck and 20% putting yourself in the right position to take advantage of that luck!" Brad Dickerson
Day 2 started with a walk, in which I saw some of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen in my life. For a few moments; I found myself saying, "Living in West Virginia wouldn't be so bad!" As we walked, one of my friends/fellow Seals classmates, Mike Rao nudged me and pointed out Brad Dickerson. He explained who he was, and that he spoke at the last event. I got excited to hear him speak and was quietly praying that Craig had him on the agenda to speak that day. After the Falconry demonstration, our group headed to breakfast and to my delight, Brad was speaking. As a person who loves the concept of Q & A sessions, I was even more excited to hear that Craig Lucas was interviewing him. Brad spoke about his successes as the CFO/COO at Under Armour. He then spoke about the struggles, challenges and how he overcame them at Blue Apron where he held the title of CFO and assisted them going public but he also had to step out of his box and lead as their President & CEO. He also spoke about leaving Blue Apron, and how he came to that decision. This especially hit home for me, because I have often hosted internal debates on when/if I should walk away from my job to focus more on my entrepreneurial goals and being a better/more present father (no debate more intense than the one that came after hearing Swen speak!). Brad spoke about how he made his decision based on a milestone period of time vs. a calendar period of time and how that made him more present and focused on his mission at hand. I immediately created a milestone period of time for myself and removed the idea of having a "Count Down" to my departure.
Trish Downing & The Bike Ride That Changed Her Life...
Trish Downing told her story which also brought me to tears. She vividly discussed the accident that changed the way she goes about life forever. From waking up and getting out of bed, to how she gets around on a daily basis. Trish challenged me to define my life's "Motto." She asked us to, in 5 words or less, define the motto that we live our life with each day. She embodies an "Eyes forward" mentality that inspired me to be grateful and appreciative of all of life's blessings. She proudly stated; "The only thing I can see in front of me are possibilities!" and I, as well as everyone else in the room, stood up and clapped for her.
I am a man who has always LOVED music. Joe Pass once said; "If you hit a wrong note, then make it right by what you play afterwards!" Music has forever been my therapy. Having Humble G playing for the Closing Ceremony was incredibly fitting for me. Hearing his story and how having faith and believing in himself got him to the point that he's at now was AMAZING. Hearing the great news and blessings that have come into his life were awesome, I know he has a big announcement coming so I won't spoil the surprise here. I immediately followed him on Instagram (and you should too)!
https://instagram.com/humble_g_tha_fiddla
The Greenbrier Resort
Affectionately labeled "America's Resort", The Greenbrier is a historic landmark nestled amongst one of the most beautiful, picturesque backdrops you could ever lay your eyes on. They have hosted guests from around the world since 1778 including royalty, celebrities and business leaders; among them being 27 of 45 U.S. Presidents. To be added to such a distinguished Guest List is an honor in and of itself. But, I will tell you what stood out the most to me above all of that; being able to meet Frank Mosley! Mr. Mosley has been working at The Greenbrier since May 13, 1958. At 86 years old, he is all smiles as he greets guests. I immediately thought of him as walking history. I would love to be able to sit with him for an entire day and just listen to him talk about the last 61 years of his life and some of the things he has encountered being a black man in the service industry, especially in pre-Civil Rights era America. I wanted to know more about him, more about why he has continued to work into his late 80's. I wanted to hear about his family, his passions, what he likes to do in his time away from The Greenbrier. I left the Greenbrier praying that, at some point in time, somebody does a documentary featuring Mr. Mosley and his life.
https://www.greenbrier.com/
If you made it this far in my account of my experiences at Authenica's Blue Ridge Excellence event, then you clearly see that Craig Lucas' events can be life-altering and eye opening on your quest for personal & professional growth and development. They will leave lasting impressions on you and have you wanting more. More stories, more learning, more self-discovery. You will leave from the event with a better understanding of who you are and who you are destined to be. I look forward to meeting you at the next event...
https://authenica.com/
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