.

TED: ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE NEXT BIG THING.

TO LEARN MORE, WE WELCOME CHRISTINE MACKIE, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE GREATER PHOENIX ECONOMIC COUNCIL.

I'VE INTRODUCED YOU MANY TIMES, NEVER AS THE GPEC LEADER.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

TED: WHY DID YOU TAKE THE JOB?

>> I'VE BEEN AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPER FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS AND READY TO GO DO SOMETHING ELSE AND I GET TO MOVE TO 14,000 SQUARE MILES OF THE REGION.

TED: CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

WE'RE TALKING START-UP, AND A HUB FOR START-UPS.

WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?

>> AS YOU LOOK AT REGION, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN THIS MECCA FOR START-UPS.

OUR PRIMES ARE HERE WHETHER YOU HAVE THE SEMICONDUCTOR COMPANIES OR AEROSPACE COMPANIES AND ENGINEERS COME HERE, WE GET STARTED WITH THEM.

WHERE WE SEE THIS MOVE TO A NEW LEVEL IS THE LAST DECADE BUT REALLY THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

TED: ARE THESE MOM AND POPS?

PEOPLE COMING FROM CALIFORNIA?

ARE THEY HOMEGROWN?

WHO ARE THESE FOLKS?

>> ASSORTMENT WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.

SO MANY ARE HOMEGROWN, THEY ARE ENGINEERS WHO CAME TO WORK FROM MOTOROLA OR INTEL OR HONEYWELL.

THEY ARE SPINOUTS OF UNIVERSITY.

ANY NUMBER OF THEM CAME FROM ASU AND UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, BUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO RELOCATE TO PHOENIX FOR A BETTER LIFESTYLE AND BROUGHT THE START-UPS WITH THEM.

TED: AND FOUND A BETTER BUSINESS CLIMATE THAN A LOT OF PLACES?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT GOVERNOR DUCEY CREATED YEARS AGO IN THE SANDBOX ENVIRONMENT THAT WE HAVE HERE.

OUR START-UPS GET TO TEST THEIR TECHNOLOGIES WITHOUT HAVING TO MEET THE RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT A COMMERCIALIZED BUSINESS DOES, THAT'S WHAT WE CALL A SANDBOX.

THEY GET TO PLAY A DIFFERENT WAY THAN FULLY COMMERCIALIZED COMPANIES.

TED: UNTIL THEY ARE ADULTS AND YOU GOT TO GET OUT OF THE SANDBOX.

>> GET OUT OF THE SANDBOX.

TED: WE TALKED ABOUT VENTURE CAPITALISM.

MY QUESTION WAS IN THE PAST, WHY DO WE NOT SEE MORE HERE IN ARIZONA.

VENTURE CAPITALISM IS KEY TO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

WE'RE STARTING TO SEE IT NOW, AREN'T WE?

.

>> AMAZING LEVELS AND I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH YOU, WE WERE THE MARKET WHERE VENTURE CAPITAL CAME OUT OF SAN FRANCISCO OR BOSTON OR OUT OF ATLANTA, AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN OFTENTIMES IS THEY TAKE THE COMPANIES BACK WITH THEM, WE LOSE THE START-UPS THAT WE'VE HOMEGROWN HERE, NOW WITH THE DENSITY AND NUMBER OF START-UPS THAT WE HAVE, YOU ARE SEEING THE FAMILY FOUNDATIONS AND THOSE VENTURE CAPITAL OFFICES COME HERE BECAUSE THE COMPANIES THEY CAN INVEST ARE REACHING SCALE.

TED: AND THE INDUSTRIES THEY'RE INVESTING IN, YOU TOUCHED ON THIS EARLIER, GIVE US A BROADER DEFINITION WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?

>> IN OUR BIOSCIENCES AND LIFE SCIENCES, THEY'RE IN CANCER THERAPY AND IMPLANTABLE DEVICES AND WEARABLE DEVICES, THINGS THAT MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR PEOPLE, BUT IT'S ALSO IN ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY.

THINK OF DRONES, DELIVERY DRONES, ROBOTS THAT ARE BRINGING MY FOOD NOW OR IN OUR MILITARY AND DEFENSE, BUT ALSO IN -- WHETHER THEY'RE IN SEMICONDUCTOR OR WHETHER THEY'RE IN OTHERS, CHIP MANUFACTURING, ALL DIFFERENT AREAS.

>> I WOULD IMAGINE CHIP MANUFACTURING IS AT OR NEAR THE LEAD, WOULD IT NOT?

>> IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE LEAD.

IT IS THE AREA THAT ESPECIALLY NOW WITH OUR BIGGER PRIMES THAT ARE HERE.

INTEL OR TSMC, THAT YOU CAN WORK WITH TECHNOLOGY WITH THEM.

THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY IN THE LEAD OF REVOLUTIONIZING EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.

TED: WHETHER IT'S THE BIG HORSES OR THE SMALLER START-UPS, ARE PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER?

ARE WE SEEING COLLABORATION?

STARTING TO SEE COMPETITION, SILOS DEVELOPING, THAT KIND OF THING?

>> THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE BEST OUT OF ARIZONA AND SELL ARIZONA MARKETING TO COMPANIES.

THIS IS AN ECONOMY BUILT ON COLLABORATION.

THEY DON'T HAVE SILOS AND FIGHT WITH EACH OTHER.

WE CAN CALL AN ACCELERATOR AND A START-UP IS HAVING A TROUBLE WITH A CHIP DESIGN.

WE SEND OUT AN E-MAIL AND YOU GET A HALF A DOZEN ENGINEERS THAT WORK FOR THE BIG PRIMES THAT HELP THE ACCELERATOR AND SOLVE THE PROBLEM THAT NIGHT.

TED: IF THEY SOLVE THE PROBLEM THAT NIGHT OR THE NEXT DAY, THERE IS THE FLY WHEEL EFFECT THAT TAKES EFFECT.

IS THAT THE SAME THING AS ACCELERATOR OR SOMETHING DIFFERENT?

>> VERY SIMILAR TO ACCELERATOR.

WHAT HAPPENS THEN IS THE MUCH MORE SOPHISTICATED AND COMMERCIALLY OPERATED COMPANIES TAKE HOLD AND HELP THOSE SMALLER COMPANIES COME TO SUCCESS, HENCE THE FLY WHEEL.

TED: GET TO THE BIG 800-POUND GORILLA IN EVERY ROOM THESE DAYS.

A.I.

WHERE IS A.I.

IN ALL THIS?

>> YOU KNOW, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS MOVING INTO ALL FACETS OF LIFE.

AND LUCKILY ARIZONA IS AT THE CENTER OF THAT WITH OUR CHIP MANUFACTURING, BECAUSE MICROCHIPS GO INTO EVERY OUNCE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, BUT IT'S MOVING INTO THE LIFE CHANGING DEVICES.

THINK ABOUT SURGERY, THINK ABOUT HEALTH CARE, ELDERLY PATIENTS CAN STAY HOME LONGER BECAUSE THERE IS TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN HELP IN THEIR HOMES.

TED: ARE THERE INVESTORS THINKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS?

>> THE LEAD IS IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, NOT ONLY VENTURE CAPITAL BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS INVESTING IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

TED: WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH THE DEPENDENCE OF A.I.?

>> A NUMBER OF THINGS.

FIRST OF ALL IS THE WATER AND POWER.

THE PRODUCTION AND THE DATA HAS TO BE STORED SOMEPLACE.

WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF HEAT AND THAT TECHNOLOGY, THE WATER AND POWER IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO OVERCOME.

TED: DO WE HAVE ENOUGH WATER FOR THIS?

DO WE HAVE ENOUGH POWER FOR THIS?

>> AS YOU LOOK AT WATER, THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS ARIZONA HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD AT.

WE'VE ALWAYS KNOWN WE LIVED IN A DESERT AND WE'RE RESPECTFUL OF THE FACT THAT WE LIVE IN A DESERT AND WE RECYCLE AND REUSE THAT WATER OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

WATER ISN'T THE THING THAT WOULD CONCERN ME THE MOST AS MUCH AS POWER.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ORIGINALLY LOOKED AT THESE LOCATIONS, THEY MIGHT USE 6 MEGAWATTS OR 8 MEGAWATTS OF POWER, NOW MIGHT USE 12 MEGA WATTS OF POWER.

TED: ARE THEY SOLVING THE ISSUE?

ON THE RIGHT TRACK?

>> THEY ARE.

THEY'RE BRINGING IN NEW SOURCES OF POWER AND THE THOUGHT LEADERS AND COMPANIES TO THINK OF THE SOLUTIONS.

TED: THE HUB FOR START-UPS, LOT OF PROGRESS, LOT OF GROWTH, WHERE IS GPEC IN ALL OF THIS?

>> GPEC GETS TO WORK ON ALL SCALES.

THE GREATER PHOENIX ECONOMIC COUNCIL WORKS ON SMALL ENTERPRISES TO THE BIG TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES, AND WE HAVE A GENTLEMAN ON OUR TEAM, HIS SOLE FOCUS IS TO WORK WITH START-UPS AND SELECT THE REGION OR HELP THEM FIND THE CONNECTIONS TO THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT THEY NEED OR THE SOLUTIONS OR ADVANTAGES THEY NEED TO SCALE AND STAY HERE.

WE WORK WITH UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES AND MORE IMPORTANTLY OUR CITIES.

TED: LAST QUESTION HERE, WHAT DO WE WATCH FOR NEXT?

>> THE NEXT THING I WOULD WATCH FOR IS HUMAN-CARRY DRONES.

>> HOLY SMOKES.

HUMAN-CARRY DRONES?

>> WE HAVE A MISSION TO, NO PUN INTENDED TO LAND THE FIRST VERTI PORT IN THE CITY OF PHOENIX.

TED: HOW WOULD IT LOOK?

WOULD WE SEE A GUY FLYING OVER THE BACKYARD?

>> I WOULD SAY THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, IS MY PREDICTION, YOU WILL SEE PEOPLE USING DRONE TAXIS, LIKE WAYMO DID WITH THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AND YOU WILL SEE AUTONOMOUS TAXIS.

TED: HOLY SMOKES, GOOD GRACIOUS, CHRISTINE.

CHRISTINE MACKAY, GREATER PHOENIX ECONOMIC COUNCIL.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

.

TED: HOW TO ADVANCE YOUR CAREER WITHOUT BURNING OUT OR SELLING OUT.

THE QUESTION AT HEART OF A PROFESSIONAL SELF-HELP BOOK.

BOOK IS TO ADVANCE YOUR CAREER WITHOUT PLAYING POLITICS, SELLING YOUR SOUL OR WORKING YOURSELF INTO THE GROUND."

THE BOOK'S AUTHOR IS MAY BUSCH, AND SHE JOINS US NOW.

WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON" ISSUE GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, TED.

I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS.

TED: ME, TOO.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BOOK.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

TED: IT'S A BIG DEAL WHEN YOU WRITE A BOOK, WHEN YOU HOLD IT IN YOUR HAND, IT'S A BIG DEAL.

>> IT'S A HUGE DEAL.

IT TOOK A LOT.

SOME SAY A LABOR OF LOVE.

TED: TALK TO US ABOUT, FORMER COO OF MORGAN STANLEY EUROPE.

HOW DO YOU COME TO WRITE A BOOK ON CAREER ADVANCEMENT?

>> WELL, MY CAREER, LET'S JUST SAY I WAS AN ACCIDENTAL BANKER AND I'M MOTIVATED BY CHALLENGE.

I WENT INTO THE HARDEST THING I CAN THINK OF.

MY FAMILY IS FULL OF ACADEMICS, PUBLIC SERVANTS, DOCTORS AND I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

SO IT WAS A STRUGGLE, AND I FIGURED IT OUT, AND TOOK GOOD NOTES.

TED: YOU TOOK GOOD NOTES HOW NOT TO SACRIFICE YOUR SOUL, AS YOU SAY.

>> YES.

TED: IN THE PROCESS.

HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

>> SO THE FIRST THING TO REALIZE IS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CENTERED ABOUT WHO YOU ARE, AND THEN FIGURE OUT THE WAY TO NAVIGATE, SO FOR EXAMPLE.

PEOPLE ALWAYS TELL US, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO JUST KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN, DO GOOD WORK AND YOUR WORK WILL SPEAK FOR ITSELF.

AFTER THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS, THAT ISN'T TRUE.

THEN THEY TELL YOU, YOU'VE GOT TO PLAY THE GAME AND, OF COURSE, THAT SOUNDS REALLY SLIMY, AND THERE IS A THIRD WAY.

THAT'S WHAT THIS BOOK TALKS ABOUT.

TED: MANY FEEL STUCK BETWEEN BURNOUT AND SELLOUT.

AND YOU'RE SAYING IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THOSE TWO WAYS.

THERE IS A THIRD WAY.

WHAT IS THE THIRD WAY?

>> THE THIRD WAY STARREDS FROM REALIZING YOU HAVE TO PUT YOURSELF IN THE SHOES OF WHAT THE SENIOR DECISION-MAKERS ARE THINKING.

WHAT THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT IS DIFFERENT OFTENTIMES THAN WHAT WE OURSELVES ARE THINKING ABOUT, AND I CAN TELL YOU A QUICK STORY.

TED: PLEASE.

>> HOW I LEARNED THAT THE HARD WAY.

TED: YES.

>> I WAS UP FOR PROMOTION.

MY BOSS AND MY BOSS' BOSS THOUGHT I WAS DOING A GREAT JOB.

WHEN THEY WENT TO THE COMMIT OF DECISION-MAKERS, THEY SAID MAY WHO?

THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO I WAS.

TED: OH, BOY.

>> GEE, SHE CAN'T POSSIBLY HAVE MADE STRIDES IN SIX MONTHS, SHE SHOULD WAIT A YEAR.

THAT WAS MY WAKE-UP CALL.

TED: HAVE YOU SEEN THE TASK AT HAND, THE FOREST THROUGH THE TREES, THE CLICHE AVALANCHE THERE?

>> THAT WAS PART OF IT.

AND BECAUSE, WHEN YOU FOCUS SO MUCH ON YOUR JOB, ON YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERFORMING AT YOUR CURRENT JOB, YOU LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY LEAST IMPORTANT TO DECISION-MAKERS.

WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IS WHO HAS THE POTENTIAL, THE DEMONSTRATED POTENTIAL TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT THE NEXT LEVEL, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT, OH, CAN SHE DO THIS JOB?

THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THE JOB IS THAT YOU'RE GETTING PROMOTED INTO.

TED: IF YOU FOCUS ON THAT OR ARE AWARE OF THAT, ARE YOU NOT PLAYING A DIFFERENT KIND OF GAME?

>> SO THIS IS WHERE I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT POLITICS, TED.

TED: YES.

>> WE NEED TO REDEFINE POLITICS.

MY MOTHER IS A PEDIATRICIAN, AND SEEN A LOT OF FAMILIES, KIDS, MAY, POLITICS HAPPENS ANY TIME YOU HAVE TWO OR MORE PEOPLE IN THE SAME PLACE.

IT'S NATURAL.

IT'S A LITTLE SOCIETY.

WHEN YOU FRAME IT LIKE THAT, YOU REALIZE WE'RE NOT PLAYING GAMES, PLAYING POLITICS, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND OTHER PEOPLE, OUR AUDIENCE AND THEIR CARE AND FEEDING.

TED: YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT BEING AUTHENTIC, YOU HAVE TO STAY AUTHENTIC THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

HOW DO YOU MAKE -- ODD QUESTION, HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE YOU'RE AUTHENTIC?

>> FIRST, YOU START BY REALIZING BY BEING AUTHENTIC DOESN'T MEAN BEING THE SAME ALL THE TIME, AND IT'S NOT AN EXCUSE TO JUST NOT EVER CHANGE.

TED: RIGHT.

>> SO IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE A CLOSET FULL OF CLOTHES.

SOME OF THEM ARE SUITS.

OTHERS ARE SWIM GEAR.

OTHERS ARE BLACK TIE.

THEY'RE ALL AUTHENTIC TO US, BUT THEY'RE SUITABLE FOR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.

THAT'S WHAT I MEAN BY BEING AUTHENTIC.

YOU BRING YOUR MOST APPROPRIATE BEST SELF ALL THE TIME.

YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR VALUES ARE FIRST, AND THEN YOU CAN SET BOUNDARIES AROUND HONORING THEM.

TED: INDEED, IF BOUNDARIES MEANS BEING AUTHENTIC, YOU MAY NOT BE THE ONE WHO RAISES YOUR HAND, THE LOUDEST IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM.

THAT'S YOU?

>> MMM.

TED: THAT'S NOT YOU?

>> THAT'S A VERSION OF YOU.

TED: I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

>> IS THAT A VERSION OF YOU THAT'S GOING TO SERVE YOU WELL IN THAT SITUATION?

IF YOU ARE WANTING TO GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL, WHERE YOU CAN MAKE THAT BIGGER IMPACT BECAUSE THIS BOOK IS FOR GOOD PEOPLE.

NOT PEOPLE TRYING TO GAIN THE SYSTEM.

THE GOOD PEOPLE I'M TALKING ABOUT ARE PEOPLE WHO SINCERELY, DILIGENTLY DO THEIR WORK.

THEY CARE ABOUT PEOPLE.

THEY'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING, AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO OFTENTIMES ARE WATCHING THEIR COLLEAGUES, SOME LESS EXPERIENCED, MAYBE LESS CAPEABLE, START MOVING AHEAD OF THEM.

AND THAT'S NOT FAIR.

THIS BOOK IS ABOUT LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD, NOT PLAYING THE GAME, BUT DECIDING HOW YOU'RE GOING TO NAVIGATE THROUGH AND SHOW UP IN A WAY THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHO YOU ARE AND GET YOU SEEN BY THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE DECISIONS.

TED: YOU GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHICH YOU YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.

YEAH.

CAREER MASTERY, WHAT IS THAT?

>> CAREER MASTERY IS MY PROGRAM.

MY MEMBERSHIP FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO ADVANCE IN THEIR CAREERS IN THIS VERY AUTHENTIC WAY.

IT IS A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCE FOR PEOPLE.

TED: YEAH, AND YOU WORK AT ASU?

YOU HELP ASU WITH LEADERSHIP.

>> I HELP ASU, YES.

I HAVE THE HONOR OF BEING A SENIOR ADVISER FOR LEADERSHIP TO OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY.

TED: WHEN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE.

EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT, EVERYONE IS AUTHENTIC IN THEIR OWN WAY.

IS IT DIFFICULT, SOMETIMES?

YOU CAN'T TELL THE SAME STORY AND GIVE THE SAME LESSON OVER AND OVER.

YOU GOT TO MODEL IT TO THE PEOPLE, DON'T YOU?

>> OF COURSE.

TED: CAN THAT BE A CHALLENGE?

>> SURE, LIFE IS A CHALLENGE, OUR CAREERS ARE A CHALLENGE, AND THAT IS THE ART OF LEARNING TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE YOUR IDEAS.

TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN A WAY SO THAT YOU CAN BE SEEN, HEARD AND RESPECTED.

TED: YEAH.

>> THEY WANT TO LAND THOSE POINTS AND FOR EVERY PERSON.

LIKE YOU SPEAK FRENCH.

WELL, I NEED TO SPEAK THE FRENCH VERSION WITH YOU.

TED: INTERESTING.

>> SOMEONE ELSE SPEAKS CHINESE.

TED: UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING, WHO THE AUDIENCE IS, WHO YOU ARE WORKING WITH, AND GET THE ATTENTION OF THE PEOPLE, WHO THEY ARE?

>> EXACTLY.

YOU NEED TO DO RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, RESEARCH AND RECONNAISSANCE, I WAS SAYING BEFORE THE CARE AND FEEDING OF PEOPLE, WHAT'S GOING TO RESONATE WITH SOMEBODY?

IF YOU CARE ABOUT A PARTICULAR RESULT, LET'S SAY YOU CARE ABOUT MARKET SHARE, ONE OF YOUR BOSSES CARES ABOUT MARKET SHARE.

YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT IT'S MAKING ON MARKET SHARE AS OPPOSED TO THE NEXT PERSON WHO CARES ABOUT INNOVATION.

TED: AND MAKE SURE YOUR VOICE IS HEARD.

MAY BUSCH, THE BOOK IS "VISIBLE."

CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT CAREER AND FOR HELPING PEOPLE.

>> THANK YOU.

.

TED: THE WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL RODEO ASSOCIATION IS CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN TO ROPE AND RIDE IN WHAT HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN A MALE-DOMINATED SPORT.

FOR MORE ON THE HISTORY OF WOMEN IN RODEO, WE WELCOME AMANDA KIMES, OWNER OF KIMES RANCH.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

TED: KIMES RANCH IS ASSOCIATED WITH PROFESSIONAL RODEO HOW?

>> KIMES RANCH IS A CLOTHING INDUSTRY.

WE SHOW UP AND COMPETE AND WE LIVE AND BREATHE IT.

WITH THAT, WE THOUGHT, WHAT A BETTER WAY TO HELP GROW OUR CLOTHING THAN TO REALLY BECOME INVESTED IN THESE WOMEN IN RODEO.

IN DOING THAT, WE'VE BEEN HOSTING EVENTS TO PROMOTE WOMEN IN RODEO HAND IN HAND WITH GROWING THE BRAND AND PROMOTING THINGS EQUINE AND AG RELATED.

TED: THE NEXT EVENT IS NEXT WEEK?

>> NEXT WEEK IS THE SECOND EVENT WE'VE HOSTED.

A MILLION-DOLLAR BREAKAWAY, MILLION DOLLAR PURSE FOR THE WOMEN IN ROPING FIELD.

TED: I IMAGINE THERE ARE PEOPLE SAYING A MILLION DOLLARS FOR WOMEN IN RODEO.

>> UNHEARD OF.

TED: TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE PRO RODEO ASSOCIATION.

HOW DID IT GET STARTED?

BUNCH OF WOMEN IN WEST TEXAS ARE TIRED OF DEALING WITH THIS?

>> THE WOMEN IN RODEO GOING ON 75 YEARS.

IT'S A GREAT EVENT.

BREAK AWAY ROPING IS AN EVENT WE HOST AND IT'S ONLY IN INCEPTION.

IN 2019, IT BECAME A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN IN RODEO.

VERY NEW.

IT'S THE FASTEST GROWING EVENT IN RODEO.

WHY WOULDN'T WE CATER IT?

IN 2022 THERE WAS OVER 500 RODEOS AND CONTINUING TO GROW FROM THERE.

WITH OUR EVENT BEING THE LARGEST PURSE THEY HAVE PAYING OVER A MILLION DOLLARS OVER TEN ROUNDS, IT'S A HUGE EVENT FOR THEM.

TED: BACK IN THE DAY, IT SEEMS FROM WHAT I'VE READ AND REMEMBER, BARREL RACING WAS THE BIG THING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

TED: IS IT STILL A BIG THING?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ANYTHING FEMALE.

WOMEN AND HORSES GOES HAND AND HAND AND BARREL RACING IS AT THE FRONT LINE OF THAT.

BUT BREAKAWAY IS THE FASTEST GROWING, ONE OF THE EASIEST EVENTS TO GET INTO, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE BEEN CATERING OUR TIME TO, YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE, TO THE BREAKAWAY ROPING.

BARREL RACING IS RIGHT THERE AS WELL.

TED: YOU SAY BREAKAWAY, WHAT IS THAT?

>> TWO PEOPLE ROPING THE FRONT END AND THE BACK END OF THE COW.

BREAKAWAY, A YOUNG LADY THROWS THE ROPE, IN UNDER TWO SECONDS BREAKS THE CALF.

THE CALF STOPS RUNNING AND THE HORSE STOPS AND THE TIMER STOPS GOING.

IT'S FAST.

THE WOMEN CAN THROW A ROPE IN TWO HITS AND CATCH THE CALF, I CAN'T DO IT.

TED: THE CALF GETS TO RUN AWAY AND LIVE ANOTHER DAY.

>> IT'S A WONDERFUL EVENT FOR WOMEN TO GET INTO.

TED: BACK TO HISTORY AND RODEO.

75 YEARS AGO, WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR A WOMAN?

>> INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT.

YOU HAVE TO MANAGE YOUR HOUSEHOLD, MANAGE YOUR CHILDREN, MANAGE THE CHORES THAT YOU HAVE AND TRY TO COMPETE AND GO DOWN THE ROAD AT THIS NATIONAL LEVEL WITH MEN THAT AT THAT TIME DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME RESPONSIBILITIES AT HOME THAT WOMEN DID.

THINK ABOUT THE UNFAIR ADVANTAGE THAT THEY HAD.

TED: WHAT ABOUT HOW THEY WERE TREATED?

>> IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT.

THE MONEY WASN'T THERE.

THE STOCK WASN'T AS GOOD.

YOU KNOW, I THINK ONCE THEY WERE THERE, EVERYONE COULD APPRECIATE HOW MUCH EFFORT THEY WERE PUTTING FORTH.

WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A FUN ENVIRONMENT TO BE IN.

TED: BUT THE ASSOCIATION GETS STARTED AND THINGS CHANGE.

>> THINGS CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY.

AT THAT TIME, BARREL RACING WAS THE FASTEST GROWING SPORT THEY HAD, AND IT WAS GREAT FOR THESE WOMEN TO GET INTO IT AND GROAT ASSOCIATION.

TED: AND SOUNDS LIKE, YOU HAD TO START FROM SCRATCH, MAKE GENERAL RULES, MAKE GENERAL POINTS AND STANDINGS SO YOU KNOW WHO IS LEADING AND WINNING.

BASIC THINGS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AT THAT TIME YOU HAVE THE INTERNET, YOU GO TO THE RODEO, EARN YOUR MONEY AND SEE WHAT STANDINGS ARE IMMEDIATELY.

AT THAT TIME IT WAS PAPER AND PEN AND PAD, AND AVAILABILITY TO DATA WAS LIMITED.

TED: IS IT A CHALLENGE TO FIND HOSTS FOR SOME OF THESE EVENTS?

>> NO, NOT ANYMORE.

TED: WHEN DID THAT CHANGE, DO YOU THINK?

>> IN THE PAST 20 YEARS, I THINK YOU HAVE EVENTS LIKE THE NATIONAL FINALS RODEO AND HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND CALGARY STAMPEDE AND SOME OF THE BIGGEST RODEIOS IN THE WORLD.

IT'S VERY EASY NOW FOR THE ATHLETES TO GO EARN THEIR MONEY.

THE WOMEN STILL IN RODEO STRUGGLES.

PAYOUTS ARE NOT THE SAME.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY.

MILLION DOLLARS SOUNDS GREAT, WHAT ABOUT AVERAGE EVENT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK.

>> STILL NOT THERE.

TED: HOW COME?

>> THAT IS A REALLY BROAD QUESTION.

I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT THESE WOMEN NEED TO PAY THEIR DUES THE SAME A MAN DID OVER 75 YEARS AGO.

THEY HAVEN'T EARNED IT ENOUGH YET, AND THAT'S NOT TRUE ANYMORE, AND I THINK THESE WOMEN WORK HARDER THAN MEN DO.

AS A MOTHER AND SOMEONE HAVING MY OWN HOUSEHOLD AND TRYING TO GO DOWN THE ROAD.

THEY WORK HARDER IF NOT DOUBLE HARD THAN THESE MEN DO.

>> I WOULD THINK THAT MIND-SET WOULD BE GONE OVER THE YEARS.

YOU SAY IT'S STILL OUT THERE?

>> ABSOLUTELY STILL OUT THERE.

THE WESTERN HERITAGE IS VERY OLD IN ITS ROOTS AND VALUES, AND IT TAKES A LOT TO CHANGE THE MINDS.

>> STILL TRADITIONAL STUFF, ISN'T IT.

>> UH-HUH.

TED: NEXT WEEK?

>> NEXT WEEK, MILLION DOLLAR BREAKAWAY AT WEST WORLD IN SCOTTSDALE.

MONDAY WITH THE SEMI ROUNDS AND ALL WEEKEND WITH FINAL PERFORMANCES.

THERE IS TICKETS AVAILABLE ON MILLION DOLLAR BREAKAWAY.COM.

YOU CAN COME DOWN EARLY IN THE WEEK.

BRING FAMILY.

A GREAT WAY TO GET RID OF YOUR IN-LAWS OVER THANKSGIVING.

TED: MESSAGE TAKEN.

AMANDA KIMES, KIMES RANCH AND WOMEN IN RODEO.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

TED: AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.