- PNC is proud to support Business Forward, where community leaders discuss the issues confronting business in central Illinois.

(upbeat music) - Welcome to Business Forward.

I'm your host, Matt George.

Another great show, I love it.

Joining me tonight, Adam White.

Adam is the owner of Running Central Outfitters.

Welcome.

- Hey, thanks, Matt.

Good to be here.

- As you know, we were just talking before the show started.

We, we probably could sit and talk for a couple hours on, we're always, we have the same energy level.

- Absolutely.

- [Matt] That's right.

So let's get down to it.

I always like to, to find out where people are from, because I think it tells a story.

Are you from around here?

Or did you move here?

- Born and raised here.

So grew up in Germantown Hills, but always went to school in Peoria, and then left in, when I went to college.

Moved into Colorado, Oregon, back to Colorado, came back here in the early 2000s and greater Peoria has been my home again ever since.

- [Matt] Yeah.

So you've been here 20 years.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

I grew up here and then here 20 years.

So tell us, how did Running Central even come about?

Like what, what made you get into this business?

- That is an interesting question.

- [Matt] That's why I asked it.

(laughs) - It just kind of, I actually fell into it.

- [Matt] Okay.

- I was in a, it was the mid 2000s.

I was struggling.

I was trying to find myself.

Didn't really know which direction to go.

I was doing a little construction.

I was doing a little business stuff, trying to get some entrepreneurs stuff off the ground.

I was doing a little coaching and I was lost, and I reached out, did some soul searching and was trying to figure out when life made sense and I had some good purpose direction in my life.

Not just direction outside, but direction inside.

And the one common thing that I kept coming back to was I was running.

So I reached out to one of the previous owners of the store, Greg white, no relation, but has become like a father to me.

And cause he had a reputation of being coaching, post colligates at the marathon distance.

- [Matt] Okay.

- So I said to Greg, "hey, I don't know if you remember me, but I'd like you to coach me.

I don't care what you charge.

We'll pay whatever you want.

I don't know what I have left in the bag, but I'm coachable."

And he said "okay, what's the goal?"

I said, "the marathon, the Olympic trials."

We had six months to train and I was drinking too much.

I was smoking cigarettes and he said, "okay, we got some work to do."

And the next six months literally began a, it was literal and figurative prodigal journey.

Every step I took every mile that was logged, was a step coming home.

And in the process of that time together, I didn't know, Running Central per se, but I knew I needed to be in the running space in some capacity.

It was a couple months after the Chicago marathon, I was riddled with injuries.

We knew I was going to need several surgeries on my feet.

And we were just kind of buying time until, till I found myself on the operating table.

And it was right before the Philippi four mile race, around Thanksgiving time, it was bitter cold.

It's 20 degrees outside and I'm sitting in his car, waiting for the start and the conversation took this comfortable silence.

And out of nowhere, I looked at him and said, "so when you're going to sell me the store?"

And he looked back and his response was, "you need to make an offer first."

And I, "are you serious?"

"You'd actually entertain that possibility?"

"Yeah, I don't want to keep doing this forever, I got grandkids.

I've got another life, that I want to move into, another chapter."

So a whole butt down the hill, ran through the finish line, called my brother who was at graduate school at the university of Illinois pursuing a JD, And I said, "Ian, we got an opportunity."

And a little over a year later we had the store.

- That is so cool.

- You know, I, I wasn't gonna bring this up, I didn't know what you're going to say, but I don't want to touch on something.

You said you hired him as a coach.

- [Adam] Yeah.

- But you hired him in as an athletic coach, but he actually, it sounds like became a life coach.

- No questions asked, no questions asked and he actually didn't charge me anything.

He said, I don't want any money.

I just, this is what I do.

- [Matt] So he was a mentor?

- Mentor, father figure.

He has coached me in so many facets of life and I am so very grateful to that man and his wife, Janet, their whole family, Danielle and Sean, everyone has been so supportive of everything that I've tried to accomplish over the last 14 years.

So grateful.

- It was meant to be.

- [Adam] It was.

- I mean, think, if you think about that, it's, it's, think about how that now, who you are and who you've become and think about the people now that you influence.

And I think as I get older, I sit here and from a mentoring standpoint and sit here and think it's really our duty now, to do the same thing that people have done for us, because I've had similar mentors and I sit back and I go, I just don't know if I'd ever even be in, close to the space that I'm in right now, mentally, physically in my position, in everything that I do without that mentor.

- 100%.

And, and you hit the nail on the head, how our life journeys changes in the course of professional career, right?

Earlier, you know, there were stages inside my career was that I was thinking constantly about what I wanted to accomplish and for whether it be altruistic purposes or just my own goals and desires, right?

That doesn't, personal desire is not necessarily a bad thing.

But as the career has changed, where I find myself today, really takes on a different shape of no, how can I be of maximum service to others?

Like you said, that becoming the mentor and helping raise others up, because giving what was so freely given to me.

- Yeah.

I'm going to get back to that, but I want to talk about the business.

Your store is more than running, I mean, you just don't have a tennis shoe place, right?

It's not a Footlocker.

- This is true.

This is.

- You have, first of all your team.

- [Adam] Oh, brilliant team.

- I mean, you don't even have to go in, because they know how, they know how to take care of the business.

- They're, they're wonderful.

So grateful.

- So talk about, more than just running.

What does that mean to you?

- Well, first, like you said, it's the team.

We would not have accomplished what we have at our CEO, without the team, those men and women, those who are here now, those who preceded them, who have gone on to other walks in life.

They're, they're the ones who do the work each and every day.

I say that ultimately I'm in the business of raising Eagles and Eagles have to fly.

So a credit where credit's due.

But yeah, so as the business evolved, I looked at the marketplace of our size and what we really wanted to accomplish.

And if we were going to simply be a running store, there wasn't need to be much bigger from a footprint standpoint or a product offering.

But I was more interested in expanding and diversifying the, the foundational elements of the old Running Central with health and wellness.

And so the mission of RC is to help improve people's experience in this journey called life, one step at a time.

And there's lots of different ways to help improve that experience from a health and wellness perspective.

And if we simply limited ourselves to running shoes, running shoes, running shoes, runner, runner, runner, runner, we were missing a lot on the left and the right of that discipline that we could help.

So the apparel, the essentials, preaching a message that running shoes are not just for runners.

They're great for walkers.

They're great for people who are in the trades, who are on hard surfaces, like concrete, the, the health professionals, right.

Teachers, it doesn't matter, if you're on your feet, our feet carry us through life's journey.

And so much of our body's discomfort as we age, directly is, has been influenced by improper footwear.

So if we can take what we know so well with for runners and diversify that and broaden that message, we have a chance to help more people.

- Yeah.

I, I want to tell a story and you may remember this, you may not, because you do do a lot for people in our community, but you know about, I want to say seven, eight years ago, I went to you and I went to your store.

And I said, we have 50 kids, in the system in this, at children's home.

And they've never had a nice pair of tennis shoes.

I, that is, you know, it happens, right?

And so you sit there and go, man, and you, yeah that self reflection of how lucky we are and we can do what we want and this and that.

But in my business, you see just about everything.

And I went to you and I said, I told you a story.

And the next day you met me and you had 50 pairs of tennis shoes for the kids at Youth Farm.

- Yeah.

- Do you remember that?

- Yes, I do.

Yes, I do.

Like it was yesterday.

- It was so cool.

And those kids walked around there and they started doing, they had this little mini Olympics and they started doing this walking paths and all because they'd never had the dream of a good pair of shoes.

Isn't that amazing?

- It is.

It is.

- [Matt] I wanted to tell that story.

So.

- That's why we do what we do.

- [Matt] I'm glad you said that.

It is what you do.

- Yeah.

And if it wasn't for our customers that come in the door each and every day, who support us on such a regular basis, we wouldn't be able to afford the opportunity to make those types of charitable gifts.

But you hit the nail on the head.

Someone's entire perspective on life, how they see themselves and how they navigate throughout a day, something as simple as a pair of shoes, can change everything.

The little things that we can take for granted, as you said, for a lot of us, who've grown up in a much more privileged fashion that can easily overlook some of these small things that actually can be quite huge.

- It's, it's pretty cool.

Tell us about ShaZam Racing.

How did that start?

- ShaZam Racing, so my business partner Brad Henz and I, we're both from Peoria.

He ran at Richwoods, I ran at Notre Dame.

So we're in the same class.

So we competed against each other.

- [Matt] Okay.

- He went to North Central College, I went to Wabash College.

- [Matt] Oh wow.

- We continued to compete against each other, you know.

And it was always a friendly competition between, between us.

So we had a great rapport and out of happenstance, we both found ourselves back in Peoria at about the same time.

And we were at similar points in our prodigal journey.

He was coming back to running.

I was coming back to running.

I was actually coaching Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's team and training.

And he was a participant and we reconnected and I passed the Baton to him.

He started coaching the program, but we continued, he knew that I was then getting into the store and we were passionate about how we could, get more people excited about moving and the sport of running.

- [Matt] Not running, moving.

- Moving.

- [Matt] Yes.

- Moving, getting involved, sharing in the bigger things.

The things that really resonated with us, those that, that comradery, that forward movement, the sense of accomplishment that can come just by putting a goal down on paper and making some progress, right?

And it's not about winning a national championship.

It, it's about personal accomplishment, right?

And that's what we really took away from our experiences, with our distance running.

Although we had both had the privilege of being on very competitive teams.

So we.

- [Matt] At high levels.

- Very high levels.

Yes.

And so we said, we looked at the sport of running and events, as the gateway and avenue to excite and attract more people to be interested in embarking on the journey.

And so we started kicking the can around about, hey, let's create more races, that are fun, that have a different theme to them, that attract more people to the table.

So I got involved with the store and we piggybacked off of RC, to be able to start leveraging certain races.

It started with the main street mile.

And then we came out with a screaming pumpkin, you know, the prediction marathon and the cemetery at the end of the, you know, right before Halloween.

Then we did Detwiler at dark, illuminating Detwiler park in the night cross country.

- [Matt] So cool.

- Right?.

And then it just continued to roll from there.

And then we added the Blarney blitz, the Peoria marathon and the whiskey that, you know, so they just also started layering.

And then we looked at this and we said, Hey, hold on a second.

This really works.

Brad still had his day job.

His dream was to get involved in the sport full-time and we said, we know how to time and score.

And we know what the consumers really want today.

We felt that we had the finger on the pulse and we could leverage technology, of then's today.

You know, 15 years, you had 10 years ago.

And the customer service that we were trying to do at RC.

And we felt that we could create some magic for the community.

So we had the timing equipment, he quit the day job, took the leap of faith and boom ShaZam, here you got it.

(both laugh) - I love it.

I love it.

And so, and it takes creative thinking when having a business, because I want to go back to what we originally started talking about.

It's not a shoe store, nothing you just said to me has anything to do, it, the shoes are just one little piece of it.

- Right.

- It's about, and I on here right now, it says, I put down here, let's talk about getting in shape.

How do you start the journey?

And because as I get older, in my head, I'm still an athlete right.

In my head.

- Right.

- So I played tennis.

You were a runner.

I still think I can play at a high level of tennis, which I know I can't, but I still think I can right.

And so your body, if you have that mentality and that edge as an athlete, you still do what you were wired to do for a long time, but then your body breaks down.

- Correct.

- How do you adjust your body?

Or maybe not even the, not the body, the process to be able to stay in shape or at least start that journey again.

- That's a great question.

And I think that you hit the nail on the head.

It's not that I can't perform at a high level.

It's what does a high level look in an age gradient standpoint point.

- [Matt] That's a great point.

- And that requires me to change my thinking.

And this ties into all things in life that I've learned, my biggest handicap and shortcoming, the handcuffs that I place on myself, my boundaries, oftentimes hinge on old ideas, old ideas about myself, old ideas about the world that I live in, old ideas about everything, right?

And that's not, that, it's not advantageous.

And when I let go of those old ideas and I stay more open, to where I am today, where the world is today around me, and I am more willing to learn and to switch my way of thinking, in my perspective, in my approach to life, then suddenly those doors be of opportunity, present themselves in a much more clear fashion.

So when it comes to the exercise, right, it's about recognizing that I can still run well, in my given case.

But what is a PR, is am I going to limit myself to, because I can't necessarily run as fast as I did when I was 30.

Well, what if all of a sudden I take the advance, the advancements of exercise physiology, and I go to a table that has been outlined, that says actually, Adam, for a male at 45, that if you run, time A, in fact, it's actually much faster than what you ever ran at time, at when you were 30 years old.

But I got to let go of the old idea as to what is the best and what is limiting me back.

And with that then it, well, we were talking earlier, how I train has to adjust because my body is not 30.

And I have to recognize those limitations.

I have to adapt, I have to evolve and I have to be willing to approach training.

- [Matt] Willing.

- Willing.

Willingness has been the key for me in my life's journey.

So many times that I used to think that I was willing and I was, I mistaken it for willfulness.

- Interesting.

- So often.

- And you all can relate to that.

- Yeah.

And when I find myself stuck today, usually, if I pause, I pray, I meditate.

I come back.

I usually find myself stuck, because I think I'm being willing.

But in fact I've mistaken it for willfulness.

- [Matt] Wow.

That's strong.

Interesting.

Yeah, and, and, and, you know, you, you sit here and I put it this way.

You don't have to go a hundred percent to get moving.

I mean, there's programs out there, there's seniors programs, silver sneakers, and those types of programs, you can do simple things.

- [Adam] Absolutely.

- Even moving your arms to, to get back to getting that blood flowing.

And it, it it's all up hear, isn't it?

- 100%, what am I willing to ask for help?

Am I willing to say, I am open, to whatever my body will allow me to do today?

And just because I might not be able to do some things today doesn't mean that I won't be able to down the road, if I do some other things in the moment right now, it's a journey and it's progress that we can make.

So you're exactly right.

- [Matt] Yeah.

- A lot of people give up, because we want to be at the finish line before we've ever even stepped to the starting line, right?

And you say, if I can't have this, whatever the this is, that I put out in front of me as that end goal, now, well, I'm just not going to bother with it at all.

And that, ah, I wasn't meant to do this.

My body's not designed to do that.

It's just not worth it.

Well, back to again, when I usually get in that mentality, it looks like I'm being pretty willful and not willing and open.

I want it my way, rather than really accepting where it is today and being moving forward, through the process that I am afforded today.

- Pretty interesting.

And how much does being an athlete, a collegiate athlete, play into the competitiveness and drive that you have?

- It's a blessing and a curse.

- It's both.

Isn't it?

- Yeah.

- That's kind of where, where, when you were spiraling, I did the same thing.

You sit here and you, you become lost at times because you, and it kind of ticks you off, because you are so competitive in certain, for so many years that you think you should win or that drive each time and you get your legs chopped off from under you.

- Exactly.

It's very easy.

And in my case, I started building an identity, without, it was, this happens on a very subtle subconscious level for me.

And I don't think I'm much different than a lot of people who've competed at a high level, that whole identity and self-awareness, self identification was built around Adam as a competitive runner.

And all of a sudden when I couldn't do certain things, found myself lost, well then who the heck am I?

And is it, is it worth it at all?

- [Matt] Yeah.

- Right?

And that's where an old idea, that I have to let go of to find out who I can be and am today.

- Do you find that you being the people person that you are, and a lot of people come through your business, do you find that it's your job when you hear this, sometimes pessimistic thread that, that goes through our community and all communities, not just ours, but you hear this negativity here and there.

And do you sit there and feel like it's your duty because of the platform that you have, to to change that attitude?

- Goodness gracious.

You hit the nail on the head.

It is so aggravating.

The, the negative tone that society has, is embracing today.

And yes, I, I think, and I am torn.

What, when is the right time to stand up?

- [Matt] That's right.

- You know, what is the right platform to stand on?

How loud should the megaphone be?

Et cetera.

(Matt laughs) Right?

You know, so you better believe it.

But I do think that more, that to those of us who don't see it that way, who live in a more optimistic tone, the, that is the umbrella of our existence, right?

Who are in positions of influence.

We have to continue to challenge ourselves to find the appropriate times to use our voice and our sphere of influence to, address the voice of discontent.

- [Matt] Yeah.

- Because it is not helping us, right?

And if I choose to be silent, well last time I checked, no vote is a vote in the affirmative.

And there's a lot of the raising of their hands when saying, let's just continue to be poopy about everything, right?

(Matt laughs) You know, let's just continue to throw on, you jump on the bandwagon of anger, you know, contempt, downtrodden, this pessimism, et cetera.

And that's not how I was raised.

And that is not the world that I believe that was created for us to enjoy and to magnify, so yeah.

- Yeah.

My, my son is nine and we're driving a couple of days ago to baseball pro.

It was Sunday and we're driving to a baseball practice.

And he said, "dad, I heard this.

One of my teachers talk about how she doesn't like Mondays.

Why don't people like Mondays?"

And I said, "bud I go, I start off every week on fire, I'm ready to rock and roll."

I said, "Mondays might be my favorite day."

And he goes, "well, why is that?"

And I said, "because it's our job to start the week off right, every day is a great day."

And it's funny because he's picking up on this.

- Yes.

- And that's a negative thread.

- Yes.

- And it is our job, whether it's our own kids or it's our community.

And we both have a voice in the community, one of thousands.

- [Adam] Right.

- But we need to use that voice the right way.

- Absolutely.

And that, that finding that discernment as to what is the right way, the advantageous way, that is not alienating, but is actually bringing everybody together.

And that doesn't mean that in using the voice, some people aren't going to get upset with a message that comes across.

- [Matt] Oh yeah.

- But it is the right message and the right tone for the right reasons.

So there's a lot of discernment that needs to be placed.

And I think that that's one of the things that challenges some leadership is, there's a lot of questions as to how to do that.

And fear can start paralyzing me, because that negative voice can get really loud these days.

Right?

- [Matt] Yeah.

- So all the things that I got to check myself with.

- Yeah.

We all have to check ourselves with, but I, you know, I, I love to tell them the story earlier about what you did and your family and everything that you do.

You have a, not only a great business, but I love small business.

I love that entrepreneurship mind that you have, you do good things.

You're a good man.

Keep it up and keep going.

- Thank you.

- And if you ever need anything too, and you can find me, but I know where to find you because you're there to help the kids so.

- Thanks brother.

- All right, man, thanks so much for coming on.

- Appreciate it.

Thank you.

- All right.

Well, I'm Matt George, and this is another episode of Business Forward.

(upbeat music) - Thank you for tuning in to Business Forward, brought to you by PNC.