← Becoming UnDone
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- [00:04]
Idris Haroun
This is becoming undone. It was. It was tough, right, because there were highs and lows. You know, I was always a tweener, right, Like, I was. I was always a guy that was. I didn't really have the stats of a Joe Tafoya or a Teddy Bruski. I had a solid year. I was all conference, but the NFL didn't really know. Didn't really see where I fit in. But in the end, you know, draft day came and it went and, you know, nobody was calling over a free agent contract. So the first call was the Canadian Football League. So I had a lot of success. And then, you know, the cold came and then the injuries came. I didn't know how to play with. Everything's turf in Canada is on natural field. So it was just the environment, my body, it was just a combination of things. I got hurt. And then eventually, you know, they kept me around on the practice roster, but then they eventually signed some more guys, and then, you know, they kind of weeded me out. No, I'm different. I tried to quit every day. Difference is, what people need to understand is having multiple voices in your head is a healthy thing. You're not crazy. I encourage everyone to have multiple voices in their head. And this is, for me, this is what works. I have a voice in my head that says, drees, what the heck are you doing? Quit now. Go back to your corporate America job, please. Then I have another voice in my head that says, drease, don't quit. Don't give up. Don't ever give up. Right? And that's the coach told me, right? And that's the coach told me, that was the mentality. But for me, for me, I think I was able to treat the real world like my NFL. And once I was able to switch that mentality, like, you know what I'm tired of saying I should have been. I should have did. I should be there. I'm going to switch my mentality and say, you know what? I'm going to treat the real world like it's my NFL. And this worked out for me. I am Idris Haroun, and I am Undone.
- [01:50]
Toby Brooks
Hey, friend. I'm glad you're here. Welcome to yet another episode of Becoming Undone, the podcast for those who dare bravely risk mightily and grow relentlessly. I'm Toby Brooks, a speaker, author, professor, and performance scientist. I spent much of the last two decades working as an athletic trainer and a strength coach at the professional, collegiate and high school sports setting. And over the years, I've grown more and more fascinated with what sets high achievers apart and how failures that can suck in the moment can end up being exactly the push we needed to propel us on our paths to success. Each week on Becoming Unknown, I invite new guests to examine how high achievers can transform from falling apart to falling into place. I'd like to emphasize that this show is entirely separate from my role at Baylor University, but it's my attempt to apply what I've learned and what I'm learning and to share with others about the mindsets of high achievers. You know, over the years, I've been blessed to work with lots of athletes who were not only great players, they were great people, too. If you've listened to the show in the past, you know I did a deep dive on the life lessons and legacy of the late coach Dick Tellme, and I didn't know it at the time, but I got to work with the team as a graduate associate athletic trainer in what would be coach's final season at Tucson in 2000. Although that team never quite lived up to expectations, it was a season I'll forever be thankful for. Although I got to Tucson in 1998 and I helped out with the team for the 98 and the 99 seasons, 2000 was my first full season assigned exclusively to a major D1 football program as a certified athletic trainer, and there were some cool perks that came along with that, at least in my mind. The travel, a big bag full of Nike gear, tons of learning.
- [03:38]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
But above all else, I got to.
- [03:40]
Toby Brooks
Serve a talented group of people who genuinely cared for one another and a coaching staff that loved them and loved us. Team had several players who would go on to pro careers during my time in Tucson. Now familiar names like Lance Briggs and Dennis Northcutt, Marcus Bell and drunk candidate Brandon Malumaliuna all played in the NFL. And there were others who played in other leagues, like past guest Brad Brinnett, who played in Japan, and today's guest Idris Haroun, who played in the Canadian Football League. How cool it was for me just a few months later to be teaching in a college classroom at utep, telling stories about patients I'd worked with just a season before who are now in pro sports. Not violating any HIPAA at the time. I promise I loved it. However, not every transition is a smooth one. I missed my team. I missed my co workers. I missed being under the leadership of a head coach who was one of the finest leaders I'd ever be blessed to serve. And it wasn't just me. From coaches to players to staff members, it's safe to say that everyone from that Wildcat team that I've spoken to since has described a similar feeling of grief for the loss of what was and for all involved, an incredible part of our young lives. When Adrisa Room first stepped onto the University of Arizona campus as a young defensive lineman, he carried the weight of expectations his own, his family's, and the systems that had promised football could be a golden ticket. And for a while, it was. From the brotherhood of Dick Thomey's locker room to the cold, hard fields of the cfl, the Dries chase the game with grit, heart and humility. But what happens when the roar of the crowd fades and the jersey no longer defines you? In this episode of Becoming Undone, we talk about what it means to let go of the only identity you've ever known and how to build something even better in its place. From humble beginnings in inner city Houston to founding a thriving logistics company built on purpose and people, Adri shares the brutal truth of transition, the power of discipline, and the quiet heroism of not quitting, even when the voice in your head tells you you should. This is a story of reinvention, resilience, and redefining what it means to win. I hope you'll enjoy my conversation with Adris arun in episode 148. Let's get into It.
- [06:01]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Greetings and welcome back. Becoming Undone is a podcast for those who dare bravely risk mightily and grow relentlessly. Join me, Toby Brooks, as I invite a new guest each week where we can examine how high achievers can transform from falling apart to falling into place. Today's guest knows what it means to chase a dream, to live it, and then face the question of what comes next. I first met Adris Aroun when he was a standout defensive lineman at the University of Arizona and I was a lowly graduate assistant athletic trainer. But Adris has carved out a name for himself, not only on the football field, but as an entrepreneur. But like so many high performers, his journey didn't stop at the final whistle today. He owns and operates a business. He's a husband, he's a dad. He's redefining what strength looks like on the field and navigating everything off of it. So without further ado, Adris, thanks so much for joining me today.
- [06:50]
Idris Haroun
Thanks for having me, Toby. This is a great platform. This is a story that needs to be told. And this. And, you know, there's, there's. There's something heroic about it. Everybody needs a hero Especially in today's climate. And, you know, I think you're providing a platform for athletes to really tell their story. But give. Give hope. Give hope to a lot of ex athletes out there that are going through this tough transition.
- [07:15]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Yeah. Well, I appreciate that. You're looking sharp in your U of A gear. So that's where our paths first crossed. Let's take it way back. Even before then, though, what did you want to be growing up and why?
- [07:26]
Idris Haroun
Yeah, you know, I grew up. I grew up in the inner cities of Houston, Texas. You know, fortunate to have a beautiful mother and father in my life throughout my whole life, and a big family, you know, siblings, two older brothers, younger sister, all in a small space. All in a small little space in Houston. And we didn't have much, but we had each other. You know, we had discipline from the pops and loves from the moms, a good balance. And so, you know, it was really, the sky's the limit. You know, our parents told us we could be whatever we want we wanted to be. And, you know, to be quite honest, you know, with limited resources and a lot of siblings, there was a lot of anger issues that I had growing up, fighting with my siblings and mad because of the conditions that we had. And I was just a mad kid, angry. And until I found football, football was my cure. Football was my savior. And it just gave me an outlet, a place to release a lot of the aggression. And so once I put the helmet on at, you know, 10 years old, it was hard to take it off. And so, you know, I just did it as something to do as, you know, as to keep me busy and to stay out of trouble. But when I started getting those letters from schools, my sophomore junior in high school, I was like, oh, I could probably go to college and get an education with this. And so focusing more on that in high school and then, you know, people telling me how good I was and, you know, the NFL is. Is I'm destined to be in the professional, right? I'm destined. You know, from a young age, people tell you, you're going to the NFL, you're going to the NFL. So, of course, it's like, for young kids, it's like, I'm going to be an NFL player.
- [09:01]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Right.
- [09:02]
Idris Haroun
And that's just what I told myself. I'm going to be an NFL player. And all the way up until high school and through college until. Until I wasn't an NFL player.
- [09:10]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Yeah, I think that's such an interesting perspective because that drive to be at the highest level would take you further than if you just to be a standout on my high school team. But the darker side of that is if you don't achieve that, no matter how far it takes you, it can still feel like failure. And so we'll dig into that a little bit later. But first of all, in my introduction, I didn't include all of all of your flowers, so to speak. I mean, you were there for the best season in school history in 1998. You were also there for coach Tomi's final season and kind of his unceremonious let go. And that season was just so close to being a great season, but it ended up being a disappointment. So when you first showed up in Tucson, I spent a lot of time on this show kind of dissecting Dick Thomey and what he means to people and how he connected people from all different cultures. You know, we got this, this little fiery white guy from rural Indiana and he's bringing together Polynesians and, you know, a guy from inner city Houston and Clay Hart from Tucson. I mean, people from all different walks of life and they are a brotherhood. They are connected in a way that I don't think we see anymore in this day and age. But 18 year old drew showing up in Tucson, what was the aesthetic? What were you listening to? What would your teammates and friends say about young you on campus at U of A?
- [10:36]
Idris Haroun
I was, I was very young and I was. There was a. What's interesting is I didn't know that Arizona was ranked 10th in the country in Playboy as one of the top party schools. Right. So I came from a very religious household. I came, I was raised Muslim in a Muslim household. Very strict. And so going from a very strict Muslim household to the 10th ranked party school in the country was. Oh, it was awesome, right?
- [11:04]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Being.
- [11:05]
Idris Haroun
Being 18, everything was so new. Everything was so green. To me, the, the landscape, right, the mountains and the heat and it's just the palm trees and it was just. All of it was different. You know, I had a chance to stay home. I was recruited by Texas A and M, I was recruited by Kansas State University. I took trips there. But there was just something about Tucson that attracted me. And I'm a southern boy. I'm. I like the heat. So, you know, the heat was, was where it was and you know, 12 months out of the year walking around in shorts and flip flops. But it was Tomi. It was Tomi. Like, it was, it was, you know, the recruiter for Texas A and M walked into my house, you know, the recruiter from Kansas State walked into my house, but when coach told me walked into my house, it was different. And it was different because coach told me knew how to relate to those kids who had dads, right? I, I had a fan. He was walking in houses as single parent moms, right? So he knew, he was walking in, you know, all kinds of houses. A lot of Polynesians on our team. He was, he was walking into a lot of households. So he knew how to deliver the message to the dads, right? Moms, the message to the moms, they just want to know that their boy's taken care of, right? Fed, are they, can they clean their clothes, are they eating right? But dads, right? He knew how to touch the dads. And he did. He sat down with my dad, he took his shoes off, he sat in the living room, he explained to my dad the benefits of Arizona. But you know, the culture and the brotherhood and you know, all the things that dads want to hear, right? Yeah. And then he got all to the bells and whistles and all that, all the perks, all that. He didn't spend a lot of time on that. He talked out, he talked about the brotherhood, he talked about the coaching staff, the family oriented atmosphere and, you know, and that was it. That was it. And for me, family was the biggest value. I grew up in a big family and a small space, so family was everything for me. And so to answer your question, arriving in Tucson and being in that room with 120 guys and everybody was just coming out of the same type of environment, right? You know, inner city kids, Polynesian kids, three star, four star, scrappy kids. We didn't really have a lot of five star kids, right? There wasn't egos, we didn't have. Coach Tomi didn't. If you had an ego, you're not coming to Arizona. You know, if you're a flashy guy, you know, I mean, yeah, we had, LA guys are flashy. We had, you know, I'm not going to name their names, but we had LA guys that were like, wow, they.
- [13:31]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Know who they are, they know who they are.
- [13:34]
Idris Haroun
You probably had them on the show. But no, he goes, right. And so just that, that day we reported, I remember my parents, we packed up our little Toyota Camry, we drove to Tucson and I just remember being dropped off at the hotel, like right off of, on the corner there, off of Campbell, and we all just reported there. And then from there we went to Camp Cochise and we spent three weeks in the middle of nowhere in the desert and like, what the hell are we doing here? It was like Mars.
- [14:00]
Toby Brooks
For Adris, Tucson was a stark departure from his modest upbringings in inner city Houston. The mountains and the heat of the Tucson desert were a far cry from the sweltering humidity and near sea level of home. But they provided Adris with two things that were critical to the next stages of his growth, opportunity and community. Arizona was only a few seasons removed from the famous Desert Swarm defenses and their peak in the early 90s. But those Arizona defenses of the late 90s were serious too, and regularly ranked in the top 10 in the nation statistically. But also the Wildcats offered community, dare I even say family. Part of the reason for that success on defense was the way the defense swarmed to the football and not only created turnovers, but celebrated them famously. One of coach's five keys to victory was to win the turnover battle. And as a defensive lineman, Adris was on one end. And future NFL or roommate and friend Joe Tafoya, who you'll hear about in a minute, brought the pressure from the other side. And while sometimes a bit uncomfortable at first and sort of awkward at times, the way that coaching staff built community and brotherhood 20 plus years ago is something I've heard players on those teams reference how they lead in their homes, their workplaces, their businesses and their communities today. For Adris, it was exactly what a young, talented and impressionable young athlete needed. But it didn't always mean that it was easy or enjoyable.
- [15:24]
Idris Haroun
But it was. I mean, it was, I was just, I was just very open, very green. And you know, and then the competition, right, like these guys were big and fast. It hit. And so it was, you know, it was a learning experience really quick, right?
- [15:40]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Well, it was definitely a different era in college football. And you show up on campus and you're, you're there for the duration, you're going to grow and you're going to enter as a Wildcat and hopefully end as a Wildcat. And Coach Tomy's famous for a lot of Tomy isms, but one is the team. The team, the team. And so for a young kid coming out of Houston from modest means who has dreams of playing in the NFL, the team, the team, the team may be a little bit different, and he was able to kind of take those personal aspirations and mold them into team goals. You were there to witness the high and the low, really, of his career and the release. And after that 2000 season, you get an opportunity to play professionally. What did that. Seeing him navigate those Highs and lows and those extremes and the energy he brought together to. To practice, what did that teach you as a man that you've seen kind of carry over into even your work today?
- [16:37]
Idris Haroun
So I have a lot of stories. Coach told me stories. But one of my favorite is when I was freshman, sophomore year. So your point of the team? The team, the team. This is. This is when I learned that lesson. So my freshman year, I think it was my freshman year, and I started skipping classes. And so I thought, you know, hey, skip class. Go hang out. Go do something else. No big deal. But it was a big deal. And it was so much a big deal that I show up to practice one day, and we line up for our normal warmups, and there's 120 guys out there. And Coach Tomi gets up and he says, hey, guys, before we start warmups today, I need to point something out to you guys. Drees, Haroon, come up to the front.
- [17:19]
Toby Brooks
Oh, no.
- [17:19]
Idris Haroun
I'm looking around like, oh, okay. Did I win something?
- [17:22]
Arnold Schwarzenegger (quoted)
Yeah, I would.
- [17:24]
Idris Haroun
To get called out about to win an award. I get up in front and he was like, idris Haroun thinks it's cute to skip class. So what we're going to do is. And they brought out a chair and put it right in front of me. Idris is going to sit in this chair and watch 119 of you guys pay for him skipping class. Oh, no. And the next thing I know, I'm looking around and everybody's looking at me. And then there's these things called up downs, right? And so you're jogging in place, and then the coach blows the whistle and he says, hit. And you hit the ground and do. Basically you're doing like a burpee or something. You're hitting the ground and popping back up, hit up and down, up and down. And it's, It's. It's the worst. And after about 50 or 60 of those, you're. You're gone. You're done. And coach is going and going, and I'm. I'm trying to do them with the guys to show them, like, oh, I'm so sorry, guys. I. I didn't mean to put you in this situation. Coach Tommy gets me, puts me right back into the chair. He says, no, you're gonna watch. You're gonna watch this. And so 119 guys paying the price of me skipping class was the first lesson about being a man that he taught me. He taught me many lessons. But the first lesson, and after that, it was A one. And then afterwards he got up, he hugged me, and he was like, we're one fail, all fail dries. One fail, all fail mentality. This is how we're gonna operate. One fail off fail. And I never forgot that. Yeah, I skipped a couple classes here and there. I got, you know, I learned the system, I figured it out. But that was the first lesson that coach told me, really taught me about life. Because when he coached us, he coached us, he had to perform on the field, but he was preparing us for life. And that's, that's what I love about him. We'll be back after a quick break.
- [19:08]
Toby Brooks
Turn any document or link into a private audiobook. No subscriptions. Try with audio on your Mac or PC. That's desktop. Weird audio. 100% local AI, no cloud, no tracking. Convert URLs, PDFs, and ePubs into high quality audio with audio. Try it at desktop with audio.
- [19:39]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
That's tremendous. That's a powerful lesson and one especially that young in your career to see seniors and fifth year guys have to pay the price for. You certainly left a mark. So that 2000 season ends. Unceremonious defeat. I don't. Were we on the road at asu?
- [19:59]
Idris Haroun
I think that was a home game.
- [20:01]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
It was a home game.
- [20:02]
Toby Brooks
Yeah.
- [20:02]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Two years in a row we lost asu. But either way, your career at Arizona is done. What's your mentality like? Not necessarily in that locker room, but you're, you're still firmly committed to this goal of playing professional football. Talk me through what the closure of your college career was like and where you were at mentally.
- [20:21]
Idris Haroun
It was, it was tough, right? Because, because, you know, it was. There were highs and lows. You know, we, we played in a very unique defense. It was an Eagle flex defense. We had, we had. You know, you see a lot of it in the, in college and in NFL now where these guys are kind of jumping in the gaps and coming up on the linebackers are in the gaps, you know, in between the center and the guards. And then they're moving Michael Parsons, you know, they're moving back and forth. Like we were doing that in the 90s. And you know the scheme we were in. Teddy Bruski, when I was getting recruited, they showed me highlight tape to Teddy Brusky. Everybody knows Teddy Brusk. So when coach told me was like getting to the football portion of it, he was like, hey, you can be like this guy. This is the guy you're replacing. You're coming to Arizona to replace this guy. And So I was like, oh, that, that this guy is getting 22 sacks a year. Like, this guy's an all American, you know, like, yeah, I want to do that. And so when we got to the Arizona, our scheme was a little different, and it really was built for our linebackers, right? And we, and that was the humbling part is when I got to, when Kansas State and Texas A and M were recruiting me, they're like, you're going to be the guy. When we got to Arizona, they were like, no, Lance Briggs, he's going to be the guy. Marcus Bell, Deshaun Pope, Antonio Pierce. Everybody knows Antonio Pierce. We were linebacker. You, like, our linebackers went to the NFL. Eddie Bruski was different. We had defensive lineman that went to the NFL, but primarily it was our linebackers were supposed to go to the NFL and they let it be known. And so with our scheme, it was very unique. And so we had a lot of success in our. We, even though we had losing seasons, the defense was always top 10. We were always top 10. Even in our last year that you're. You're speaking about, we were top 10 definition. And so we got a lot of recognition for that. My roommate in college, Joe Tafoya, which made my college experience ever even better because he was on one end, I was on the other, right? He had the wide side, I had the short side. We used to flip flop. He was my roommate, he was my best friend. And we competed against each other, we fought against each other. We would fight over cereal in the house. We were just so competitive. And in the end, he got drafted to the NFL. And so testament to just, you know, you know, the hard work and dedication that we put into it. But I was always a tweener, right? Like, I was, I was always a guy that was. I didn't really have the, the, the stats of a, of a Joe Tafoya or a Teddy Bruski. I had a solid year. I was all conference, but the NFL didn't really know, didn't really see where I fit in. And so I had a lot of interest from, like, Tampa Bay. Coming out my senior year, I had private workouts with them. They were the, the team that was most interested, the Cardinals. But in the end, you know, draft day came and it went and, you know, nobody was calling over a free agent contract. So the first call was the Canadian Football League. And it was thanks, thanks to our defensive line coach, Marty Long. Coach Long, who had connections up there. And it was the Hamilton Tiger Cats that signed me to, you know, a free agent contract.
- [23:10]
Toby Brooks
There's a thread here that if you've joined me on this journey with other guests, you've heard before, and I think it's one worth pulling at because it can teach us a lot about the Razor's edge between high achievement and the darker side of disappointment. Idris has, in his own words, a pretty good year, which concludes a pretty good career at Arizona. A bit undersized to be an NFL defensive lineman, a little too big to be an NFL linebacker. Scouts gave him a look, but ultimately pass on him come draft weekend and the flurry of free agent signings that tend to follow. So that's the bad news. But the good news is that defensive line coach Marty Long, who had himself coached in the CFL previously, made some calls and Idris got an opportunity to play in the Canadian Football League. And that's the good news. You'll hear me rattle off some stats in a minute, but what you hear in the interview is a man conflicted. On one hand, he'd failed to achieve the goal he'd been working for since around the age of 10, to play in the NFL. On the other, he was a professional athlete, playing the game he loved and getting a paycheck to do it. So often when we set our sights on the highest goals, even when we get remarkably close, it can feel like defeat. Maybe you just missed out on that dream job you were hoping for. Or maybe your manuscript didn't get accepted in your dream journal, but it was picked up somewhere else the world would try to tell us. Heck, even we try to tell us that we failed, when the truth is that we've done what few others could ever even claim. For Idris, it was the bittersweet feeling of achieving a goal, but also not all at the same time. But it wouldn't keep him from making the most of his opportunity up north of the border. Despite it all, it was a wise decision made during the spring of his senior year that would lead him to not only play pro football, but also graduate from the U of A.
- [24:59]
Idris Haroun
And so, you know, as disappointing as it was for me, I took. I looked at it as another opportunity to compete. And I took my talents up north. And for that first six months, I was destroying those guys. And then the snow came.
- [25:17]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
But.
- [25:17]
Idris Haroun
But it was a transition where it allowed me to continue to play. It allowed me to chase down my goal, my dreams. I met a lot of guys in the same, on the same path as me, and, you know, there were guys that I played with that ended up transitioning back to the NFL. So they had great careers in Canada and transitioned back into the NFL. But for me, I did two years and then I was done. I. Injuries, I, you know, I dealt with injuries. I didn't understand the cold in Canada and I didn't know how to play in it. And so luckily for me, you know what, I want to even back up a little bit. Toby. I graduated, right? And that's one of the things I brag about the most, was I remember, I remember specifically being in the locker room with Antonio Pierce, Brandon Malamalliuna, Joe Tafoya, and there was another. There was someone else coming out that year, and we were trying to figure out, do we want to finish class or do we want to just go all in and pursue the NFL? It was a real discussion with us. And you know, Antonio Pierce and those guys, Brandon Mollymaniana, Joe Tafor, they, you know, they all went to the NFL, obviously, but some of us chose to stay in school and commit, and some of us chose to pursue the NFL. Right? And, and so those that chose to pursue the NFL, obviously, they, they, they had great careers. But for me, I, I didn't have that. I didn't have that strong commitment from any NFL team. So I had to play it safe. So I had to finish school. And so I was still carrying a full load. But I graduated, right? I walked across the street, walked across the stage with my degree. So when Canada was over for me, I didn't have to continue to chase Canada. Canadian football, arena football. I felt so bad for my guys that were chasing it, right. Because they didn't have their degrees. And so I didn't have to chase arena football and all that. I was like, you know what? I have my degree. I'm going to enter the workforce. Yeah.
- [27:04]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
So many high achievers that I've had on this show have told me about their regret of not giving themselves even just a moment to kind of take it in. I mean, for you to pull that Tiger Cats jersey on for the first time and think, I'm a professional football player, those dreams that that young Adris had back in Houston had come true. Maybe not in the way you thought, maybe not in a Cowboys uniform or I don't know who your team was back in the Oilers or Texans or whatever, to take that in, in some ways is almost like it somehow dilutes or pollutes the striving to be your best. Like you're not going to rest on your laurels. Okay, so, so taking a moment to take it in in that moment seems counterproductive. But being so consumed with that next level can kind of eat you alive. Less than. I did a little research before, less than 8% of high school players play collegiately at any level. That's not to say PAC 10 and D1, 8%. Less than 2% of them play professional football. So by any metric, you are the best of the best. What was your mindset in Canada? Did you feel like you had achieved long held goals? Were you trying to get back and prove people wrong to make it into the NFL? Or where were you at psychologically with this? Some would say like, I made it, but there was like an asterisk in my mind that I didn't quite make it.
- [28:29]
Idris Haroun
Yeah, exactly, exactly. You know, you want to be grateful. You do, you want to be grateful. But it was like, you know, you knew this wasn't it and it was a pass through. And so, you know, lucky for me, I came from a pass rushing conference. And the Canadian Football League is pass rushing. It's three downs, first down, second down, punt. And so you're likely going to pass on first down, you're likely going to pass on second down. So it's, you know, it's. You're doing a lot of pass rush. So for a defensive end, a pass rushing. And it was actually a great opportunity. And so immediately. And then, you know, with, with our style of defense at Arizona and having Teddy Bruski, we had these, we had martial arts instructors that were at our practice teaching us different hand placements and things. And so I brought that to Canada and they, they never saw that before. And so very quickly I separated myself during the preseason and then I made the team as a practice squad player. And then the first game, the starter got hurt and here I go. And then, so as soon as I step in. Joe Munford was the top defensive end in Canada at the time. He's a Michael Parsons, right? Like, he' Michael Parsons of the Canadian Football League. And he happened to be on the opposite end of me and so very different. Right. He didn't care about me. He didn't show me nothing. He was, he was like. It was very different from like coach Tommy's experience. He was like, you stay over there, you get your own stacks. I'm not helping you. So. But I was competing really against him. I wasn't competing against any of the other defensive ends in the cfl. I had the best one on my team. And so that in my competitive nature, my performance, that when I, when I stepped in as a Starter. After my first game, I had two sacks against Toronto and then went over to Winnipeg. Another sack, another tackle for loss. I was doing stuff that they never saw before. You know, these little Canadian running backs are running around and they got the ball hanging all out, trying to be cute and I'm, I just knocked the ball out, pick it up and take off running like, you know, like, it was just to me, Canadian football, like, I want to be respectful, but it's not American football. Right, right. And so I went up there and I let them know, like you, you know, Canadians don't start playing until high school. Like I was playing since fourth grade. And so, you know, Americans excel in the Canadian Football League because of that. We just have a, we have an earlier start. And so I had a lot of success. I had a lot of success. And then, you know, the cold came and then the injuries came. I didn't know how to play with. Everything's turf in Canada is on natural field. So it was just the environment, my body, it was just a combination of things. I got hurt. And then eventually, you know, they kept me around on the practice roster, but then they eventually signed some more guys and then, you know, they kind of weeded me out. And so, you know, it was psychologically having to, you know, move back home and live in your parents house after having all of this success was devastating, right? It was, it was my first. I'm 48 years old now, so from the time I left Canada to now, I've had devastating moments in my life, but I don't look at them as devastating, but blessings because it was always a transition period I was going through and because of what I experienced in the coach told me ERA allowed me to get through these devastating situations. But this was one, this was one where you're on such a high and then you have to go home and live with your parents. And here we go. Like, you know, like nobody's patting you on the back anymore. You know, your dad's like, son, you can still play. Go out there and run some laps. And I'm like, dad, I'm done. Right? But dealing with that transition was difficult. But luckily I was able to start my career in the workforce and start transitioning into a whole new life.
- [32:00]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Yeah, that's a great segue into where I want to go next. When I reached out to you, I said I was looking for an edge rusher with entrepreneurial skills. And you transitioned from the field to business. I think for a lot of folks, whether it's collegiately trying to make it into professional sports or for professional athletes trying to get one more contract or one more extension, it can be kind of a blurry end. You don't know for sure that I'm done. I'm officially done. They're always kind of holding out hope that there's another opportunity. For others, it's just a clear break, like, I'm done and I'm moving on to the next thing. You've transitioned from the field to business. You've earned your mba. Along the way, you've started multiple businesses. So kind of talk me through what those years following pro football was like for you and how that experience up to that point helped prepare you for the journey ahead for what people would say on paper, like, how is, how is playing professional football going to help you start a business? But in many ways there, there are some skills that definitely carry over. So talk me through that transition for you.
- [33:03]
Idris Haroun
Lots of, lots of transferable skills. Lot, lots of transferable skills. And it, and it's, and it's, and it's interesting because now, now I'm at a level where, you know, I'm at a, I'm at an executive level in my, in my, in my, my, my real full time job. I have a full time job and I have a business. I know we'll get to that. But I'm at the executive level of my full time job and I'm sitting in the room with other executive level folks who graduated from Harvard and Yale and Princeton and all these fancy schools, sat in front of the class, raised their hand a lot, but I wasn't that guy, right? Like, I was the athlete, but I outperformed these guys. And I've always said the people that I've managed over the years, I tell them all the time it's not, you know, book smarts will only get you so far. You know what I mean? Like, and I'm raising my kids the same way. Like book smarts will only get you so far. Like, yeah, we want A's and B's, but C's, you know, that's okay, right? Like C's are okay, but at the end of the day it's, you know, common sense that gets you to the executive level, to the C suite level, right? It's, you know, it's discipline, it's grit, tenacity and that never give up attitude. And I mean, all those things that we experience in college, all those things we experience in sports, I don't care if you're a swimmer, a golfer, I don't all of those highs and lows, waking up at six in the morning, the training, the effort, the blood, sweat and tears, all of that gets you to the C suite. Not because you made A's and were on honor roll. Yeah, that helps. That does. But Fortune 500 companies want leaders and decision makers, right? They don't care if you were on this, on the sea, on a roll, if you were a leader and a decision maker, if you could lead people. Leading people is the most unrecognized skill there is out there, and that's what companies want. Can you lead people? And leading people comes from your coaches, right? Like that comes from, you know, your parents, if you have parents, but it comes from your coaches. The beauty of having coaches in your life, you see great examples of leaders at a young age. You know, our coaches, they're yelling and screaming. Coach Tommy used to yell and scream and he was a little guy, he used to grab me and shake me and you know, he used to come up to this high, but he used to yell and scream and, you know, and throw things. But at the end of the day, he'll come and hug you, you know, he'll say, sit down with you. You know what I mean? So like we, we learn, though, we learn those things early on. And so when it's time to transition into the real, real world, you don't forget those things. And so, you know, I think for me, as I started transitioning into the workforce, I've always remembered that. And so, yeah, I had to start off with these little jobs and then eventually grew into these larger jobs. But I never forgot, I never forget that I always treated people with respect. All the things that coach Tony talked about, always treated people with respect, giving respect, receiving respect, you know, working hard in everything I do. First, first in, first in the gym, last to leave, right? First in the office, last one to leave. You know, I've always, you know, just tried to do the most, tried to show value from the very beginning, right? I just always, all these lessons, I just carry them through. And before I looked up, I was 20 years into corporate America and I really found a niche, right? I found the niche. There's, you know, facility operations, the workplace operations, now it's called workplace experience experience. But managing the day to day operations of commercial buildings, that's the space that I've been in for the last 20 years. And I really scaled and excelled at that space. And so, you know, and that's just because it's a people you, you're managing, you're managing buildings and systems, which I'm good at. And you're managing people, which I'm good at. And so building effective teams, I've, I've been able to do that. But you know, I think over the course of my career what led to the entrepreneurship was over the course of my career I noticed managing these commercial buildings, I noticed that there was really a gap missing, right. And so I'm managing these vendors, I'm managing the electrician, the plumber, the moving company. I'm managing all these different vendors and I'm paying out these invoices, hundreds of thousands of dollars of services. And I see the people doing the work, they look like me. You know, they black and brown people are doing the work. But when I'm writing these $100,000 checks, they're going to white owned companies. And I've noticed that. And so I was like, you know, this is interesting. I started paying close attention to it and especially the moving component. We companies do a lot of moves and our moving vendor was taking a lot of money from the company because we were doing a lot of relocations. And I learned the business, I learned the moving business. And so at some point in my career, which was about three years ago, I think you're leading up to this is at 20 years into my career, I made a decision to take a leap and start my own commercial relocation company.
- [37:42]
Toby Brooks
There's a lot to unpack here, but I love how Adris frames his transition from the conclusion of his athletic career to the start of his professional and entrepreneurial journeys. Although tempted to go all in on combine prep and work to improve his draft stock as a college senior, he decides to say the course and he gets that degree. And after injury and even the psychological toll, not to mention the bitter cold and that rock hard turf in the cfl, his pro career concludes after just two seasons. And while many in his position might struggle to hang on for one more shot somewhere else, Idris is armed with that degree and a plan. So he decides to enter corporate America. And he finds that the very same skills that he honed in the locker room, in the weight room and the playing field carry over nicely in the boardroom. And above all else, he discovers that he's learned from some of the best examples in the form of his coaches. How to build teams, on how to lead people. It pays off and he quickly climbs the corporate ladder. However, after a while, he does what many entrepreneurs do. He notices something, an unmet need, and within it, a seed of opportunity. The corporate relocation space. Is one that is needed but lacking, particularly when you consider the lack of minority owned businesses in the space. It would take bravery and grit, hard work and perseverance and a willingness to bet on himself, but those were all things he'd mastered already. Only this time it wasn't a game, it was real life.
- [39:11]
Idris Haroun
And what a leap it was because, you know, my wife loves me and she supports me, but she didn't support this idea. So I did it against my wife's wishes. I did it against my bosses and my mentor's wishes. Everybody told me not to do it. But what they didn't know, which coach told me knew, is they don't know me, right? They don't know this. They don't, they don't know the measure of the heart of the man, right? They didn't know. And so I took a chance and I jumped out there and risked everything and started this business. And we've scaled tremendously in the last two years and we've had a lot of success.
- [39:46]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
I've seen tremendous success. I follow you on social media and certainly big contracts with, whether that's higher education or hospitals, I mean these, these places, you're not just talking about loading some, some junk in the back of a U Haul. This is highly specialized, you know, six, seven figure equipment that has to be moved just perfectly and they don't give those contracts to just anybody with a truck. There's a lot of steps to that. And you've navigated that space well and you've kind of created that niche for, for your business. So knowing that and knowing what you've been through as an entrepreneur, I see a lot of parallels between competitive athletes who are looking for the edge and you know, sometimes wrestling with doubts and fears and trying to prove people wrong sometimes. And in the entrepreneurship space, it's been said that within five years, 90% of all startups fail and within another five, another 90% of those that succeeded, the first five fail. So it is not for the faint of heart. Talk me through what surviving that doubt and that fear and, and whether that's naysayers from the outside or sometimes doubt from the inside. What did that teach you about yourself? And if you had it to do over again, what might you have done differently?
- [41:04]
Idris Haroun
Well, you know, a lot of, a lot of business books tell you when you start your side hustle, keep your full time job, build it on the side, you know, some of the most wealthiest, you know, most successful people in the world tell you, you know, hey, you know, keep your full time Job and then build your business on the side. Well, I just felt I needed to be a hundred percent all in. So I did the opposite. I quit my full time job, I quit my high salary, six figure executive job to start my moving business all in, right? And so that was scary in itself. Cuz there goes six figure salary, there goes the benefits, all of that is gone. Um, and I didn't really have a solid business plan. I knew I needed to get into the commercial. I knew I had relationships, I knew I had the, the knowledge and the know how, but I, I, I just really didn't have a solid business plan. I thought I was just going to be able to jump right into the commercial space with my network. And that wasn't the case. And so the, the reality was when we started the moving company, it was residential household goods moving. It was, hey, pick up this, you know, excuse my language, pissy mattress, lug it down three flights of stairs, put it in your truck, you know, pick up these trash bags full of whatever. It was humbling. It was a humbling. And it was me and my business partner, Jabari Moore, graduate of Rutgers, played football at Rutgers, he was a linebacker. Him and I, you know, we were, we were in these trucks doing these low value, low margin residential moves and it was, it was, it was humbling. It was so humbling. Losing money. We're not making money, we're losing money, right? And so luckily for us, it didn't last very long, but we were so committed to it. We were sleeping in trucks because we couldn't afford hotels. We were sleeping at gas stations because trucks were breaking down on the road, stuff was getting stolen from us. I mean it was just all the horror stories. But we committed like, we committed, we committed, we committed, you know, back breaking work in the Texas heat, you know, like, and, and, and to be honest with you, Toby, I tried to quit every day. See, people tell you people, you know, you know, I seen this documentary on Arnold Schwarzenegger and he was like, I never, I never told myself I was going to quit.
- [43:09]
Arnold Schwarzenegger (quoted)
I hate plan B because we have so many doubters. But when you start doubting yourself, that's very dangerous. Because now what you're basically saying is that if my plan doesn't work.
- [43:30]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
I.
- [43:30]
Arnold Schwarzenegger (quoted)
Have a fallback plan, I have a plan B. And that means that you start thinking about plan B. And every thought that you put into plan B, you're taking away now that thought and that energy from plan A. And it's very important to understand that we function better if there is no safety net, because plan B becomes a safety net. It says that if I fail.
- [44:01]
Toby Brooks
Then.
- [44:01]
Arnold Schwarzenegger (quoted)
I fall and I get picked up and I have something else there that was. That will protect me. And that's not good.
- [44:10]
Idris Haroun
I was like, no, I'm different. I tried to quit every day. But the difference is, I think for what people need to understand is having multiple voices in your head is a healthy thing. You're not crazy. Maybe if you're talking to yourself out loud, maybe that might be a little weird, but I encourage everyone to have multiple voices in their head. And this is, for me, this is what works. I have a voice in my head that says, idris, what the heck are you doing? Quit now. Go back to your Corporate America job, please. Then I have another voice in my head that says, idris, don't quit. Don't give up. Don't ever give up. Right? And that's. The coach told me, right? And that's. The coach told me that was the mentality. Coach told me in our meetings, we used to be in situations where it was tough to kind of to give us a visual in our meetings. He used to throw his little body against the wall and he used to say, guys, our backs are against the wall. And he'll throw his body against the wall. And he's like, we gotta fight our way out. We gotta fight, we gotta fight. And I just remember those stories. And as we're. As I'm going through tough times, like, what would coach told me do right now? What would my dad do? My dad passed away some time ago. What would my dad do right now? What would my dad tell me? So eventually you have those voices. You have a voice that tells you to quit, and then you have a voice that tells you to keep going over over the years. And this needs to start at a young age. You need to feed that positive voice, feed it right? And there's certain strategies and things you can do to feed it. We don't have to get into that now, but this is what I tell people, youngsters all the time, feed that positive voice. And a lot of times it's wins, right? Accomplishments, athletes, we get a lot of pats on the back that feeds it. But when you get into a situation where you want to quit, there's going to be a voice that says quit, but there's going to be another voice that's been fed, that's been fed over the years that's going to outweigh that other voice. And at the end of the day, I was Like, I'm not quitting, I'm not quitting. And I just kept with that, I kept with that, that voice in my head that I'm not going to quit voice was stronger than the other voice and it overcame it. And one thing led to another, like compound interest, you know, compound interest. If you invest like compound interest. Apartment move turned into a house movement. A house move turn into a high value house move. A high value house move turn into an office move. And here we go, right? And next thing you know, we're moving research labs in two years.
- [46:21]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
That's this growth path for sure. There's. As you're talking, I'm kind of thinking, okay, yeah, I think you're absolutely right that it's healthy to have those two voices. It, sometimes it's damaging to just, you know, if, if my goal was to play in the NBA, that's a fool's errand. Like no amount of work is going to get me to that level. So there's, there's wisdom in being able to check yourself. Sometimes our dreams are just not attainable for us, maybe even in that season. But other times it's that, that willingness to go the extra mile, to be the first to arrive and the last to leave, that makes all the difference. So I'm not one that blindly follows just the, you know, just grind and grit and everything will work out. That's not necessarily true. And I think that can really be damaging to some people. But the flip of that is don't give up on yourself too soon. Like, if you don't give this, this dream and this business a chance to build some roots and grow and compound success after success, you don't get to where you are. You quit before the fruit is born again. We're talking with Adrisa Roon, former defender at the University of Arizona, played in the cfl, now with DWD Moving Services. Adris. I've heard it said that when words aren't enough, you sing. A question I ask of all my guests is if we were to watch a montage of your life, what song would you pick to play in the background and why?
- [47:48]
Idris Haroun
Oh, man, that's a good one. That's a good one. Oh, man, I don't know. I mean, the way I'm feeling right now, it's probably, it's probably some real explicit rap music, right? Like, I just, that's, that's where I'm at. But if you would ask me, you know, I mean, it just kind of depends, right? It depends. I mean, you know, like there's some times where, you know, I. I want to put some Luther Vandross on, you know, that's the kind of mood I'm in or, you know, some shot a right. Or, you know, sometimes I'm. I'm listening to some, you know, some country music, some Garth Brooks, depending on. But I'm just. It's just. It just changes all the time, like. And that's in my. My truck. I'm. I'm in my truck. And depending on my mood, I'll. I'll switch the channel around. But right now, it's just, you know, it's. It's any music that's motivating to me.
- [48:33]
Toby Brooks
Right now, brother, if I may be so bold as to suggest, let them know, as it's been on repeat all week in my headphones. They call it ballin'.
- [48:55]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
We just call it living, because it's just.
- [48:58]
Idris Haroun
There's a lot going on and whatever keeps me motivated and energized. That's really what's on my playlist.
- [49:03]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
That's great. I create a playlist for all my guests. It's like a mixtape of all my guests that I put on Spotify. I had Garfield Bright from Shy on the show, if you remember them. Yeah, I've had some other artists because artists, like athletes, I mean, your time to shine is fairly short, and people move on to the next one pretty quickly. But what they don't realize in that is, you know, when. When you got replaced on that roster, someone's dream came true. Someone else's dream just ended. And. And it can be a very narrow window of success in the arts and in athletics. This may be one area where entrepreneurship definitely has a leg up, is that it's not like, you know, you get one or two years and your career is over. As an entrepreneur, hopefully you're learning and you're growing. What for Idris Haroun remains undone.
- [49:57]
Idris Haroun
That's a great question. You know, there's. There's still a lot for us to accomplish in this space. You know, we. We found something special. You know, my business partner Jabari and I found something special. You know, we. We made. We. We found a niche within a niche. You know, the movement moving industry is saturated in Texas, it's saturated in Dallas. It's moving company. You throw us. Throw a rock in any direction, hit a moving company. But what we did is we took a saturated industry and made it less competitive, and we found a niche. And that niche for us right now is we're moving research labs. And then what we're also doing. Toby. We have a new revenue stream that we're starting. We're moving college coaches, man. And so this is what I'm really excited about. This is the part of the business where I think there's a lot of potential for us, because here we go again. Here's another niche area. What we're finding out is there's a lot of money being thrown around in colleges. That's a whole different segment. But there's coaches that are getting hired and fired a lot quicker than in the past. And these coaches are relocating at exponential rates. And who's relocating them? Who's moving them? Well, obviously a moving company, but why not? Why can't that be us? Why can't that be Dads with Daughters moving in logistics. DWD stands for Dads with Daughters, by the way. Love it. Built a company for, like, we built a business to build a legacy for our daughters. But why? Why not us? Right? And so what we've done is position ourselves to get that opportunity. So in a week. In a week, neck on the 31st, we have our first one. We're moving an assistant coach from Texas A and M to Kansas State University, which is ironic because I had college visits to both. And then how. How the world circles back around, but our first is Kansas State to. I'm sorry, Texas A and M to Kansas State. The following week, we go to UTEP and move an assistant coach from UTEP to a program they're building out in Texarkana. And so this is the beginning. And what I love about this opportunity is the time of the year is from January to March where coaches are getting hired and fired. You can say, you know, November to March, right, because football season is kind of ending. But that's a revenue stream for moving companies. Moving is in seasons. And so from January to March is typically a slow season. So if we can tap into that market, relocating coaches, not only is that a revenue stream in a slow season, but it's niche. It's very niche because the schools pay for those moves. So it's the coaches, the coaches, wives, really, but the coaches that select the mover. And then they figure all that out. The coaches are busy recruiting and doing what they're doing. The wives have to organize, figure out the move. And so what we're able to do is build those relationships with the universities, and they're hiring us to relocate their coaches. And so we want to position ourselves to be the top mover in all of the. All of the conferences in the United States. We want to be the primary mover for coaching relocations, football and basketball.
- [52:43]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
It's such a great, it's, it's one of those great ideas. It's like, why hasn't anyone else done that? And so like if I put it out there, I almost fear that someone else is going to try to jump into that space. But man, that's a genius idea. Another thing that comes to mind is a turnkey service like this, you know, White Glove. Because people see that, man, it drives me crazy in this world. And I think back to, you know, how long would coach Tomi survive in an era like this where nobody's interested in growing players. They just want the best roster they can have from year to year. And if we sign a bunch of portal guys that are 22 years old, then we win a national championship.
- [53:20]
Toby Brooks
Right?
- [53:20]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
We're not recruiting 17 year old high school kids. But what people don't realize in the hey, let's fire the coach because we didn't make a bowl game is the, the trickle down results of that. The entire staff gets let go. Well, they've got wives, they've got kids. There are staff members who are oftentimes let go strength coaches, even academic folks, athletic trainers. And those people struggle with that adjustment as well. My wife's a counselor and we've talked about this like, you know, high value clients who come and go into town here in Waco oftentimes are coaches from Baylor. And those kids may struggle with a new school, those wives may struggle with, they don't have friends at church or they, you know, they're not connected. And so if I know anything about people, it's that turnkey services, especially for people with means is way easier than going out and trying to a la carte your way to this new transition. So I want to applaud you. That's such a great idea. And maybe even trickle down is college athletes have money now too. Nil means you could do a niche with, with, with 20 year old athletes as well. So I'm sure that's on your radar. But man, what a great idea and definitely needed.
- [54:33]
Idris Haroun
Yeah, I mean it's a great idea. We, we've thought about college athletes but you know, with moving it's like they're not going to have much, right? I mean, yeah, you know, you know coaches, coaches like the, the family, we're moving next week. This is her, this is her sixth move. The family, we're moving in UTEP. This is her 12th move. Wealth move. Right?
- [54:50]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Yeah.
- [54:51]
Idris Haroun
And so like I think we found something special, especially if we can build those relationships with the wives. Because, you know, the wives, they're going to share your information, they're going to brag about you, word of mouth, your business will spread there. But we're just excited about the opportunity because also we're athletes. Like, we're, we're college athlete guys. And so this is a space we need to be in. I mean, I have this vision, right? We, we're touching research labs and we're touching college culture locations right now. And I just have this vision that, you know, you say University Arizona or Baylor University, where you are, you know, I'm, I'm going over and meeting with the head of the life sciences department or the biolab department, and we're talking about a potential lab relocation. Right? And we're going over the scope of work and we're talking about, you know, logistics and how things work. And then I shake his hand and then I leave and I walk across campus and I walk into the athletic department and I walk into the coach's office and we start talking about relocating his staff members. Right. Like, that's my vision. That's where we want to be. That's very niche, high value, high margin work, and that's the spaces we want to be in. And we're minority owned and there's no black and brown companies doing that. Yeah.
- [55:58]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
And that credibility that you bring from your professional and collegiate pedigree is something that no one else can compete with. And so for any athletes out there, I always just want to shine a light on the fact that you don't, you don't really understand the impact of just being on a roster. And that immediate credibility and that recognition that people have is. It's impossible to replicate. No matter. I'm working on my sixth college degree, but I've never played college sports. And there's, there's no amount of work or want or hope that would ever allow me to be able to compete with you on that. So that, that's certainly something to be proud of and to lean in on. Well, Adri, if listeners want to connect with you, you know, if they want to check out the business or, you know, follow you on socials, where can I point them?
- [56:47]
Idris Haroun
Yeah, well, you know, we're on LinkedIn. You could just look up, you know, I'm on LinkedIn. I have a profile. I'm more of a LinkedIn guy. DWD Moving In Logistics has a LinkedIn. We also have Facebook. You know, we're on Instagram. You can find Us, we're easy to find. You know, you can just always email me Idris haroonwd movingservices. But, yeah, I'm easy to find. I'm easy to connect with. You know, opportunities like this, Toby, have brought more business for me. So I really appreciate this platform. I did a, I did a, I did a show, I told you, with one of our best leaders at Arizona history, Kelvin Efon. And as soon as I got off the show, I got a couple calls. So, you know, you never know who's listening. You never know who's listening. This. We're in the relationship business, right? And that's at the end of the day, athletes need to understand we're in the relationship business. And so as long as you can understand that, treat people with respect, lead with empathy, be a good human being. Like all of these things that we've learned from Coach Tomi, like, as long as you can do that, then you'll be fine, right? Psychologically, the transition from sports to the real world, whether you're transitioning from sports to corporate America or just sports into the real world, it's going to be hard, right? It's going to be tough. But I think athletes need to realize being a professional athlete, that's not reality, right? Like, that's not reality. You shared, you shared the percentages. Like, it's, it's, it's, it's not reality. Those who make it, it's a gift and a blessing from God. But the majority don't. The majority end up having to transition and be part of the normal workforce and live your day to day, and that's fine too, you know, but for me, I think I was able to treat the real world like my NFL. And once I was able to switch that mentality, like, you know what I'm tired of saying I should have been. I should have did. I should be there. I'm going to switch my mentality and say, you know what? I'm going to treat the real world like it's my NFL. And this worked out for me.
- [58:34]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Idris, it's been a real treat. I appreciate the chance to reconnect.
- [58:37]
Idris Haroun
Idris Haroun. I am undone.
- [58:41]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Awesome.
- [58:42]
Toby Brooks
As we close today's conversation with Adrisa Rune, I'm struck by just how clearly the coaching of Dick tell Me still echoes in his life. It's more than memory. It's more than nostalgia. It's legacy. What Coach Tomi instilled in a young defensive end from inner city Houston. Accountability, grit, humility, brotherhood. Those are all the same values that drive the executive, the entrepreneur and the leader that Adris is today. The lessons Adris learned under that desert sun one fail, all fail. Don't skip reps. Lead with heart, not with ego. The team, the team, the team. Those have all shaped the way he shows up in boardrooms and business strategy sessions and on the front lines of relocation projects that bear his name. Whether he's managing a high stakes lab move or relocating a Division 1 coaching staff, the ethos is the same. Commit fully, respect the team and own the result. Even though it's been a minute since I finished the Coach Tomi documentary, this interview alone tells me that Coach Tomi built men, not just football players. And Adris is just one more example. Living proof Adrisa's journey from Tucson to Toronto to Texas is more than just a pivot. It's a purpose in motion. It's a life that continues to echo that formative phrase. The team, the team. The team. Adris Arun isn't done. In fact, he's just getting started. And thanks to the seeds planted by a coach who knew how to reach both the mom and the dad, the heart and the head, the boy and the man. Those lessons are still leading him forward today. I'm thankful to address for dropping in today and I hope you enjoyed our conversation. For more info on this episode, be sure to check it out on the web. Simply go to undone podcast.com ep148 to check out the show notes, images, links and even the raw video of my conversation with Adria Rue.
- [60:49]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Some quick updates about the show with.
- [60:50]
Toby Brooks
Your help, the numbers keep climbing. We recently hit global top 5% for all shows on Listen notes. It's kind of a general marker of show reach and we continue to do especially well on Apple Podcast guests where we're currently sitting at number eight in the world in self improvement and education. We snuck back into Apple's top 200 briefly this week, charting at number 172 on Wednesday and Thursday before dropping back out. For those of you listening who helped make it happen, thank you. If you want to follow along and see the progress for yourself, you can now go to undonepodcast.com rankings R A N K I M G S and cheer us on. My goal for 2026 is to get back in that top five within the education category and hit the top 100 for all shows across the board. With your help we can do it. If you enjoyed this episode, if you'd be so kind to share it with a friend, maybe leave a comment or a review. All that would help and would be sincerely appreciated. Coming up on the show next week, you will not want to miss my conversation with former high powered A List entertainment business manager Jonathan Schwartz, who previously worked with acts like Lingard Park, Alanis Morset, Beyonce and Halsey before he was imprisoned for embezzling over $7 million due to a crippling gambling and substance use disorder. Since then, he's completed a prison sentence and then turned his life around, and is now a counselor who helps others dealing with substance use disorders and gambling addiction themselves. Check this out More coming up on Becoming Undone Becoming Undone is a nitrohub creative production written and produced by me, Toby Brooks. Tell a friend about the show. Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn at Becoming Undone Pod and follow me at Toby Brooks, Ph.D. on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X. Check out my link tree at linktr. E backslash. Toby Brooks, Ph.D. listen.
- [62:38]
Idris Haroun
Subscribe.
- [62:38]
Toby Brooks
Leave me a review at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. Till next time. Keep keep getting better.
- [63:12]
Idris Haroun
It.