Who’s In Your Circle? Steve Smith on Mentorship

Summary

Mick Unplugged: "Who’s In Your Circle? Steve Smith on Mentorship"

Podcast: Mick Unplugged

Host: Mick Hunt

Guest: Steve Smith Sr.

Date: December 31, 2025

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Overview

This episode of Mick Unplugged explores the transformative power of mentorship, emotional intelligence, and purpose-driven action with legendary NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. Host Mick Hunt and Steve dive deep into personal stories, business lessons, the realities of leadership, and the impact of giving back. The conversation is candid, energetic, and rich with practical insights for anyone striving to lead a life of purpose and modern leadership.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The No Plan B Mindset (01:58–04:52)

• Steve and Mick connect over their shared "no Plan B" mentality—putting all effort into a single pursuit (for Steve, football; for Mick, changing his family's circumstances).
• Scholarships & Preparation: Steve challenges the stereotype of athletic scholarships, equating the dedication and intelligence required to academic scholarships. He emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and adaptability to stay "in the door" beyond initial breaks.

Notable Quote:

“Yes, I am a football player... But understanding my intelligence and my willingness to learn keeps me in the door.”
—Steve Smith Sr. (03:32)

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Mentorship as the Elevator (05:33–06:31)

• Mick discusses mentorship with humility, noting advice from his mentors about "taking the elevator" when possible—accepting guidance to skip pitfalls others have already experienced.
• Key Insight: Mentorship accelerates growth by helping you avoid unnecessary mistakes and learn from the journeys of others.

Notable Quote:

“When the elevator is present, take the freaking elevator sometimes. That’s what mentorship has done for me... Every lesson you don’t have to learn when somebody else can tell you what they've learned.”
—Mick Hunt (05:47)

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Steve’s Venture into Business & Social Impact (06:31–10:08)

• Origin Story: Steve recounts his entry into real estate after retirement, driven by empathy for underprivileged tenants. Despite resistance from mentors and friends, he pushed forward, learning through both success and adversity.
• Business Lessons:
  • The first five years of business are risky.
  • By year ten, the sustainability and viability become clear.
  • Authenticity and empathy guide both his business and philanthropic efforts.

Notable Quote:

“Just because they are receiving assistance doesn't mean you lessen their respect of who they are as a human being.”
—Steve Smith Sr. (08:25)

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Choosing Focus & Learning to Say No (10:31–15:22)

• Steve emphasizes that although he appears very active, he is highly selective, intertwining his pursuits and managing time intentionally.
• Mick shares advice he received: “No is a complete sentence.”
• Challenges: Saying no can be difficult, especially with the reputation for being tough, but it's essential for maintaining effectiveness and energy.

Notable Quotes:

“I only do a few things—and I only do those things.”
—Steve Smith Sr. (10:31)

“No is a complete sentence. You don’t have to justify it. You don’t have to feel bad about it.”
—Mick Hunt (14:50)

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Competitive Drive, Emotional Intelligence, and Self-Reflection (15:59–22:46)

• Managing Team Dynamics: Steve candidly discusses how being highly driven sometimes creates friction with teammates and admits this can be wearing.
• Self-Regulation: He shares strategies for managing immediate reactions—waiting before responding to triggering emails or messages and analyzing his own emotional responses.
• Emotional Intelligence Breakdown: Mick points out that Steve intuitively practices the cornerstones of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, social skills, and empathy.

Notable Quotes:

“I've really started to take the approach—I'm a wait. Sometimes I will wait a long time... If I'm thinking about it hours later, I'm still, like, irritated—what was in there that made me feel that way? That’s what I gotta focus on.”
—Steve Smith Sr. (17:48; 19:26)

“You just broke down the pillars of emotional intelligence, man.”
—Mick Hunt (20:06)

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Uniqueness, Identity, and Support Circles (22:13–23:14)

• Individual Value: Steve discusses the idea that each person is unique—there can’t be another Steve Smith Sr. just as there won’t be another Randy Moss.
• Support Systems: The importance of surrounding yourself with people you can trust, and who can walk life with you.

Notable Quotes:

“You just be who you are, man. And that’s going to be some good... and we know, dang sure, it’s going to be some bad too.”
—Steve Smith Sr. (22:46)

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Technique and Adaptation in Football (28:22–30:12)

• Skill Development: Steve breaks down a lesser-known aspect of his receiver technique—the ability to disguise when the ball is coming. This was honed out of necessity to avoid physical targeting by defensive backs.
• Adaptability: Football, like leadership and business, requires annual reinvention to overcome new challenges and expectations of opponents.

Notable Quotes:

“Every year, it’s a new habit for you to break. There are things you do well, and there are things you want to cover your eyes [about]...because there are scouting reports and players who watch all your film to see what bad habits you have.”
—Steve Smith Sr. (29:57)

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Honest Critique and Analyst Role (30:16–31:59)

• Balancing Critique: Steve is known for blunt honesty as an analyst but strives to critique without criticizing. He is learning to balance positive feedback with necessary realities, adapting to contemporary expectations.

Notable Quote:

“How I can critique but not criticize. And give guys the benefit of the doubt. However, if the film tells enough of the story, I can’t give you what you didn’t know.”
—Steve Smith Sr. (31:38)

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Mental Health Advocacy and B HAWK (32:36–35:30)

• B HAWK Foundation: Steve explains his work with Behavioral Health Urgent Care—serving community members in need, regardless of insurance, filling a mental health crisis gap, and providing essential services and hygiene kits.
• Motivation: This work is grounded in his own experiences growing up without access to these basic services.

Notable Quote:

“We do kids from ages 4 all the way to 80... If you don’t have insurance, don’t matter. Come on in. If you do have insurance, we’ll take that too.”
—Steve Smith Sr. (34:10)

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Finding Your "Because" (35:49–37:53)

• Purpose Exploration: Mick closes by asking Steve to share his “because” (the deeper reason beneath the ‘why’).
• Self-Discovery: Steve likens his current growth and clarity to getting Lasik—emerging from blurriness and seeing life with fresh clarity.
• Continuous Evolution: There is always more to discover about oneself, and each season brings new lessons and perspectives.

Notable Quote:

“I’m just learning some new elements and some new layers about me that I’ve never really approached before... I’m going in with such a new vision... The blurriness is starting to come away, and I’m starting—oh!—that’s what it looks like.”
—Steve Smith Sr. (36:58–37:34)

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Memorable Moments & Quotes with Timestamps

• “Just because they are receiving assistance doesn't mean you lessen their respect of who they are as a human being.”
  —Steve Smith Sr. (08:25)
• “No is a complete sentence. You don’t have to justify it.”
  —Mick Hunt (14:50)
• “You get more bees with honey... but, man, ultimately, the best way you can do it is start to really analyze yourself.”
  —Steve Smith Sr. (17:48)
• “You just be who you are, man. And that's going to be some good... and some bad, too.”
  —Steve Smith Sr. (22:46)
• “If the film tells enough of the story, I can't give you what you didn't know.”
  —Steve Smith Sr. (31:59)
• “I’m going in with such a new vision... The blurriness is starting to come away.”
  —Steve Smith Sr. (37:23)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• No Plan B & Mentorship: 01:58–06:31
• Business, Empathy & Social Impact: 06:31–10:08
• Choosing Focus – Saying No: 10:31–15:22
• Emotional Intelligence & Self-Reflection: 15:59–22:46
• Uniqueness & Support Circles: 22:13–23:14
• Player Technique & Reinvention: 28:22–30:12
• Role as Analyst & Critique: 30:16–31:59
• B HAWK & Mental Health: 32:36–35:30
• Finding Your ‘Because’: 35:49–37:53

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Takeaways

• True mentorship offers an “elevator” to the next level—take it when you can.
• Put all your energy into intentional pursuits; choose your battles and say no without guilt.
• Emotional intelligence and self-reflection are vital to growth as a leader, teammate, or entrepreneur.
• Your circle matters—surround yourself with trustworthy, honest supporters.
• Personal uniqueness is essential; authenticity trumps imitation.
• Honest evaluation and kindness can (and should) coexist.
• Giving back is most impactful when rooted in lived experience and empathy.
• Find and pursue your "because"—the deeper reason that fuels ongoing self-discovery and transformation.

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For those aspiring to lead, build, and transform, this episode is a masterclass in resilience, self-awareness, and impact-driven living.

Transcript

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[Mick Hunt]

Ladies and gentlemen, this is an amazing episode with Steve Smith Sr. We actually talk more about business and we talk about life. Steve Smith was somebody that he said if he could reinvent himself or play the game today, he would play it like Steve Smith. I'm just so proud. In honor of the man that Steve Smith is and this episode, you're going to hear some really cool stories and you're going to hear Steve Smith talk about emotional intelligence. And break it down. Ladies and gentlemen, I present the Goat, Steve Smith Sr. You're listening to Mick Unplugged, hosted by the one and only Mick Hunt. This is where purpose meets power. And stories spark transformation. Mick takes you beyond the motivation and into meaning, helping you discover your because and becoming unstoppable. I'm Rudy Rush, and trust me, you're in the right place. Let's get unplugged. Steve Smith, how you doing?

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Good morning, good afternoon.

[Mick Hunt]

I appreciate you, man. Like, you have no idea what you mean to me because there's something about you that is also in me. And, and you said this, being an older sibling, being the person that people looked up to, I didn't have a plan B, bro. Like, if I was going to change the life of my mom and my sister and my brother and there wasn't representation in my household, there wasn't representation in those four walls that were going to show me how to change, I have a plan B. And I know that that's something that you've always said too, man. Like, yeah, football was it.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Football was it. And you know, for some people, that's Watching this and some people who put athletes in a category, the opportunity to get a scholarship, athletic scholarship I believe is no different than getting a scholarship for academics. Right. Because I'm very aware there's a lot of sports, non football who, their whole structure is built off of having a athletic, but also intelligent athletes so they can utilize and have, have a lot of flexibility. So like soccer, golf, some of the women's sports, that stuff is, is happening where they get guys who financially can afford to go to college, but they also have great grades. And, and so, man, and so where I'm going with that is my no plan B was playing football. My whole eggs were in the football basket. However, what I've been able to experience and learn and be able to be mentored and taught from people in business. Wise man. Yes, if I couldn't catch a football, I wouldn't have got my foot in the door. But understanding my intelligence and my willingness to learn keeps me in the door. And so yes, I am a football player. Yes, I went to school and what's crazy is I did, I did not do the typical psychology at the time. I actually did family consumer studies. And they, they had this crazy myth that one day people would be willing to, they would forfeit a gallon of gas to go get a gallon of milk. And I was. So we, they were teaching us about how the consumer consumes.

[Mick Hunt]

Yeah, dude, that's, that's why you are who you are, man. Like, like I tell people all the time just about the fire that you have, the energy that you've played with, but more importantly, what you were just talking about, right? Like you're going to be the best no matter what it is. And to me, that's your plan, is to dominate no matter what it is that you do, to give your all and to learn the little details that most people don't have the patience to go do, to be different, to make a name for yourself, to make a brand for yourself. And bro, like, it shows in everything that you do. So kudos to you for that, bro.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

I appreciate that.

[Mick Hunt]

Appreciate that you talked about something that I think is critically important, right? The power of mentorship. My mentors are celebrity chef Robert Irvine and Damon.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Slight flex, but continue.

[Mick Hunt]

No flex, no flex. But they told me, right? Like sometimes we talk about taking the stairs and it's cool to take the stairs, but when the elevator is there, the smart person takes the elevator, right? Because nobody, nobody cares about all that you went through to get there. Sometimes, like you still need to know the journey, but when the elevator is present, take the freaking elevator sometimes. And that's what mentorship is done for me. It's like, hey, I don't want you to make this mistake because I've already made it. Let me tell you what the journey is like. But press the elevator to the top floor so you can just go there. Like to me, that's what mentorship in getting in front of these rooms are. It's like you still need your journey, but every lesson you don't have to learn when somebody else can tell you what they've learned.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Yes, yes. So, so I'll tell you a quick story is man, just my by my building business. So I started doing rental properties. I started right after I retired, like oh, six. And so I'm doing these rental properties and how I got started was I. I went to the look this, this property and man, the property was so dilapidated it was, it was ridiculous. But it was a duplex. I grew up in a duplex. So I'm very aware of that. And so I'm looking through and man, we doing inspection to go look at the Property and Section 8. Because I was on Section 8 as a kid so trying to stay in that realm. I try to do a lot of programs with my foundation or just a business wise. My niche is I'm a poor black kid who was on subsidized, you know, now I call it snack but right latchkey kid and man. So a lot of the things I do are about the things that I experience or did not have at my disposal. So I go in there in a section 8 house and she has the oven open on and the tub still has water in it because of it not draining properly, not having any heat. So she was using the oven to heat that to heat the one bedroom. And bro, it broke me. It broke me that this landlord had reduced all these people to live in those conditions where they deserve more. Just because they are receiving assistance doesn't mean you lessen their respect of who they are as a human being. And man, so from there I was so pissed off and angry, man. I had a buddy, Mike Salomon, he came to my house, we sat in the basement and I kind of talked to him, right about these things and laid it out to him like, this is what I want to do, man. Out of my group of people, even my mentor, he was like, nah, I don't like it. You're at the end of your career, you shouldn't do this. You shouldn't do that, bro. Then another person said, the same thing. But this, this guy knew Mike Salamon. He was a home builder. He was like, man, you know your numbers, if your numbers are aligned, do it, man. I did it and ended up having some good stuff happen, having some bad stuff happen. But I rolled the roller coaster and then went into Covid and that's when it showed me, right? And so in business, I have three phases. The first five years, that's risky, right?

[Mick Hunt]

At.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Then two years later, which is the seventh year, it starts to kind of shape out. In year 10, though, it's either the real deal or it's not. And man, I learned that, bro. And it's, it's been awesome. It's been awesome, man.

[Mick Hunt]

So everybody that's watching, I mean, I, I've been a huge fantasy Smith forever. So like, I knew some of these things, you know, that business mind that he had, did you? Like, that's what I'm talking about, man. Like when I say you, you go all in and everything that you do. That's it, man. Like, when did that become a part of who you were? Or is that just always big? No plan B.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

It's all, I've always been that way. But here's the, here's the caveat. But I only do a few things and I only do those things. So, so, so I, I, it may seem like I'm doing a hundred, I may be doing really 50 or 75 things, but they're all intertwined and they're all on the same page. So I'm not doing, you know, I'm doing golf. I do football, but my golf is in between. Then I do my football, which is every week. So I got days that I have those days that's slotted for studying, getting ready, preparing, and then recording. And then some of the other things that I'm asked to do. I really weigh now. What is it going to cost me time wise?

[Mick Hunt]

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[Steve Smith Sr.]

What am I going to lose out on doing? And so I've learned how to say no. And that's been tough. That's been really tough because when you say no to people and you have a little bit like me, a bad reputation of, of a lot of times saying no when you genuinely are saying no because you really just don't have the bandwidth or you don't have the energy, man, people don't. People don't always take it for what it is.

[Mick Hunt]

I used to be like that and then somebody told me a long time ago, just remember no is a complete sentence. You don't have to justify it. You don't have to feel bad about it. That was a complete. And once I adopted that, I just started to understand, because then I realized, like, some people just want you to say yes or at least hear them out so that it begins to tug on your heart. And I've just been really quick to just say, hey, I don't have it in me right now.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Yes, sir. I feel you.

[Mick Hunt]

So, you know, you talked about the one or two things, and again, there's so many things that I appreciate about you, and I think your journey post career, I've gotten to see it a little bit on how you keep things simple. I remember it was one of your first analyst roles, like, one of the first days, and you were all set and people were going back and forth and you were like, hey, guys, you can say all that, but the truth is this guy is just better than the other guy, and he knows it. Like, it ain't about technique. Like, this guy's just a better player. Like, you could be cute, but he's just better.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

And sometimes it is. You know, sometimes we get caught up in our head trying to overanalyze because there's so many great analysts out there. There's also so many comments about people, how they should or shouldn't do what they. What they don't like about them. You know, the people that like you, they generally don't comment. They heart, they thumbs up. They watch and continue to move on, press on through their day. The haters, the people who have something to say, they're going to make sure they take the time to leave a comment. But what's crazy, we're in the. We're in a world right now where people desire to leave a comment about your line of work and put you down, but if you were to do that to them, it gets so offended.

[Mick Hunt]

Yes, sir. Yes, sir. So see, this is. This is personal for me. I need. I need coaching and mentoring from Steve Smith right now.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Okay. The kettle calling the pot black. Okay.

[Mick Hunt]

No, I need it. So again, we have so much in common. You've got that. I guess we call it the dog, Right? Like, you've got that. That fire inside. I know that there were times that your team didn't share that same fire that you.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Yeah.

[Mick Hunt]

How do you. And this is. This is for the viewers and listeners, the business leaders that are watching. How do you take your competitive fire, that streak that you have, and I don't know, like, when you see that your teammate doesn't have it and you want to Be disappointed. But you also understand, like, maybe that's just not them. And so you start to act a different way. Like, how do you handle that? This is you coaching me right now.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Well, one. Every situation is different. And here's the thing that I do believe. When you're a tough credit on your teammates, that can wear them down. So I would say a lot of my teammates who love me also, when they played with me, were annoyed by me, were irritated because of doing that. And it wears on people, right? Where they say, you, you know, you get more. You get more bees with honey. Right. But, man, ultimately, you know, the best way you can do it is start to really analyze yourself and say, okay, you know, why am I reacting in that way? And that. That. And then it goes to a deeper question. What am I really feeling? What's really going on? Right. What are. And because you could be triggered or somebody can do something unintentionally that reminds you of another situation and you don't even know it. And then they. They cross hairs. And the only thing that you know is rage, disappointment, anger, all that stuff. So for me, man, is I've. I've really started to take the approach. I'm a weight. Sometimes I will wait a long time. There's other times where if I receive an email that I don't really. I'm not liking the vibe of the email.

[Mick Hunt]

Yeah.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

So I already know I can't respond immediately. I got to let a couple of days go by and think about. Think about it a few times. If I'm thinking about it, like, a couple hours later, I'm still, like, irritated. Like, I could be irritated, but that wasn't their attention. They didn't wake up and say, hey, I want to irritate you. However, what was in there that made me feel that way? That's. That's what I got to focus on.

[Mick Hunt]

Yeah.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

And once I, you know, kind of go through that long process and do that, man, I really started to be able to say yes and no and no, no, my own temperature.

[Mick Hunt]

I know you didn't do this purposely, but you just broke down the pillars of emotional intelligence, man. And like, that's what I speak about. Like, that's what I get hired to call.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Don't, don't tell. Don't tell people I'm intelligent.

[Mick Hunt]

Hey, but. But you are in the emotional intelligence, man. Self awareness, knowing who you are, the self regulation. Right. The taking the minute to pause or the day to pause, the motivation behind it, the social skills of communication, and the one I struggle with the most is empathy. Like, I am probably the, the least empathetic person in the world.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

And it sucks because you, you want to feel it, right? But you also like, well, gotta, gotta, gotta get my, gotta get my hustle on. Gotta, gotta move on, you know?

[Mick Hunt]

Yeah, that, that literally is me, man. It's like I, I, I work on that more than anything else. It's just being empathetic, showing up empathy. Because when you have that grind, when you have that dog, when you don't have a plan B, like, sometimes empathy feels like excuses, right? Like, I feel like people are giving me excuses, and I know they're not, but. And that's why I have to work on it every day. Because it's like, if I know this is the end result that we need to get to, let's just get there. Like, yeah, I want to pause and listen to you, but that, that train ain't stopping. Like, we still got to go so bad. And like now, now I want to go to your, your career. And again, you played the position that my uncle played, so I feel like I know wide receiver, even though I didn't play, bro. Like, the things that you did that you, that another person your size that had to go through the same journey that you had would not have been able to do it. Like, that's just me being honest. Because there isn't another Steve. Like, people can say what they want to. They can get mad at me or they can go look at the facts. The facts show, the data shows there hasn't been another Steve Smith. Do you look at it that way too?

[Steve Smith Sr.]

I would say there's, there's not another Steve Smith because we all want our own names, right? Right.

[Mick Hunt]

Right.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Not that I am so unique right. To the world now. I'm, I'm unique right. To, in overall because there's no one else like me.

[Mick Hunt]

Right? Right.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

However, there's also no one else like you either. So this isn't about who's better, but so what I realize is just kind of. You just be who you are, man.

[Mick Hunt]

Yeah.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

You just be who you are. And that's gonna be some good. And we know, dang sure it's gonna be some bad too.

[Mick Hunt]

Yeah.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

And so you guys surround, you gotta surround yourself around people who really can walk things through with you. And you can trust them.

[Mick Hunt]

Yeah.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

And they can trust you.

[Mick Hunt]

That's the key. That's the key. That is totally the key. You know, I, we, we watched the game of football today and. Doesn't seem like you retired long ago. But it seems like the game has changed so much since you retired, right? Like the things that that you did on the field just from these are the words of Mick and mc only from totally punishing your opponent in a good way. Right? Like people get suspended for that now, right? Or or they get looked at in a neg. But it's like hey, sometimes C. Smith just knows he's better than the person on the other side and he doesn't need that opponent to think that he's got a chance to hang with him today. Right? Yeah.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

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[Mick Hunt]

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[Steve Smith Sr.]

You know, we go on the hall of fame and you go on hall of fame or they have your individual numbers and your name on the back of your jersey because they want to identify who you are. And so if they are already saying that we need to identify each player in each position, then yes, there also will never be another Randy Moss. All right, There are people who maybe look like him from the eye test, but there are things about Randy Moss that when God created Randy, that's it was only unique to him.

[Mick Hunt]

Yeah, yeah.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

You know, so. So for me, if there's another me, if there was another me, or if there were other players like me, then I no longer would be needed. I would have lost my job. Because they can just, they can just go out when I do something stupid. They can just go out on the corner, just grab another one.

[Mick Hunt]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, one of the things that I thought made you talk about a Randy Moss, I would say you, Randy Moss. Chris Carter had this unique skill set. And this is why my uncle said if he could reinvent himself, he would be Steve Smith. Forget the feistiness Forget that. That dog that you had, you had such a canny ability to not give tails when the ball was arriving. Like, you would almost prepare to catch it at literally the last moment. So the DB didn't know the ball because, you know, playing the position. Right. Like, DBs know when the ball is coming because eyes raise and start to put your hands out. You had this ability, like, last moment, bam. I show, like, talk to us about that, bro, because that's a skill that most people don't have.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Yeah, it's just studying. Studying my opponents. A lot of opponents would look at your eyes or try to hit your arm. I remember studying Nate Clemens when he was with San Francisco after he had left Buffalo, and I just remember studying him and watching him, and it was one of those things with him. He knew when a ball was coming, and so he rarely turned around and he would just hit his hands. So that forced me at that time to learn a new technique, because if I didn't, I didn't eat that week.

[Mick Hunt]

Yes, sir.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

So it was. It was just. It was things that I picked up that I started to do.

[Mick Hunt]

Right.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

And so in football, man, you see players, they have up and down seasons because every year, it's a new habit for you to break every single year.

[Mick Hunt]

Right.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

There are going to be things that you do well, and there are going to be things that you want to cover your eyes just because you create a new habit that you weren't even aware of because there are scouting reports and players who watch all your film to see what bad habits you have.

[Mick Hunt]

Yes, sir.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Also to see what good habits you have.

[Mick Hunt]

Yeah. And again, that's why I love how you break things down. Simple. And. And I think you. I know, you know, people look at you as an analyst and. And they may say, oh, well, Steve's hard on. On these players. But, like, you're trying to give advice. You're actually trying to mentor them through the platforms that you have.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Actually, I'm not.

[Mick Hunt]

That's the crazy part.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

No, I'm. I'm not. Like, I'm not trying to mentor anybody through my podcast and through my crafts. I believe mentorship is, you know, reaching out to each other and conversating. Man, sometimes I have been harsh. And so now for me is I'm trying to have that balance, too, because I am a pessimistic Paul. Right. Very. Not much optimistic Oscar. And so trying to find that balance. And so what I catch myself doing is a lot of times when I do my nose and I'm saying, why Is this player not going to perform well? Devil's advocate. What? Why did he perform well? And so I'm trying to see those balance and the new, you know, the, the new age guys, they, they prefer, you know, they prefer the compliments laid on more than the criticism. And so just trying to find different words and different ways that I'm comfortable with.

[Mick Hunt]

Yeah.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

How I can critique but not criticize. Okay. Right. And give guys the benefit of the doubt. However, if the film tells enough of the story, I can't give you what you didn't know.

[Mick Hunt]

Hey, Steve Smith senior is always going to tell the truth. If anything else, you're always going to tell the truth, bro. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. So you also have something that, that's dear to my heart. Like you are always active in the community. You're always trying to, to, I don't want to say leave things better than you found them, but find ways to make impact. And I think you, in, in community, you do that really well. And I want to talk and give you the floor to talk about B Hug for a minute because I'm a huge fan of what you're doing there and the mission behind it.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Well, the B HAWK is acronym for behavioral. Her Behavioral health, Urgent care. And this urgent care is basically we do assessments. And in assessments you're held for 23 hours. It's all volunteer. But also we have some places where most of the time people with mental health go to the emergency room. And so if you go to emergency room and you are arrested or accompanied by a police officer, now that police officer must sit in the same emergency room with that patient for however long it takes. And sometimes it could take up to 13 hours. So now these police officers who were probably all five hours ago, he still. Or she is still. She's still at the hospital waiting for a clinician because at the emergency room, emergency room for mental health, emergency room for medical help. There's a. There's a difference.

[Mick Hunt]

Yeah, right.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

There's a difference. And so by having our B huck, now police officers can drop this person off and they can go home. And then once they're assessed and there's a plan in action or the next steps, then they call the police and then they go back. And so even if they did a crime, they get the opportunity to be evaluated. If it's mental health versus just going to jail. Right. Having a plan, assessment. We do kids from ages 4 all the way to 80 year old. And the best part about it, because a lot of the things I do is Things I experience with no insurance. So if you don't have insurance, don't matter. Come on in. If you do have insurance, we'll take that too. Right. So. And so, working with Medicaid, working with some of the people in the city, in the county, man, I've learned a lot in it. I've learned a ton. And it's been awesome. And from. Based off that, we've created hygiene kits, right? And so given, given some of these folks hygiene kits, being able, you know, they own the street. Some of these things that they have going on, the basic necessities they don't have. So it's been. I've learned a lot in the mental health and it all stemmed. We have a medical clinic as well, but it was the first time the medical clinic in Covid we had received in the first eight months, 1600 hours of clinical work and we had 6000 medical patients. But everybody wanted to come in for counseling. And then that's when we knew that it needs to be a standalone.

[Mick Hunt]

Yeah, yeah, dude, that is so impactful, man. And again, kudos to you for addressing a need and doing something about it. Because a lot of times, you know, when, when you and I were growing up in our community, it wasn't a thing. And even if it was a thing, you want to talk about it, you.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Didn'T want to absolutely do it.

[Mick Hunt]

Right? So. So I thank you more than you know about. Thank you about bringing that to awareness. I'm a huge mental health advocate. I do a lot in the mental health space as well too. But a lot of that stem from people like you saying it's okay to talk about it. And then that led me to understand that, like, wait a second, like, I, I didn't talk about the things that were going through my head, which was great. Like, if people would have knew the 10 to 20 year old me, they would have literally thought I was crazy. Some of the things that was going in my head, but like, I didn't have that outlet. And I just felt like the only way to get out was to get out. And so that's what I did. And so again, I applaud you for that, bro. That. And I usually start the show with this, but I'm going to end it with this. I like asking my guest what's there? Because that purpose, that mission that you have, right? Like Simon Sinek said, start with why, right? And you ask people what their why is and they'll tell you whatever. I like going a little bit deeper, like, what's your because, like, if I were to say, what's your why? And then say, but why? You usually say, well, because, A, B, and C. I care about what happens after.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Because. Because at the age and stages that I'm at right now, I'm just learning some new elements and some new layers about me that I've never really approached before. I'm really going in with such. I just got Lasik, so it's a great analogy. I'm going in with such a new vision.

[Mick Hunt]

Like, it. Right?

[Steve Smith Sr.]

The. The. The blurriness, like, is. Is. Is starting to kind of. It's been two weeks now. The blurriness is starting to. Starting to come. Come away, and I'm starting.

[Mick Hunt]

Oh.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Oh, that's what it looks like. You know? That's what it looks like. Clear, huh?

[Mick Hunt]

Yeah. So to wake up and I have to put glasses or contacts, almost feel great, bro. I've been. I've been in glasses or contacts since.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

I was, like, $20 the first time, so I'm not really sure.

[Mick Hunt]

There you go. Well, Steve, man, I appreciate your time. I know how busy you are. You mean the world to me, brother. Keep. Keep impacting. Keep doing the amazing things that you do, and just know that you always got somebody in your corner, bro.

[Steve Smith Sr.]

Appreciate it. Thank you so much.

[Mick Hunt]

You got it. And to all the viewers and listeners, remember your. Because is your superpower. Go unleash it. That's another powerful conversation on Mick Unplugged. If this episode moved you, and I'm sure it did, follow the show wherever you listen, share it with someone who needs that spark, and leave a review so more people can find there because I'm Rudy Rush. And until next time, stay driven, stay focused, and stay unplugged.

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