Podcast Summary: The Mello Millionaire with Tommy Mello

Episode: American Advertising Legend Roy Spence on Purpose, Profit, and Finding Common Ground

Date: September 26, 2025
Host: Tommy Mello (w/ Podcast Host/Producer “Tommy Truth”)
Guest: Roy Spence, co-founder & chairman of GSD&M

Main Theme:

Roy Spence—legendary adman, co-author of “Don’t Mess with Texas,” and champion of purpose-driven business—shares his journey, lessons on leadership, branding, and the power of marketing as a force for good. This episode dives deep into how entrepreneurs and leaders can build meaningful companies that serve both profit and a higher calling, while exploring how America can restore unity and the American Dream across generations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins of GSD&M—Learning by Doing

• Starting Out: In 1971, Roy and three UT-Austin friends started their ad agency with $5,000, no experience, and one goal: “stay together, stay in Austin, make a difference, and get rich.”
  • Mentorship Hidden in Plain Sight: Roy learned years later that a mentor secretly co-signed their business loan so they'd believe in themselves ([01:51–03:19]).
• Breaking the Rules: With zero industry baggage, they “didn’t break the rules—we just made them up” ([03:19]).

Quote:

“If you can dream it, you can build it.”
—Roy Spence [01:51]

2. Purpose-Driven Marketing & Iconic Campaigns

• Southwest Airlines: Roy framed their brand not as an airline but as “the freedom business”, coining “You are now free to move about the country” ([04:39–05:06]).
  • Lesson from CEO Herb Kelleher: “Take the competition seriously, but not yourself.” ([05:16])
• Walmart: Roy cold-pitched Sam Walton, leading to “Save Money, Live Better.”
  • “We introduced Save Money, Live Better. Because if you don’t advertise, you’re going to cheat the ordinary citizen out of being able to buy the same stuff as rich people.” ([07:00])
• Don’t Mess with Texas: Born from a simple anti-littering message, it became a cultural rally cry, reduced litter 76%, and became the most-run PSA in US history ([07:38–08:28]).

Quote:

“A brand is a sacred promise… every time you violate that sacred promise, your brand is diluted.”
—Roy Spence [11:17]

3. What Makes Great Leaders & Brands

• Leadership Essentials:
  • Discover your true purpose, not what you’re “supposed” to do ([08:53]).
  • Hire for character—“honey people” (givers) over “vinegar people” (takers) ([09:52]).
  • Follow the “golden rule” and prioritize people ([10:13]).
• Purpose and Passion: Brands must be built on a “mighty purpose”; different is better than just better ([11:17–12:29]).

Quote:

“Great leaders…have discovered what they were born to do, not supposed to do in life. It’s called purpose.”
—Roy Spence [08:53]

4. Reigniting the American Dream: The Make It Movement

• Purpose: Roy’s nonprofit “Make It Movement” aims to inspire high school students to discover meaningful, well-paid work without necessarily going to college ([13:12–14:36]).
  • 98% of US parents want their kids to be financially independent at work they enjoy.
  • Push to revive vocational education and skills trades ([15:52]).
• Personal Story: Roy shares how his mother’s unique encouragement and his sister’s perseverance inspired him ([16:02–17:48]).

Quote:

“I don’t want you to spend another second of your life trying to be average at what you’re bad at. I want you to spend the rest of your life trying to be great at what you’re good at.”
—Roy Spence, quoting his mother [17:47]

5. On Money, Management, and Finding Your Calling

• Advice to 20s Self:
  • “Making money is easier than managing it. I want every kid to be able to not only make money, but manage it.” ([17:58])
  • Marry the dreamers and doers; “get the in-betweeners out” ([18:30]).
  • Advise parents: “Quit asking your kids, ‘What do you want to do?’ Ask, ‘What do you love to do?’” ([18:45])
• Dignity of Work: Celebrate all forms of honest labor—“Respecting the dignity of all work” ([22:58]).

6. Unity and the Power of Meeting in the Middle

• Bringing Leaders Together: Roy recounts bringing former Presidents Bush and Clinton together for disaster relief PSAs; facilitating unity for a cause ([20:46–22:00]).
• On Compromise and Common Purpose:
  • “Compromising is not an evil thing. It is sitting down and talking.” ([22:00])
  • “Don’t give up on the idea we can come together on something… We can come together on purpose for the next generation.” ([27:16–27:45])

Quote:

“Meeting people in the middle is not easy…but it’s the right thing to do.”
—Roy Spence [22:00]

7. Notable Campaigns & Lasting Impact

• Favorite Ads Not His: Budweiser’s classic Clydesdale commercials ([24:42]).
• Most Inspiring Campaign: “I’m an American” PSA post-9/11, featuring Americans of all kinds declaring “I am an American.”
  • Ran more than any PSA in US history.
  • Ends with “E pluribus unum—Out of many, one”—a hopeful message of American unity ([25:02–27:08]).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• [00:00] “Meeting people in the middle… we can come together on purpose for the next generation.” —Roy Spence
• [07:59] “Don’t mess with Texas.” —Tommy & Roy Spence
• [10:29] “‘You can have anything you want in life if you just help enough people get what they want.’ Exactly right.” —Zig Ziglar, quoted by Tommy & Roy
• [17:47] “Don’t try to be average at what you’re bad at—be great at what you’re good at.” —Roy, quoting his mother
• [22:00] “Meeting people in the middle is not easy, but it’s the right thing to do.” —Roy Spence
• [27:16] “We can come together on purpose for the next generation. I want the next generation to be a generation of builders.” —Roy Spence

Highlighted Timestamps

• Entrepreneurial Origins: [01:51–03:19]
• Southwest Airlines & Brand Insights: [04:39–05:23]
• Don’t Mess with Texas Campaign: [07:38–08:28]
• Leadership Reflections: [08:53–10:29]
• Brand as Sacred Promise: [11:17–12:29]
• Make It Movement/Trades & Dignity of Work: [13:12–15:52]; [22:58]
• Personal/Family Stories on Purpose: [16:02–17:48]
• Financial Wisdom: [17:58–19:02]
• Presidential Unity Stories: [20:46–22:00]
• I’m an American (Post 9/11): [25:02–27:08]
• Final Message on Coming Together: [27:16–27:56]

Closing Thoughts

Roy Spence urges listeners to hold fast to the American Dream—by focusing on purpose, building meaningful brands, respecting all work, and finding common ground even in a divided nation. His mix of storytelling, humor, and wisdom makes a compelling case that business at its best is about service, not just sales, and that we have both the responsibility and opportunity to help the next generation thrive.

This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, marketers, and anyone interested in purposeful leadership and the restoration of the American Dream.