Sarah Elkins 4/27/21 Sarah Elkins 4/27/21

Episode 174: Rodney's Raptors: Life Changing Birds

This career wasn't part of his life plan as young man, and when you hear what his interests were, what he did when he skipped school, you'll appreciate the trajectory he took.

He was well on his way toward violence and incarceration, selling drugs in his corner of Washington DC. When he started applying for jobs, it wasn't because he needed money, it was because he needed a paystub - proof of consistent, legal income in order to rent an apartment.

They Saved His Life: A Story of an Unconventional Relationship

Rodney Stotts podcast episode 174 cover art with image and quote

He was told not to look a bird of prey in the eyes, that it would be considered aggressive and would damage his relationship with the animal.

But when that gigantic Eurasian Eagle Owl, Mr. Hoots, turned as Rodney went to move him, their eyes met, and neither of them looked away. Rodney described the moment as electric, and when he shared the story, I could practically feel the magnetic gaze they shared, and felt the hairs on my neck rise as he described it.

I met Rodney when I participated in GISH, the Great International Scavenger Hunt this year. He was interviewed as part of the event, and I just loved how he spoke about his animals and his work with young people.

GISH Promotional image with Rodney Stotts

This career wasn't part of his life plan as young man, and when you hear what his interests were, what he did when he skipped school, you'll appreciate the trajectory he took.

Rodney Stotts episode cover art with image from a Christian Science Monitor article.

His job with Earth Conservation Corps is where his life dramatically changed direction. He realized he had a choice, to spend more time with the raptors in a related program, or to spend more time selling drugs on the street. You can imagine what choice he made.

The rest, as they say, is history, and you're in for a treat with this interview.

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When you're ready to learn more about Rodney's programs for young adults, visit his website, and perhaps you'll feel compelled to contribute. You'll also want to check out the trailer for the movie The Black Falconer, and read this great article on Audubon.com, and this one in the Washington Post.

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ABOUT SARAH:

"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.

My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.
The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!

Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songsrecorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.

Sarah Elkins 7/23/19 Sarah Elkins 7/23/19

Episode 82: Baking Bread is More than Flour, Water, and Yeast

Rocky Connell, raised in Glasgow, Montana, which is as close to the Canadian border as you can get - and at the western edge of North Dakota, had a very unusual first job "milking" bulls for his father's veterinary business.

Analogies for Life, Stories of An Artisanal Bread Baker

That's how we started this living room couch episode of Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will.

How he transitioned from his work with bulls to baking artisanal bread for Park Avenue Bakery in Helena, Montana is a long story, and one you'll want to hear.

We spoke about the movie Like Water for Chocolate, particularly a scene when Tita, the main character, made a dish that made everyone cry. I couldn’t find that clip to share, but I did find one that embodies the sentiment: We put our energy into everything we do, everything we make:

Baking bread is a great analogy for personal growth and development. It takes time, there are few shortcuts, and every shift in the environment and ingredients can be the difference between a delicious loaf and an inedible one.

Rocky and I met at the Helena, Montana airport getting ready to board a plane. When I found out he was the genius to bring real French baguette to our little town, I felt like I was sitting with a celebrity. As he described the process and the trial and error to get to this prized creation, I couldn’t help but see the relationship between baking bread and everything else we do.

You infuse your energy into everything you do. Positive or negative, whatever you put into a project, relationship, or event is what will come out of it. I shared my story about baking challah (the Jewish bread for the Sabbath and festivals) at high altitude, and the difficulties I had in that first year living in Montana. Rocky could relate, but not with the altitude aspect because he has only ever baked at high altitude! He could relate to the trial and error of the process, and to the euphoric feeling of pulling the perfect loaf out of the oven to share with friends and family.

Starting challah with yeast, water, and flour

One story he shared has stayed with me even more than the others: When he first started baking in Billings, Montana, for a local bakery, he figured out an extraordinary ciabatta. He would make a big batch in the very early mornings and felt connected to each loaf. He knew he poured himself into every part of the process, from softening the yeast to carefully placing the loaves into the hot oven. He remembered one customer who came in and bought every. single. loaf. At first, Rocky was almost hostile toward the customer, frustrated that all of his early morning hard work would be gone first thing that day. But then the man explained:

I’m bringing these to my son and his family in Great Falls, Montana today. Last time I visited, I brought one of these delicious loaves to him, and my son was so impressed that he asked me to bring more next time. He said he’d freeze loaves for later, but please bring as many as you can!

Rocky looked back at that incident and saw it as a pivot point, it was that moment when he realized he wasn’t baking bread just because he loved to bake bread - it wasn’t just for him. He realized that he wasn’t just feeding people, he was nourishing them.

What do you do that you can feel that good about? When did you realize that the energy you put into something was exactly the energy that came out of it?

Rocky loves his work at Park Avenue Bakery in Helena, Montana. If you make it in there, be sure to ask for him so you can hear about his latest outstanding creation, the Black & Brie Baguette. (I had mine with fresh sliced tomatoes and basil from my garden… mmmm.)