We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Greg Payne. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Greg below.

Alright, Greg thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

I came up with the idea for The Cool Grandpa Podcast when I became a grandfather. I was browsing through popular media, including books and magazines. I found a wealth of information geared explicitly towards grandmothers or grandparenting, which was primarily focused on the needs of grandmothers. I was also seeing a lot of material about grandfathers that portrayed us as villains or the butts of jokes, which is okay, but that seemed to be the majority of what was available. I wanted to hear stories from awesome grandfathers who were intentional about making their role as grandfathers impactful, not only for their grandchildren but also their adult children, their spouses, and the community in general. I wanted to learn from these men how I could be a grandfather with purpose and significance, not just a good-time piggy bank at birthdays and holidays. I also desired to learn from other experts in areas critical to grandparents and seniors, so that this season of life is one of growth and purpose, rather than shrinking and diminished dreams.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My background has been in the transportation and supply chain industry, where I led teams that implemented complex solutions, enabling transportation companies and manufacturers to move goods effectively to the end user.

As part of my professional development, I sought to apply the skills and leadership lessons I had hard-won to create a center for information and socialization focused on the roles of both grandfathers and grandmothers. I deliver essential information and insight to my listeners and those I work with, so that they are reminded that they matter, that they are leaders in their family, and if they need additional tools for building and developing deep, meaningful relationships, I provide those as well.

Now, not everything about becoming the best version of a grandparent you can be is serious. The best lessons from grandfathers and experts on my podcast are often those that involve purposeful play and adventures.

I want everyone who is a grandfather or about to become one to have the resources delivered in a fun way, so they feel confident to step forward and embrace that unique role. Those who work directly with me take an assessment so that we can figure out where they are in their relationships and how we can move to where they want to be AND where their grandchildren need them to be as grandfathers.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

This is an interesting question. For a significant portion of my professional life, I was involved in creative problem-solving. Still, those problems tended to be how to execute the project, how to overcome software or hardware constraints, and I was also challenged by how to communicate with team members, stakeholders, and customers about those challenges and the creative solutions.

With the work I do now for The Cool Grandpa Podcast, as well as my new position as a Special Education Teacher (my day job), I am challenged not just to create content, but to think of ways to deliver it to the appropriate audience. For example, older men generally are not looking for someone to tell them what to do when it comes to their personal lives, AND every one of us has different circumstances and relationships, which adds a level of complexity. So, what do I need to do to draw in these individuals and others (I have many grandmothers who also listen) to my message about being an intentional grandfather and leader in the family? So, when can I create a creative way of delivering a positive message about either continuing to be an engaged grandfather or getting off the sidelines and BECOMING and engaged grandfather and I hear from those people in my comments or emails, it just hits home that using those creative muscles and going through the struggle of content creation has rewards beyond money.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Jumping into the world of podcasting or content creation is easy, but having the staying power to keep going when the yachts and big checks don’t roll in after five episodes can be a challenge.

Anyone who wants to build something of significance is going to need a real team around them. I have been fortunate to have built a team through podcasting and writing who constantly encourages me to keep going, even when motivation isn’t always there. I also have a fantastic wife who provides me with both honest feedback and suggestions on how to grow and improve my work, as well as the motivation to keep moving forward.

A few years ago, I underwent four back surgeries in one calendar year. To say that was difficult is an understatement. Not only was I dealing with the pain that led up to the surgeries, but I had my day job to try and manage as well as putting out my show. Sometimes it just seemed too much. Yet, the team that surrounded me encouraged me and helped provide me with the knowledge of how to put systems in place, allowing for the scheduling of topics, guests, and a workable release schedule to come into place. I tell you, for me, the ingredients for building up and putting a framework in place for resilience are one: understanding WHY you are doing what you are doing. Two, finding a team that you can both lean on and contribute to, and three, putting systems or SOPs together to take some of the decision-making and work off of you and into the system.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cool-grandpa.us
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greg.payne.5036/ and https://www.facebook.com/CoolGrampaGreg/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-payne/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thecoolgrandpapodcast
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6mkvhvjYu2uo0R8uGFnRxm