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Elevate Springfield
Elevate Springfield featuring Will Armitage: Elevating Through the Power of Racing and GoHighLevel
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Summary
In this engaging podcast episode, host Robert interviews Will Armitage, a young and passionate racer from Springfield, Illinois. They discuss Will's journey in racing, starting from his early days in quarter midgets to his current endeavors in sprint car racing. The conversation delves into the intricacies of different racing classes, the challenges of building a racing team, and the community surrounding the sport. Will shares his experiences, including the thrill of setting quick time with the World of Outlaws and the importance of teamwork in racing. The episode highlights the local racing scene and the impact of businesses like Maxim Chassis in Springfield. Will shares how a shift in mindset from being just a driver to understanding the business side of racing has been crucial for his success. The introduction of High Level as a powerful business tool and the establishment of Elevate Growth Solutions to help other businesses thrive are also key themes.
Takeaways
- The racing community in Springfield is supportive and vibrant.
- Sprint car racing involves significant financial investment.
- Setting quick time in racing is a notable achievement.
- Building a racing team requires collaboration and dedication.
- High Level is a powerful tool for business organization.
- Elevate Growth Solutions aims to help businesses grow.
- Authenticity is key in personal branding and social media.
- Community collaboration can lead to greater opportunities.
- Utilizing modern tools can save time and enhance productivity.
- Networking is vital for personal and professional growth.
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Welcome to Elevate Springfield, where we will dive into strategies and stories that help you rise to your full potential. Each episode, we'll talk about how you can take intentional steps to elevate your life and your business while making a meaningful impact on those around you. Along the way, we're gonna bring in the change makers from our community that are already elevating. We'll bring the actionable strategies, you bring the discipline and follow through, and together we can elevate Springfield. Alright, let's go, Springfield. Time to 10X your life, your business, all of it. Time to crush those goals, time to get after it. Let's go. You are listening to the Elevate Springfield Podcast. Robert Farrell here, certified 10x coach, speaker, and mentor here to bring you actionable strategies. You bring the discipline and follow through. And together, we're gonna Elevate Springfield. We're coming to you again from beautiful downtown Springfield in the big dog construction studio. Hey, we've got so much going on in Springfield right now. Make sure you are participating. Get out there, network with folks, be a part of the community, support local businesses, support local nonprofits, and let's go. We can all grow together. So, hey, another great episode for you today. We're gonna get right to our guest after the break. Hey, Springfield, when it comes to reliable, high-quality roofing, you don't want to leave things to chance. That's why you should reach out to Acosta Angeli Ruffing, your local roughing expert serving Springfield and surrounding communities, from quick dependable repairs to full replacement, from residential to commercial. They are your trusted pros. Call them today at 217-993-2748 or visit their website to book your free quote and inspection. Don't wait. A little leak now could lead to major damage later. Trust the local experts, protect your home, and get peace of mind with Acosta Angeli Roofing. All right, and we are back. Hey, joining me in the studio now, we've got Will Armitage from Will Armitage Racing and Elevate Growth Solutions. How you doing today, man?
SPEAKER_00How's it going? Appreciate you having me on. It's exciting to get in here, talk some local stuff and the racing all in one.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I'm excited to learn a little bit more about you and learn about everything you've got going on. We've been talking a little more recently, so it's gonna be good. Beautiful day in Springfield, downtown. So appreciate you coming down to visit with me.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. I think it's gonna be a privilege. We're gonna have a lot of good conversation here and have some fun racing talk and hopefully it'll make for a good podcast.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, because I don't think I've had a racer on before. So I'm looking forward, and I haven't been to really that many races. So that's something we need to change. Yeah, you'll have to school me on that a little bit. But uh before we get into that stuff, Will, let's just learn a little bit about your background, man. Tell us a little bit about you.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, for sure. Um, I'm from Athens, Illinois. Uh I actually graduated back in 2023, not to not to bore you with my whole childhood. So I'm 21 now, and uh from the racing aspect of everything, you know, started racing in quarter midgets, you know, at eight, nine years old. And uh it's been a family background. My dad was involved in racing when he was younger, raced quarter midgets himself, and uh my mom's side has always been race fans. So it's just been from the family up, like I said, I was normal, normal school sports and everything like that too. But the racing's been a huge part of my life.
SPEAKER_01So for those out there that are not familiar with racing, what's a quarter midget?
SPEAKER_00So a quarter midget would be like the cart of all carts in terms of starting out. So like that is your training wheels. So I I did that for two years, which was was fun. You know, it's just it's you're just out there learning how to even understand how to race. And then we quickly moved on to cage cart racing, and which was out in Mechanicsburg, which was super exciting. I I learned how to how to actually race at that point. That was a lot of fun and a lot of my childhood. And then when we were 14, I had the opportunity and uh got a call from a D2 midget owner, uh, Kent Johnson, Kent and Carolyn, and they gave me the opportunity to go run their car, which was super cool. You know, have a car owner call me, you know, when I'm so young. And that was a lot of fun times and learned a lot from that too. So it's just been progressing since I was eight and nine and took a few years off, and now we're definitely in full swing.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So when you were eight and nine, were you the one pushing that, hey, I want to be a racer, or was that something just kind of all in the family, and hey, that's something we do, type of thing.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so it's actually kind of funny. So my dad, my dad bought a quarter midget, just wanted me to race, and it was it was fun. Uh, you know, I had a good time doing it. We actually took two years off, and one of my dad's buddies called him and said, Hey, I was actually his stepdaughter that wasn't racing that night. He's like, Hey, come run this cart. So I show up and I run this pink cart at at Elyville Speedway in Mechanicsburg. I hadn't raced in two years. And uh Doug, Doug Cannon was his name, out in Pawnee. And um, he he was watching with my dad, and and they and I had taken the lead on the top. And he looked at my dad, he goes, I've never seen a cage cart run the top at Elyville. And uh, and from there it's just been a rocket ship. We've been racing every weekend ever since. So kind of hopped back in cold turkey after two years. Uh but yeah, the quarter midget things where you start out and then you go back into cage carts, and there's micro sprints like Jacksonville Speedway, Lincoln Speedway, where a lot of guys cut their teeth, and now we're moving on to the regional level and hopefully to the national level in time.
SPEAKER_01Okay. Well, cut what racetracks do we have here around Springfield?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so I've spent a ton of time just to kind of jump to the sprint car scene a little bit. We can go backwards if we want, but I've spent a ton of time at Jacksonville Speedway. They have a great sprint car class with 305s, they have a local 410 class, which is super cool. Uh, you don't get that a lot because the the local 410 class is it's budget friendly. The 305s are, and then it's hard to have a full 410 class, but we've got a great, you know, racing community around here, great race fans in Jacksonville that support it. Um, and then we race at Lincoln Speedway uh a few times a year. They're more of a stock car track, and then we've got Macon Speedway and Decatur. Uh there's a few more around here within the hour radius, but those are definitely our three closest. And then the Springfield Mile with the Silver Crown. We got to do that last year as well, too.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I forgot about the Macon Speedway over there. Yeah, the mighty Macon Speedway. There you go. So again, for those that might not be uh involved in racing that much, what's the difference when you said 305 or 410? What are those two what do those mean?
SPEAKER_00So that's so that's the cubic inch of the engine. Okay. So so 305, I don't quote me, but I think a 305 makes about 550 horsepower, uh which is you know quite a bit for a small dirt track, but a 410 is around the 900 marker, so it's quite quite the jump in a fuel-injected 900 horsepower engine. So it's uh, you know, you're lighting the tires off the ground and uh it's a whole different level for sure.
SPEAKER_01So you said those might be more the budget-friendly options. What are the high dollar options when you're gonna fire?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so so the 410 option, like so basically there's builders all the way around the country, and it's actually it's a very it's a tough market right now because there's a lot of guys that are are older that are building 410 sprint car engines that we need that younger generation to come up and build them. But but yeah, so we run a 410, but then that's kind of where we base our team around. So like everything we have now is a 410. So like that's the class that we're in in terms of racing. So we're traveling all the way up to Wisconsin now. We're still here at home, and then we're running some national shows as well in the Midwest.
SPEAKER_01Right. So with that, how fast are you going around the track?
SPEAKER_00So it varies on the track, but that's a good question. Uh so like a place like Jacksonville, I think we're like barely touching a hundred, you know, on a quarter mile. So it'd be like the size of your track and field track. Uh so we're going about a hundred around there, uh, maybe just a little under. But some of these tracks were actually headed. I'll be in my first Knoxville Nationals next next week, which is the biggest sprint car race of them all. So it's super, yeah, super exciting. Yeah, I appreciate it. It's uh it's not nerve-wracking, but it's definitely a cool opportunity that I want to take advantage of. So we'll be doing that. But that that track, I think we're hitting like 140. You know, so it's there's a there's a gap in the size of the track because that'll be a half mile. So it's double the distance, so a lot more straightaway speed. And you know, we're hauling around on a dirt track. We'll have to drop some pictures over or something.
SPEAKER_01Heck yeah, no doubt about it. So, how fast wouldn't were you going when you were like eight, nine years old? Like 20.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Yeah, just just learning, learning how to get around the track. So it's a it's a crazy progression. Like once you get out of the cage cart and then you get into like a micro sprint or a D2, there's guys that make a living running a micro sprint, and it's a very respected class. Uh, and then you move up to the sprint car, the non-wing sprint car, the silver crown, and and uh then of course pavement racing, which we haven't haven't messed with yet. Uh it's a dangerous sport. It is, it's not any more dangerous than than probably a game of football, but it's definitely at the speeds we're going, it's a adrenaline rush for sure.
SPEAKER_01No doubt about it. So when you were younger like that, were you just always the type of kids? I love this stuff. I I'm not a I'm not scared at all of this.
SPEAKER_00I don't I don't think so. I I got nervous. That's one thing that's uh kind of cool to talk about is is the nerves being, you know, you strap in, you got your helmet, you got your your seat belts, your suit on, and everything. And uh butterflies come into full effect, you know. And I've I feel like I've never had that quite as bad as some people, uh, because you're hopping in, it's dangerous, especially when you do get into the sprint car and just really anything above a micro, it is a dangerous sport. And I've kind of avoided the butterflies. I think that's helped me as a driver overall, just just being focused on the race and not not too nervous about it. But but yeah, I've always loved it. I mean, I've aspired to to continue to to make it work despite trying to trying to move up in a in a non-budget friendly sport. You know, it's it's expensive, but I, you know, it goes back to creating value in the race team alongside just racing itself. Uh, you can be a really good race car driver, but you've got to make it work building a team.
SPEAKER_01Have you always worked on your own cars?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So when I was real little, of course, I had no idea what was going on. But about the time we got in a micro, I started to get my hands on it. I would have been 12 or 13 at that time. And we had some great help. Uh, Mike Russell, someone that he was around for three or four years from the micro into our first year in the 410 sprint car, who really was just there to help. I mean, I I looking back, I had no idea how much time he was spending just to make sure that we had a good opportunity. My dad's obviously always been really busy growing the body shops and was there in the shop, but in terms of getting everything prepared during the week, uh, Mike and myself were on it. Um, and then as we got into the 410 sprint car, and we'll kind of lead into that, like it was my turn to really pick up the wrenches and figure it out. And I luckily met some some really good guys. I've got Brad Campbell and Hunter Bounds that helped me every single day out in the shop. I mean, it's nonstop. I don't think they knew what they were signing up for when they said, Hey, can I help you with a sprint car? But no, Brad and Hunter are awesome. It's uh it's tough. There's a lot of work to do in the in the shop. It's definitely not just a hobby anymore.
SPEAKER_01Does Brad do the welding and the roll cages and all that stuff? Yep.
SPEAKER_00So Brad Brad's Brad's actually working at Maxim chassis, which is cool. So so the manufacturer of our sprint car chassis is right here in Springfield, Illinois. There's a few others around the country, but Maxim is by far the most popular one. So it's cool to have them local. Right here in Springfield. Right here in Springfield. So so if you're ever, if you're a welder, you know, go go check out Maxim. It's a it's a cool facility and they do a lot of cool work in there. I mean, fabbing up race car chassis isn't normal fabrication work. So yeah, he works over there, and then uh Hunter's a diesel mechanic. So I've got a good little bond of, you know, when something's wrong with the truck, you know, between my dad and Hunter and Brad and me, we can we can figure it out for the most part. So it's it's a good deal and makes it fun even when it's when it's really stressful.
SPEAKER_01Right. No, it's always cool to see companies right here in Springfield that are doing big things nationally, and like those chassis right there, they probably work with people all over the place and they don't even know that it's happening right here in Springfield.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they're actually shipping Australia and New Zealand, you know, all the time. So so yeah, it's a yeah, very, very big company that you wouldn't know about if if you weren't in the greater racing community. But if you are, you know that Maxim's right here in Springfield. There's a ton of trucks pulling out of there with chassis all the time.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, that's been so fun about the podcast in particular over the last year and a half, talking to business owners and talking to talking about things that people have no idea that are happening right here in Springfield that are having an impact across the country and across the world. I think it's just really, really cool.
SPEAKER_00It is cool. And I'm sure there's a million, like I I know about Maxim. There's a million other Maxims, you know, in Springfield that people don't know about. So yeah, it's cool. It's uh it's a good, good ecosystem. And like I said, it's it's more than a hobby now, but it's cool that we still have fun doing it, you know, even on the tough nights. I mean, we've had a actually had a really rough year. Uh success-wise, it's been great, but just you know, the ins and outs of the season has been really tough, and it's just been fun to have those guys. I mean, I wouldn't want to do it alone for sure.
SPEAKER_01So absolutely. So that car, just you said it's not a not a cheap sport by any means. How much does one of those cars cost? Like if you if you buy one, I guess if you're building it yourself, whatever, but whichever way you want to take it.
SPEAKER_00I don't think I could put a price tag on them because we because you build it by hand. Um, but no, it's uh it's not a cheap sport at all. I I know not not for our team specifically, because we run it a little different on our engine program. But if you go and if you go and order one of these sprint car engines, they're 60 to 70 grand out the door uh just for the engine alone. And then you're building a car, which the cars are simpler, but there's still a lot of titanium components and stuff that adds up on them. So I literally could not tell you a price tag on them. Uh our engine program, I'm grateful enough that we've had a a guy come along when I first got into the 410, the the bigger engine that was that was willing to build our engines for us. And uh obviously we we got the parts and everything, but didn't have that like that bill that just that one bill, right? Like it's hey, we're we got this engine, we need to we need to put some pistons in it, we need to do this. And uh we actually just set quick time with the world of outlaws in our second race of the year, which is the national, national series. So that was our first ever World of Outlaw Quick Time, and uh you know it's kind of cool because I actually was on a podcast a few weeks after with a guy that that runs around nationally, and he's like, So you built an engine out of a shed and you went and set quick time with the world of outlaws, and I'm like, it wasn't out of a shed. I'm like, but it it's it is cool because we have really done things a little different, and I wish we could progress quicker, everyone does, but it's it's gone well. So it's uh cool to to see that. And obviously, having Jim, I don't think I'd be in a 410 sprint car if Jim wouldn't have built my engine the first time. So and just for clarification, quick time is is is so basically it's the fastest lap so to start the night. Okay so you'll so you're run your practice laps and then you'll jump into qualifying. Right. So basically it's it's one car out on the track, sometimes two, but you're completely separate, and it's whoever sets the fastest lap. So, like, you know, your car's got to be set up right, your engine has to be tuned perfect, and I've got to be on my A game as far as just not moving. The goal is just to put as much or as as little input into the wheel as possible to get a really good lap out of the car. And that's what we did there. And we went on to have a great night. We won our heat race, we almost won the dash. I think there was 40 some cars there, all nationally based. Um, and then in the feature, I was running fourth at the time. I had started third in the feature, and our wing slider broke. So, like I said, I hope we can drop a picture over this or something. But when you have a wing ram, it's the only in-car adjustment. So basically, it's a valve that puts the wing forward and back. It's on a slider. And as you adjust the car throughout the night, because the track conditions slick off or anything, your only adjustment after you strap into that car is that wing. Okay. So basically, what happened is the wing hydraulic bled back and went further back than I would even ever put the wing on the slickest conditions. So that completely ruined our awesome night. I mean, that's that's how humbling racing is. And I'm not gonna say we were gonna we were gonna win the deal, but I think we were on to possibly our first outlaw top five, at least top 10. And then that happens five to six laps in, and we had a really good car. So um, you know, battling with the the previous two-time champion of the series. So they'll come again. You know, I always have to tell myself it'll come back, and uh, we've got a really good team, and I think we can continue to do that. I don't think that's a one-hit wonder. I think we'll make it happen again.
SPEAKER_01Love it. So you've been racing for like what, 13 years now or so? Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00What are some highlights? Yeah, some highlights, man. Yeah, for sure. So started when I was eight or nine, so yeah, 13 years or so, took those two years off. So I've got about 10 years behind the seat. Uh, but a lot of these kids coming up through the racing ranks, uh, Oklahoma, Indiana, California, these guys are racing 50, 60 times a year. I raced 15 or 20. It was a hobby for us. We just, and now we're kind of really breaking into to running that that amount of races. So as far as highlights, we actually did not have the best luck in a micro sprint. That's what that's where we started. But what really kind of helped push me forward was when I got into uh the Johnson's D2 midget. Uh, that was an opportunity to work with a car owner, you know, and and have that connection that wasn't bickering with your dad about the car setup and stuff. You're talking with a car owner, you know, it he allowed me to have a lot of input on the setup, and that really shifted to some success because I understood that was kind of where I really had to understand the car a little more. So won quite a few races in the D2 Midget stuff. And then in 2024, I'm just gonna jump forward. We had we had a ton of success in the D2 midget, almost won a championship in that. And then jumping forward, it actually took a lot of time to get our first 410 win because basically you hit this cap where every guy moves up through the field and they land in a 410 sprint car. So I'm racing with guys, and that's you know, notable. I'm racing with guys that have been doing it for six months, like I was, to 30 years behind the seat. Yeah. So like I just mentioned that two-time champion, uh David Gravel. Like, I I don't want to quote this, but I think he's been in behind a seat for 20 years or or more now. So that's a lot of that's a lot more laps to me at 90 nights a year. Yeah. So uh is what their schedule is. So like he's getting more races in in one year than I am in three alone. So uh these guys are well tenured. So yeah, you're you're racing against a really tough field, even locally. There's a lot of guys around here that have 20 years of experience at Jacksonville alone, and it's cool to go duke it out with them because you can you can drive a race car for a long time, which allows a lot of guys to get really good. So just to jump back, we won our first 410 race in 2024. So it took a year and a half to win our first 410 race, I think maybe two years at that point. That was tough for me. Trying to learn the car, having all these guys helping and partners looking at me, you know, saying, not not really saying like where's the wins at, but it's what it feels like. And uh, it was time to time to win a 410 race. And we pulled it off in 24. And then last year, I think we got five wins, four wins last year, which that that's tough to break into. You want to win every race you go out, but it's you versus 24 guys. So I always tell a lot of people that don't know a lot about racing, you're not on the same basketball court every night. So every track's different, every track surfaces, even if it was shaped the same, if it was if it's in Kentucky, that dirt's gonna be completely different. So every every track's different, and then you're racing against 24 guys at once. So pulling off that win every single night's tough. But we're we're getting into the the part where we're I feel that we're fast all the time, and that's a positive note for us. There was nights two years ago where we wouldn't be good all night, and now we're finding that speed, even if we start off bad, like, okay, let's get there. So uh yeah, it's a it's a tough sport, but it's it's humbling and it's taught me a lot.
SPEAKER_01Right. No, I bet when you're like you're talking about partners and everything, yeah. You probably would start taking that hard on yourself if you've got these partners that are back and you were pushing for you and everything. It's like, oh, I need to get that W. No, I understand. But over these years, because of your success, whether it's a win or not, you have been able to get some of those partnerships with folks. So talk to us a little bit about some of the people you work with or some of the partnerships you've garnered over the years.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. So basically, it's I I love telling this story because I feel like it's really shifted the person I am. When I was 15 or so, when we had first got that 305 sprint car, my dad sat me down. Of course, he's still a huge part of the team. But my dad sat me down and he goes, All right, look, kid, like if you want to keep doing this, like you're gonna have to figure out how to how to fund this this deal and and be a be a at least an equal part in this eventually. Um, we're gonna do the Jacksonville thing, we're gonna, you know, we're gonna do this, this, and the other. And he's like, but you need to figure out how to how to make this work on your end. So I'm like, how am I gonna do this? I'm 15 years old, you know, trying to figure this out. So I I learned Photoshop. I'm making these proposals up, I'm trying to figure all this out. And I got my first sponsor at the end of that year. We had talked kind of mid year, and I got my first sponsor, XK Glow, there at the end of the year, going into 22. It would have been 23, I think. So we've had them for quite a while, and that's been cool. And it just shifted my focus. Like I went from just trying to race to like, okay, these people believe in me. So um, you know, just taking those risks, connecting with business owners and and shifting that marker on the race team. I I used to just be trying to be a race car driver, and my dad was like, look, like there's a lot more to this. If if you want to do this, like you're gonna have to to learn how to to market yourself. And I think it changed a lot of what I do today because of that conversation. And it's cool. Our whole team is about presentation and having a brand and really focusing on it. The biggest thing is I shifted from trying to find sponsors to trying to find valuable partnerships. Absolutely. Uh, you know, there's a lot of lot of guys that have stickers on the car or in anything in life, and I I wanted to make that more meaningful. So, yeah, just a lot of great people that that believe in us, and it all started from just getting the grit to to go try to find some partners because I knew that was the only way I'd make it work to continue even doing what we're doing today at this point. So, this year, for instance, we brought on High Level, uh, as you know a lot about High Level, it's a super great company. There's a ton of business owners in the racing industry, probably more than any other sport out there, just because it's a lot of business owners that have the time to go to the track or do anything like that. So I came to them with this idea that, like, hey, there's a market here to capture of full-on business owners that need your help. A lot of traditional businesses, blue-collar businesses, and and came to them and said, hey, let's let's grow something in a traditional sport and show these people what how much time they can save. So high level's been a huge part of our team this year, uh, their first year on. Hopefully that continues. And uh XK Glow has been our longest standing partner. And then CHE Precision has been another one that's been on for I think five years now out of California. So they build all the valve train components for a lot of these engines, a lot of your NHRA drag cars, uh, all of the valve train pieces, they have a special proprietary bronze coating that they put on these valve train components. So that's a super unique company that we have on, and a ton of local ones as well. So it's just growing our brand and being different has been been the focus.
SPEAKER_01I love that. No, and I think it's really cool that back at 15, you made that shift from, hey, I'm a I'm a driver and this is a really cool thing to hey, now all of a sudden this is a business. Yes. Right. I think that's really cool that you did that that early and have been able to grow from there.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think I kind of took it as a don't let it stop you. I think my dad was I looking back at it, I think he just was curious what I would do with it. Challenge him a little bit to see what he does with this. And then I think, and I mean, we joke about it all the time. And he's like, How did I get myself into this? Because now, I mean, he's a huge part of it, you know, with you know, just just everything we have at the shop. I mean, I've infested his shop with race parts, right? Like I I tell everybody a race team's tough because it's not the best business model, but if you have a lot of good people around you, it all makes sense in the end. So yeah, I think he was surprised when we did it. But I I think it really shifted just my mindset on on life. I mean, I still have a lot to learn, but at the same time, it was kind of that shift to go meet people. I was never afraid to shake a hand, but it it's like I wasn't to me, I wasn't like selling myself. A lot of people go into a business and say, Hey, you need this. Like I just had to tell them, hey, I think this would be a valuable partnership to have. And luckily, a lot of those have paid off. Uh, we haven't lost a lot of partners over the years and and built a lot of really good mutual bonds with them that hopefully continues. I love it.
SPEAKER_01No, your dad giving you that little push at that age. That's what we do as parents sometimes. My yeah, my oldest. Yeah, right, right. My oldest daughter is right about that same age. She just turned 16, and you know, we just had the conversation. Well, hey, what's your next step in this business with the podcast and everything? What's your next step that you could do right here with us to help us grow? Exactly. Sometimes we got to see what they do. Give a little push and see what happens and see whether they're doing it.
SPEAKER_00I still don't know if I'm doing it right, but it definitely pushed me somewhere.
SPEAKER_01Right. Well, uh, it pushed you up. I mean, you've gone up since then. So that's that's a good thing. So with high level, if people haven't heard about that, of course we've talked a lot about it, but tell everybody just briefly what high level is and what it could do for a company.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So I mean, if you're in the in the marketing department of a company or if you're a business owner, uh, especially like solo business owners that really are trying to fight for being able to communicate with their clients and answer the phone and everything, high level was kind of a CRM before. They and they've taken a shift to be kind of that AI-powered business system that's allowing a lot of people a ton of freedom. So it's it's been really cool on my end to help people implement it into their business, of course. But basically, from your website build to your communication all the way through to like answering your phone and booking appointments, it kind of, I don't want to say it does it for you on every aspect. It sure can, but but it's a system that helps you stay organized and really run your business through and through. Um, I've I know a lot of companies that are from anywhere from collecting their payments, you know, through transaction, all the way to like booking leads through their website. They're doing everything on one system. And I think a lot of businesses get lost, especially traditional businesses, and like, hey, where's our website sit? Hey, where are we keeping this on a spreadsheet? And high level kind of just does this, you know, brings it all together, which is super cool. Um, I'm a huge believer in it. I actually used it about a year before I had reached out to them and made the stride to just just say, hey, like there's an opportunity here. So uh yeah, high level is a it's powerful for sure. As a as any business owner that needs to organize, it's it's something you can use for just about everything. There's times where I hop on there and I'm like, oh, I had no idea they added that. That's feature. That's great. I didn't even know, yeah, you can get rid of that now. So it's it's great.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it is almost a one-stop shop and quite frankly, very, very cost effective compared to other solutions out there.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So basically you can hop on there for nine ninety-seven dollars a month and and run your business. And that's that's absurd. You know what I mean? Now, obviously, there's a lot to be built on there and everything, but uh in terms of the software itself running, like you can really have, especially if you know what you're doing, you can have for $97 a month a full business platform from accepting your payments all the way to running your website for you know just under $1,200 a year. And I think that blows a lot of software companies out of the water. So no doubt. It's an exciting opportunity and they're on the forefront of everything. So I was actually talking to their marketing department last week and just the things that they're working on, they're state of the art as far as what they can do. They actually came out last week with an opportunity to control your browser. So, like you can actually ask it a question and it will hop on your computer. And don't get scared when I say this. This is actually very, very cool. It's secure. It can hop on your computer and find that data that it needs, whatever you allow it. Yeah, it says, hey, grab this. And and it literally finds the data, puts it in the CRM, and continues to run your business.
SPEAKER_01So cool.
SPEAKER_00It's crazy. Yeah. So awesome opportunity, huge believer in it, and uh looking forward to what they do in the future. I've walked actually just been talking to you about it. A race team in in my area traveled in and I walked up to him and was talking to him about his roofing company. And he told me, he's like, Hey, I want you to know. He's like, We use high level for our entire business. And I was like, that's so cool. You know, like I can't help you. You already have it, right? But it's just cool to hear like how many people maybe in the racing community are using it and they don't even know they are, or ones that should hear that and and know that a whole roofing company is running their business through a software that has that much power.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no doubt about it. So you've taken what you've learned on the marketing side through building your race team, what you've learned through high level here and everything, and that's where your Elevate Growth Solutions comes in, right? So what are you doing there?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so absolutely. So basically, what elevate growth, the purpose of it was to basically have a one-stop shop for people that have all these busy needs. Uh, that's what it started out as when I first started tiptoeing into it. So basically, when I was little, I've watched my dad do all these endless tasks, my mom do all these endless tasks, and I'm like, gosh, like the time, just the time and effort in it. But when I first started it, I I designed my own race car. I do all the proposals for it, I do all of the work there. So I was like, how can I help businesses grow with a creative touch and have their own brand and have a story? A lot of companies, you might be a concrete company, and it's like, like, tell tell people who you are. And that's what I've always had to do to try to sell my value is is have a story. So I I wanted to shift in and and help people, whether it was just the design on their trucks so they could be different or you know, their social media. And then I came across high level and the power of it. And I kind of shifted me back to when I was little, knowing how much time my my parents had in building a body shop and wondering the power of that, if if they would have utilized or had that tool. You know, it wasn't a thing at the time, but had that tool sooner, how much time it could have saved them. So elevate growth is is basically like how can I help you grow? You know, in in any aspect. A lot of it goes back to what I've learned on the race team from design and storytelling and building a brand all the way to like actually saving you time and building you a system, which has been the touch that high levels added to elevate growth for sure. So uh now we're implementing high level into companies that need that touch, uh, along with using it just for their marketing piece for for that branding. Uh there's you know, I I don't want to be the the everything guy, but at the same time, I've found myself looking back on past experiences where I'm like, yeah, I can I can get that done for you. Give me a second, and then I'll hop on high level and and really get that automated for them and save them time.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. So no, I think that's great for businesses out there. They should take a look at high level if they haven't seen it before. If you if you don't have a CRM or don't have any kind of solution at all, that's a definitely a great one to look at. Start there. Yeah, if you're if you already have one, still take a look at it and see if it might be a better value for you, give you more for your money there. Absolutely. Yeah. So anything else you guys do with the Elevate?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So so basically the biggest thing is is being in a one-stop shop for marketing needs. So I have done anything from doing voice AI assistance for companies, trying to save them a little time. I deal with a lot of solo guys that have their own shop. And basically what we're trying to do is is funnel clients in where they're having a chance to not have to answer every call in a way that they can push it back to later. So, you know, I've got I've got voice AI assistance set up through high level where it funnels them down, sends them a notification and says, Hey, did you forget about this appointment? Or, you know, hey, this person wants to book an estimate. So we're working on that side too to save guys time uh and and have the opportunity to grow and not be stuck on the phone all day. So that's another one of our ticket services that we're working on growing, uh, you know, through the help of high level. And then, yeah, I mean, overall, I think my choice is how can I save people time and grow their business all at the same time without having 10 different people doing it. And that's where, like, if I can do that, like I feel like I kind of fulfilled what I wanted to do.
SPEAKER_01Awesome. Well, Will, so much great stuff. Looking forward to seeing the growth of the racing team and also the company. That's also great stuff. I always like to close with these last couple of things. Let's give the audience a piece of advice, one on the personal side, one on the professional side to help them elevate their life or business.
SPEAKER_00I'm gonna put that together and say on the personal side, being authentic, you know, I've really uh this year, I've had a lot of people ask me what the heck's wrong with me. I've really stepped out of my comfort zone socially, you know, on social media, trying to build the race team and everything, and just being authentic, you know, and then I'm gonna mix that in and say on the professional side, utilizing all these new tools to power their time. So I see a lot of these AI graphics out there right now and everything. Like, be authentic on the front end, right? But use these new systems to help you save time. I've seen so many people and got so many calls that are like, I have no idea. Like I got a whole day back, but spend that day and go be authentic, you know, maybe make a post or shake a hand. And I feel like, like I said, I'm still young, but that's my focus is networking and utilizing these new tools that are coming at us to not just go sit on the couch, but go learn something else and be authentic. Right.
SPEAKER_01You know, that's the second time today. I had another guest in here earlier before you came in that we talked about authenticity in social media, where AI has its place and certainly does, but authenticity when it comes to social media is so much more value. Absolutely. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I mean, I I use it maybe for a video transition or an edit or something funny, you know, something that is meant to be funny, but people need to know what your business does. And if AI messed up the logo on the back of your shirt, they don't even know what business you work for. So I I think it's time well invested to be authentic. I think just from the outside perspective, we're in a world of distrust as far as the AI. Like you get on your phone and you don't know what's real, what's fake. So give everybody the opportunity to see who you are on the front end, and then like I said, bring those modern systems in and protect yourself on the back end, save time, and and it all pays off in the end.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. Well, last one for you here, Will. Is there anything we can do community-wide to help us all elevate Springfield and the surrounding communities? I think it's work together more.
SPEAKER_00I'm sure you hear that a lot. You know, I've I say it a lot. I know you say it a lot. But but no, I honestly think that from my background, you know, in in racing and that first handshake with XK Glow and Dan giving me that opportunity to believe in me, there's so many of those businesses around here. Maybe not every single one of them would do what Dan did for me. But at the same time, there's so many people in this community that if you shake their hand, you get to know them, you can work together. I mean, we talked about it earlier. So to me, I feel like if people would realize their true value a little more in the marketplace, I think there's a lot of opportunity to be had there.
SPEAKER_01Completely agree. When we work together, we grow together, brethren. That's what we do. Come on. Well, Will, if somebody wants to learn more about your race team, where you're gonna be, or about your business, where where do they go to find out, man?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. So on the race team side, just to dive back into that, uh, we're on Will Armitage Racing on Facebook. Uh we post a ton of cool content on there. I've actually got to be. Yeah, yeah, we're we're we're real, like I said, I've broke out of my shells. So if you ever say, man, he looks awkward, that's because I probably am. But no, I've just I've never had a problem talking, but but this this media piece has been different. But yeah, I'd love if you guys would go check that out. Uh we've been growing a good following. I think we have like 800,000 views over the past 90 days, just organically. So super cool to see people, the feedback come back in on the racing side, and we'll continue to do that. Uh, and then I think it's Will Armitage7 on Instagram. You'll see kind of the same thing on Instagram. And then as far as elevate growth, uh, I'm kind of just me right now. You know, just I've had so much great feedback come in, just networking with business owners that I've I haven't had time to really launch that business, but it's been great and in connecting people with high level and building media opportunities and everything. So uh my domain is get elevateco.com. If anyone wants to check it out, I haven't looked at it in a while. But uh yeah, there's uh a lot of great people I look forward to connecting with and hopefully help. And I think at the end of the day, if you know the best phone call I get is hey, you saved me time. And then if they say, hey, that that you know provided a lead or or did something else, I think that'll all pay off in the end too.
SPEAKER_01Come on. Well, great stuff today, Will. Appreciate you spending some time with me, man.
SPEAKER_00It's been a pleasure. I appreciate you having me on and uh a lot of great conversation. I think we can look forward to.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. I already have a couple of topics we're gonna have follow-ups on here. So look forward to seeing Will at least a couple of more times here on Elevate Square. Let's do it. Like you said, Elevate Squared. Elevate Squared or something. Yeah, that'll work. That works. So, all right, man, appreciate it. Of course. All right, we're gonna let Will get back to Elevate in Springfield, but for the rest of y'all, we'll be right back. Looking for expert tree care with hometown integrity, look no further than Sangamon Tree Service. They're your trusted local pros, delivering quality workmanship, exceptional customer service, and fair, honest pricing every time. Whether it's trimming, removal, or storm cleanup, their team brings professionalism and care to every job, big or small. Call the name your neighbors trust, Sangman Tree Service, or visit them today at SangmanTreeService.com. Sangman Tree Service, rooted in quality, built on trust. Looking for personalized insurance with hometown care, David Hilst, American Family Insurance Agent's here to help you protect what matters most: your family, your home, and your dreams. Whether it's auto, home, life, business, David and his team are proud to serve the Springfield community with trusted advice and reliable coverage. Local service, real relationships, peace of mind. Call today or stop by their office. They can build your dream protection plan together. Call 217-726-6343. Well, thank you for joining us today, everybody. Appreciate you making us a part of your day. Hey, don't forget while you're out on social, check ours out. You can check my personal one out at RobertFarrell at everywhere. Check out those Elevate Springfield pages, those big dog business coaching pages as well. Check us out over on YouTube. Give us a subscribe, give us a like or a follow on any of those channels. We would certainly appreciate it. So hey, take what you learned today. You bring the discipline and follow through and together. That's right, y'all. We're gonna elevate Springfield. Be great.