Podcast

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a student inside of Safety Management Academy? Maybe you've had this on your to-do list that one day you will join the program, or maybe you have looked into it and thought, is it really gonna make a difference in my career? So today I am going to have a discussion with one of our students, so that way you can get a sneak peek of what it's like to.

So that way you can see the results that you can create in your career by applying the lessons in the program. Let's get to it.

[00:01:00] Hello, hello, hello. My safety [00:02:00] friends. Today I have something super special for you. So I have been having several chats with our students inside of Safety Management Academy and talking with them just about their decision to join the program and the results.

That they have seen from the program as well as their opinions about the program. So today, I have one of those interviews, but I wanna caveat it first because. , I spoke with Wesley, which you're gonna meet in just a second, right when I was in the middle of going through like my spring of just being sick constantly.

So when you hear me asking him questions, you will hear that my voice is just awful. , I think I was sucking, , cold drops the whole time during the interview, so I apologize for that. But it is a really good interview because the results Wesley has seen since applying the, the lessons from the program have been amazing.

So if you [00:03:00] have been on the fence about Safety Management Academy, hopefully this will answer. , Hopefully this will answer some of your questions or concerns, and then I will see you inside the program. Enjoy this interview with Wesley.

Brye: So let's start off with your name, your current job title, and what industry you work in. My name is Wesley Sanchez. I currently work for Xcel Energy and I am the Senior Safety consultant for transmission. . Where were you in your career and life before joining Safety Management Academy?

In my career, before I found Safety Geek, I was like all safety consultants or whatever it be, I dropped into the position not knowing what I was getting myself into. And it happened to be, you know, there was no one to talk to.

There was no one to ask questions. I had to literally figured out as I was going and it was quite a while before I found. [00:04:00] The safety geek. And what ended up happening during that time is I figured a lot of it out, but when I found the safety geek and I heard Bri talking on YouTube and stuff like that, I was like, wow, what amazing person, you know?

And then the first thing I did was I was trying to justify the cost of pain, you know, for the safety geek. And in the end, I have no regrets. It, did a couple of things for me. One is it confirmed that I was on the right track. Two, it was nice to have someone speaking to the areas that I didn't know very well.

And then also, it gave me that confirmation that the direction I was going was correct. And, it's kind of hard being in this by yourself when you have known to look back to or ask questions to. And, but the training amazing. It gave me all the confidence I need, whatever and then also confirmed the areas I was going correctly on, and there's a lot I took away from it.

Awesome. So when you found, when you started working with us, what were your goals? Like what were your goals or what did you hope to accomplish getting out of it? Oh, my goals [00:05:00] for taking the training were to, first off. I try to learn some of the things that I didn't know. You know what I mean? I'm always open for a infinite growth mindset, and always learning and taking into consideration that other people have better ways of doing things that I may have that I'm doing them.

And, when I started going through the training and, and, just, confirming that I was on the right track. And then I found areas like, you know, one of the things that Brian talked about is how, getting to know the employees personally. Not just saying hi to 'em every day, but actually keeping track of what's in their life and make growing those relationships with them.

And when you start doing that, it really does open up a lot of doors to, just that inner reaction and the culture is the number one thing that you have to change in safety. And that's one of the things that, I did take away is, growing that safety culture that I would, and that was some of the goals, is to grow the safety culture, change the mindset of the management.

Find different ways and techniques of pulling safety in because you could have a, your herd, but if you can't lead them, then you don't highly have safety. That's the number one thing that I took away [00:06:00] from the safety geek is, how to really gather that culture together and make your culture even top notch.

That's awesome. What was like your last straw? So like you had said that you had to justify the decision of investing in yourself and all of that. What was like, what were the things happening at the time that was just like the last straw and you knew that you had to do things differently? Sorry, I'm, start over.

I didn't really have a last draw where like I needed to do change to change because I was on the right direction. Direction. It's just, I just needed that confirmation, you know what I mean? Because it was kind of lonely being by myself, but that's where I'll go with that somewhat. You weren't working in energy when you first started, were you? No. You were like, weren't you, if I remember correctly, 'cause we had a conversation when you first started. You were at a company for a really long time. Yeah, 25 years.

So you were at the previous company for 25 years. What made you make the decision to change industries? So one of the major I. Things that took place in my previous company that I worked for 25 years, and I did safety for that company for 12 years. After taking the training for Safety [00:07:00] Geek, I came to realize, that there's a lot that goes into, change in management perception, employee perception, safety perception.

And after I had learned these skills and became better at, communicating with the management, the emails and the better communication with, our safety director and also, I mean, not the safety director, the vice president of the company. And after I had become better at communication, one of the things that really stood out to me is they really wanted to, have safety, but when it came to actually committing and getting the buy-in from the employees.

They didn't really have safeties back, and I felt like at the time, knowing what I knew after taking the training and what we were lacking and then presenting it to the company onto fixing what we were lacking and still falling upon deaf ears because they wanted to keep on trucking the same way they had been going for years.

It came apparently obvious to me that at some point someone was gonna pass away [00:08:00] on my watch, and although I knew what needed to be done. It was hard for them to understand, like, you know, to, to make changes themselves and how safety comes from the top down. And if it doesn't then you know you are gonna have issues.

And they really did have a good intentions of safety for the most part, but they just didn't quite understand like where their role reacted of how management control controls culture and culture control safety. And that's what we were lacking. And I didn't wanna have anyone die on my watch ever.

And so it led me to go to a company that does have more safety mindset and the employees are involved 100%. And that's what I'm working for now as an energy company who they don't have, leeway to make mistakes. I mean, an employee is not paying attention in this position or this job. They may not be going home.

So it's important to make sure that the company does actually have the best interest of all the employees that they're promoting safety like way it should be. It's a top down safety and the employees are actually driving the safety themselves. And that's the culture that you want is an, and the culture where the employees are actually driving safety.

And I, I do feel like I wished [00:09:00] I would've had, more time to spend time with that other company to. Maybe get them to where they need to be, to where it was the culture of management top down. I'm sure if I would've had more time to, work with them, I could have actually done that. But being that I took the training from Safety Geek and they actually gave me the skills to actually go out and feel more confident working for a large corporation like I'm working for, I couldn't pass this opportunity and I had to take it.

And it was largely because of the confidence that the training gave me. Awesome. Would you say that you're in a better position like financially to support your family better now that you're in the new position or is it about the same? Well, when it comes to the change in my pay I now currently make around $50,000 more than what I was making with the previous company.

As in terms of taking care of my family. My life has improved quite a bit, and that's, like I said, whatever. I mean, having the safety geek to give you that confidence and to go into a the interview and to answer [00:10:00] questions top-notch and the way they should have been answered, you know what I mean?

'cause the confidence and the training that I had from Safety Geek made that apparent and it made it so they wanted to select me to take, to be in this position, and it's benefited me in my life. That's freaking awesome, Wesley. That is. I remember talking to you when you first signed up and I was like, you need to leave that job because you've been there for too long and you're not gonna get the pay you deserve.

I am so happy that you're finally getting the pay that you deserve. That is amazing. Not only did they bring me over, but I mean they, I went over as just the safety consultant, you know what I mean? At first, and then they promoted me to senior safety within a year, so that is so awesome. That is awesome.

How did you approach the learning materials in Safety Management Academy and how did you apply it to your work? Do you have any tips or tricks for new students? So the way I approached taking all the courses I. I'm the type of person where I like to do it over and over until I [00:11:00] feel like I have it down.

There's a lot of information to digest and it's well organized, it's well put together and, but the problem that I had going through, and it's not a problem, it's a good thing, but the problem I had was I was going through, I would be like, oh, I just learned something new. And I'm like, I gotta experiment with this first before I move on.

So before I knew it, whatever, it took me almost two years to go through the whole entire program. 'cause as I was learning the information, how to do it differently, I was going back through and practicing it. In the actual job, whatever. So I had to keep on restarting over and over because it was great information.

And after I had that problem solved ever, then I'd move on to the next course and I'd be like, oh, here's 10 more things I gotta deal with. So I had to go through and I'd start working and implement 'em into the company. So it really was amazing to, to have, a lot of that information and going through and testing it and actually working with it and adjusting it as I learned it, and great stuff.

It was just amazing program all the way around. Awesome. So what does the future hold for you? What are your goals now that you're in this new position, let's say five years from now? Where is [00:12:00] Wesley gonna be? I was the safety director at the previous company and there was a lot of challenges and stresses that come along, withholding that position and that, management and being responsible for not just.

The 18 employees that I had under me, but also responsible for the I think it was close to. 5,000 employees at the time that we had at the previous company. And there's a lot of stress that came with that, you know what I mean? There was a lot of countless hours that I was putting in. And one thing that I did miss out on is with my daughters, and they were growing up without me.

So now at this point, I took on this new role where that could actually work. 40 hours get paid, still good money and be home with my family, and so my future goals for right now, I don't have, ambitions to want to be back in management anytime soon. That it really did take the life outta me being in that position.

And maybe someday it might come back to where I, I want to. Crave management again. And, it was [00:13:00] really fun being a leader and not just a manager or a boss, but a leader to the group and people wanting to follow us, and support the decision that I was making on the best and being open-minded to everybody collaborating to steering safety direction.

It shouldn't go and not just one person staring, but as a group we'd be stir it. But as for right now, my goal is to, basically. Be the best safety consultant that I could be right now and support the groups that I support on any information or job tasks that they have to making their day safe.

Make sure they go home at the end of the day. And maybe in the future that might change, but that's what my future is right now. That's awesome. And last question is there anything else you wanna add that you want to tell anyone who's considering joining Safety Management Academy? Well, like I said, my life has improved quite a bit.

It's given me the skills, the knowledge, the confidence and like I said, management controls the culture. Culture controls the safety. And if you can't get those people to follow your direction, then at that point [00:14:00] you're not gonna be really leading safety like the way you should be. So my encouragement is take the training, it's, fairly cheap considering the long term and the goal of what you want to be later on in life, you know what I mean? And giving you that confidence. So to me, it's a drop in the bucket for any of the money that's being charged. And I can't speak nothing but highly of of the program and being that Bri is constantly there to answer questions if you need her to, she has her talk sessions, and I encourage you to get in there and ask those questions.

She makes herself available and, and I feel bad sometimes. I miss those sessions. But you know, I try to catch 'em when I can. That's awesome. Thank you so much Wesley.

I do really like the everything that you're promoting and the, and I really did mean it you know what I mean? That, that it gave confidence, everything. And I, by the time I had found you, I'd already worked out a lot.

There's a learning curve to safety, whatever. And at first when I first got into safety, I was trampling the hell outta the managers, you know what I mean? And. Learning how to work them with everyone. But I actually stopped and actually [00:15:00] started making them a part of the decision making and helping get to where we needed to be.

It made a huge difference in, in safety or whatever, but after I found you over well, figured that out the long way, but you know what I mean? It just kind nice to see there was someone else confirming it because there's no one there to teach you that kind of stuff. You smashed the.

Whatever. And then you don't get buy-in and then you have to relearn and go back and start from the beginning of trying to reeducate. And when you do that to people, it takes a while for them to get past that. You wronged them, mess what they feel is wrong, whatever. You know what I mean? And then, so it set you back quite a bit, you know what I mean?

It took me a while to, to get their trust back and to, get that safety back to where we needed to be. But I'd have to say if I'd have had this from the beginning, I wouldn't have trampled so many people. I love to hear that because I felt that way too. Like I, I messed up in the beginning too and I was like this, they used to call me the trailer Nazi, because I would go around and be looking for what they did wrong.

'cause that's what I was taught to do. And, it took a long time to build trust up after that. I was there to help, not to hurt and not to find out what they're [00:16:00] doing wrong. So I get it like if when you do it, when you do it wrong in the beginning, it's really hard to get them to change. That's why, I don't know if you noticed it in the free course, one of the things I talk about is this is the layers that everybody set tends to do it safety.

But really you need to give the big picture and just work on milestones towards it. Because every layer is a change that you're making them go through. And that's really hard, to get people to do. So it's nice. Yeah. It just confirmed my thinking too, so I appreciate it. Yeah, it was needed, you know what I mean?

To have that. I wish I had, like I said, I wish I'd found you earlier 'cause it would've been a lot less stress in your life. Well, I'm glad you're on the right path now. I'm glad that you're able to support your family better and that it's changed your life and you get to spend more time with your kids.

That's amazing. And I'm glad that you're happy where you are and you're doing so good, Wesley. So thank you so much.