Right About Now - Legendary Business Advice - Radical Podcast - Ryan sits down with Former Clemson Football player Woodrow Dantzler lll

Episode Date: April 2, 2019

In this episode of the Radical company podcast... Ryan talks with Woodrow Dantzler Former Clemson Football player, and Running back and safety for the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons. They talk about Woodrows deep rooted faith, drive to shape his community, and to impact the future generations.We left with an incredible wealth of knowledge and we are so proud to present this very special podcast with you all.If you enjoy this episode please check out the rest of our information and nugget filled episodes in our profile.Please share, review, and subscribe so we can continue to bring the down to earth and priceless information from our amazing guests for both your #business, #marketing and #lifestyle needs.Have a great weekend Rad Fam! #NowThatsRadical🤙 #YeahThatGreenville 🌿 Radical Podcast is always looking forward to meeting both aspiring, and grounded professionals across the country! Feel like you have something to say? Slide us a Dm and let's make it happen! @[e-mail](864) 616 [e-mail]25 Delano Drive, Greenville, SC 29601, USA If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn more, join Ryan’s newsletter https://ryanalford.com/newsletter/ to get Ferrari level advice daily for FREE.  Learn how to build a 7 figure business from your personal brand by signing up for a FREE introduction to personal branding https://ryanalford.com/personalbranding.  Learn more by visiting our website at www.ryanisright.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel  www.youtube.com/@RightAboutNowwithRyanAlford. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey guys, this is Ryan Alford. Welcome to the Radical Company podcast. I'm kind of geeking out today. I didn't tell him this. I was trying to keep it all together. But one of my, just being a Clemson grad and graduating at the same time he was playing, you know, it's just a real honor and privilege to have Woody Dancler on the show today. Yes.

I just really excited to have you, Woody. I mean, you know, I had these flashbacks when, you know, when we've been destined to him on LinkedIn and talking, you know, it's like kind of that surreal moment. And I'm sure you get this a lot, but it's like thinking and coming up and, you know, I was born and raised a Clemson fan and at Clemson the same time we were playing and, you know, sitting in the stands, like watching you run up and down the field or throw, you know, bombs to Mount Wollier. Yeah, he was there.

Yeah, like. And O'Mout. You still thought to him? Yeah, he's down there in Charleston, Monsk's corner back in his home town. doing some good things but man just thrilled to have you on the podcast that's thrilled to be here man I really appreciate the opportunity to sit down and just as you stated have some good old conversation yeah exactly and that's what we do you know here on the podcast and just real excited to kind of get in talking you know

there's people that look a lot of comes and people listen just because I'm a local gringwell guy you know we're here local so a lot of people know you are but I definitely want to give you that opportunity to talk about you know your story you know coming up through clumson and before and the things you know all your involvement with youth in organizations and to what you're doing today so really excited to kind of get into all of that so i mean what's but we'll go backwards but let's just talk about what you've been up to man i mean you know aside from being you know first job is being a husband and a father yeah as you mentioned earlier we're in october we 10 years as a married man you know it's it's flown by

Yeah. My wife Portia now, we have two beautiful girls, Trinity and Zoe. Trinity's the oldest. She's 16. Zoe, she's a younger one. She's 10. So doing that, I mean, that's the fun part of my life. And then part two, I've been in sales for some time now.

Currently in pharmaceutical sales. And that's what I've been doing. That's what I was doing earlier this morning. So with that, on the Raps, pharmaceutical sales, family pharmaceutical sales, but then also I just launched my business. So I'm a business owner as well. And what I do primarily is focused around speaking, motivational speaking, encouraging individuals to be the best version of themselves. Also, what will be run under my business, Dance for Three, will be some community service efforts

as well as some youth programs that I've been putting together. So that's kind of an abbreviation of what's going on right now. It's a good time right now. It's good. There's two daughters, man. We talked about this. I've got four boys. Yeah.

What's it like being daddy? It's a, I'm about to say it's a gift and the curse, but it's not. It is an awesome privilege to be a parent, especially when you're teaching and instilling something in your kids. And then you finally see that moment when they get it. And it's like, oh, man, you know, I did that, you know. Or me and my wife are talking through some things. and we identify something we want to work on and we see the change made in our kids.

It's just, it's a wonderful thing. Well, let's go back a little bit now. Played at Clemson from 98-01, right? Kind of right there. I was at Clemson. And maybe give people kind of like, let's talk to Cliff Notes version of before, you know, being an athlete,

going to Clemson, you know, kind of the synopsis of that, experience and then I love to talk a little bit about the pro days and you know we talked about before the perspective that you know athletes haven't made you know like everything's laid out for them but I know you know we've all had her ups and downs because I want to talk about that but maybe talk about you know that background leading up to Clemson and then just kind of the synopsis of those Clemson days I mean it was you're riding high man I mean you were it's pretty interesting and it shocks a lot of people

when I talk about it, especially growing up, I was not the big sports fan. Honestly, and still to this day, I am not. So when I was in elementary school, middle school, high school, I didn't really know anything about Clemson or Carolina going up here in South Carolina. I knew about South Carolina state because that's in my hometown. Yeah. And it's just one of those things, hey, I play high school ball at OWs so we can go to the

game free if we want to. So that's what that was about. I was able to go to those games. but next level playing college ball, it never really occurred to me until my senior year in high school because I know they start sending those letters out, those questionnaires from different colleges. But my high school coach, he purposely kind of withheld those letters

before our senior year. So he started, you know, giving them to us our senior year and prepping us for those next steps. And then coach started coming in and talking to me and getting phone calls. And the reality of college started to, to really blossom. So that was kind of a nutshell of me growing up.

I just played ball because it was fun. I had me and my friends, and we enjoyed doing it. That's what football was for me. Got dug in, got done there, and then made the transition after leaving Owningver Wilkinson, got a scholarship to go to Clemson, which was huge for me to be able to, because outside of that scholarship, you know,

I didn't know how I was gonna go to college, how I was gonna get paid for. Yeah, we know, so it was just one of those things of a great blessing. I mean, what about, talk about your time at Clemson. I mean, you know, I think everybody thinks, I mean, I just remember, you know, the junior season being grade, but then senior season, you know, from $1,000, like, Housman talk, all that. Like, how do you summarize your Clemson experience not looking back? Like, I mean, was it everything that someone would think it would be as part as, you know, kind of being, having that just,

amazing career that you had there. It's one of those things of like anything else. It's what you make it. And right before I left to go to school at Clemson, my dad gave me this statement because my dad and I were really close and he was always

giving me information and knowledge and wisdom. And one of the things he said before I left, he said, don't you go up there and be just a football player. So I took that as, you know, take advantage of the opportunity you have. Don't just sit in that bubble. If I'm an athlete, go do school,

take full advantage of the academic side. So I was able to not only be very involved, you know, as an athlete, I was very involved in student council, multi-cultural affairs, you know. I was in different departments, meeting different people, understanding different aspects of the college, like different majors.

So it really grew me up a lot, especially coming from OW. You know, we joke around and say OW stands for one white, predominantly black high school and going into a university where now I'm the minority, it was a great experience for me. What do you see? How much has it changed?

Because now it seems like with the internet and social media and like when I was at Clemson, you know, like I was a huge Clemson fan, I'm going to Clemson, you know, I was in that bubble. But there wasn't social media. The internet was just kind of getting, you know, we had email and like some stuff. But in 2009, it was just starting to get moving. Right. You know, but now with these players and like the news cycle, it feels like everything's out there and the attention is even more and all that.

Like, do you think about like those differences admit it all? Like, do you think it truly is different now? Like, is it more like they're superstars now? Like the great players, the Deshawns? and now Trevor and all that. Or do you think you see parallels even to the same, like how big, how that bubble is and how the attention is?

Like, do you see differences there? Yeah, it is a huge difference, not from a playing standpoint, but just from the quote-unquote accessibility. You know, social media gives the fan more access to the player and to the different people that they want to connect with. It feels like this.

It's like social media now has turned sports into a reality show. Yeah. If I want to see what's going on with my favorite player, I follow them on Twitter, I'll follow them on Instagram or whatever social media. So now I can see if this individual who I like to watch is somewhere over on the other side of the country, touring Africa, I get to be a part of that because I see a picture also. And it's just a way of bringing the fans in and connecting the player to the fan. So it has its goods and it has its bads.

I'm not really a social media person. I just got on social media for the sake of my business a couple of months ago. And I fought it for some. I'm really a private person. But it's just one of those things. It's what you make of it as I mentioned earlier. If you navigate it properly, they can do some good for you. But not a lot of people use it right.

That's for sure. Talk to me a little bit. about like that senior season and maybe maybe something you know that you know as far as people know which is all the stats and all that was it did you feel the pressure like was it as much of a spotlight as it seemed and then maybe something like a misconception from all of that you know of what what was to come from it like you know like did you was the pressure on you were senior did you feel it or Because you strike me as like, you don't really, like you said, you weren't into sports. Like it's almost like you were in your own bubble.

You have so many other interests outside of sports and football and you're much more dynamic than just a sports guy. You know, it's just life. I see that. But like at the same time, I mean, we're talking how as a candidate, like all that. Like, what was that like? Well, that external stuff was not a big deal to me, honestly. The biggest issue that I had to fight and I fight still to the. this day was my own stuff. You know, you would think you would look at an individual such as

myself and you'll see me out there on the field doing these different things. I'm standing in front of a crowd and I'm speaking. Words of encouragement, you would never know that I'm a pretty insecure guy. So just relating it to Clemson, you know, you have a good game. You know, after the game, a lot of times I was not enjoying the win. Honestly, success of the game because now all of a sudden I'm I'm in my head saying oh my gosh I had a good game I don't know if I could do it again next week what if I'll do it again next week will they bench me when I lose my so all these things are going through my head but again what I learned from that is you know just being able to talk to things with my dad and just being able to okay this is a situation

so what I'm going to do I'm going to prepare like no other so that when my next opportunity becomes I'm ready to do it again. So I let those insecurities drive me and focus me on, you know, really truly preparing and making myself able to do it again. So we finished Clemson. I mean, is there just the assumption, like I think being fans and being outside looking at, there's assumption with someone like yourself who was so gifted athletically what we're doing everything. You know, got it made. You know, they're all. you did. Talk about post-Clemson. Was it kind of like what now or like you start, I mean, you had, I'm sure, did you do the combine? Yes. Yeah, you did the combine. You know, you did that,

you got involved. Talk about post-Clemson that, those, that time period and kind of what was going through your mind and what transpired, what didn't transpire. Well, I was in a very, very peaceful place coming, coming out of Clemson. Because again, Football wasn't my lifeline. Yeah. It was, it was a, it was a means to an end. And I had, I had thankful to a man by the name of Darren Bruce, who came in with Tommy Bowen and his staff. And he really introduced me to Jesus for real.

Yeah. So in 1999, you know, I started walking with Jesus. And this whole, my whole mind frame shifted even to more. So now I figured out how, the reasons why, you know, I enjoy. playing ball, but I wasn't all wrapped up in it. I was given a gift for a reason, so I can go out there and play ball, make it straight plays, but it was for another purpose. So going through that whole process, it was like, okay, God, I'm just going to see where you're going to take me next. So I'm going through the combine process. I'm having a ball. There's no pressure on me. There's no stress on me.

I'm meeting people. I'm competing. You know, it's just, it was just a blast because I was just in such a peaceful place because I knew that this game of football was going to take me somewhere else outside of football. So I was just going to ride the wave as long as I was going to be on that wave until it's time to step off the surfboard.

What do players feel like? You know, you were obviously a star and but, you know, you win a couple of different rounds in the NFL. You know, you play with the Cowboys, played with the Falcons. Yeah. Right?

and played safety little running back. That was crazy to say. Yeah. Thank you, Bill. But no, it was good. Again, like I said, I was in a peaceful place. So I was able to, maybe a couple of years before that,

I wouldn't have been in the right headspace to be able to do that because I understood that the purpose was outside of, you know, what I really wanted to do. So they asked me, matter of fact, going into the senior bowl after my senior year, I didn't find out I was going to be playing running back in the senior bowl until a week before. Wow. You know, it was an agent that was

trying to recruit me actually called me and told me that I had no clue that that was going down. So it's just one of those things of being able to shift your mindset and just be adaptable. So it taught me changing, again, because I already had to work ethic to be able to really work on it. Yes, I ran the ball a little bit, but it's a different dynamic being a true running back than being that would just, you know, take off and run or a specially designed QB run. It's a whole different dynamic, taking the hand off, blocking. I mean, all that stuff is just different. It's a matter of setting my mindset to say, you know what, it's a challenge.

Let's go see what's going to happen. So it was, it was fun. So, you know, what players feel like when they're finished playing? And maybe there are kind of those fringe athletes that aren't first round draft picks, you know. But Mike, they're kind of on that line of Mike can make, you can't make it. I think in the outside looking in, we just think that athletes haven't made. Right. They're set up for life.

You know, because either they're going to be given all the exact, you know, free jobs or free experiences or they're going to make an NFL. I learned that that's not the case. No. But I love to hear your perspective on, you know, people's assumptions around that. People, it's just like anything else. A lot of people assume and think they know because of what they're seeing. I'm like, what was that? It was a show.

I can't remember the name of it. But it was the worst, the worst representation of the National Football League ever. I mean, it was, and we had people actually believe in football was about playing ball on Sunday and then spending time, having sex with girls, and drinking and doing drugs. Because they saw it on the TV show. Was it a baller? No, it was before ballers. So I think, not Cuba, but what's this?

Omar Gooden was one of the lead actors. Anyway, it's just what, it all depends on that individual player. You know, who's been speaking into their life, who's been preparing them, how much they identify themselves with football. Because some people, they find their identity in football. And when that doesn't work out, you know, it's almost a state of depression. And then even outside of that, those who are successful, a lot of individuals don't know how to transfer the skill set that they have from football

into the business world. So it's a whole different dynamic. It's being able to be able to shift your mindset and shift your mode of operation to transition. Not many people know how to transition, you know, such as myself. I didn't know how to transition when I came out. I still really didn't know what I wanted to do when I got done playing ball. That's probably why I stuck in it for so long. because I just didn't really know exactly what or how to do it.

So just being a part of a group, you know, Clemson is doing a great job right now. Rashad Hall, big shout out. He's doing a great job with that program along with Jeff Davis and Paul Vision, actually getting these guys prepared for, hey, not everybody's going to the NFL. Even if you do go to NFL, you need a next step after you're done playing. So these guys are really being prepared now for life after football. And when I was there, we just have that support system. And a lot of individuals still don't have that support system.

So when they come out, a lot of time they crash and burn, which is sad. Yeah. Good transition. Like, it seems like Clemson's got it going on right now. I mean, like, look, they want two national titles and the success is speaking for itself. But from being Clemson guy, what that was doing, with the players in the, you know, He's building it from the inside out.

You know, it really seems that way. And, you know, talk about, like, what you're seeing. I mean, facilities are incredible. Like, it's almost like, yeah, they're reaping the rewards now, but it wasn't, you know, in 2009, I think, when it happened to go over, it wasn't like that, you know. But what's, as a former player, knowing, you know, your experience,

seeing the success is now seeing the things you're doing now. What's kind of your perspective on all that? It's just one of those things of, It's just as simple as, you know, when I say, the same ago, charity starts at home or with any great move and it starts with oneself. So when Coach Swinney was able to take over, he began to recruit guys and actually develop the individual.

So the individual, yes, they're part of a team, but the individual player is being developed as well. So it's not just the aspect of, you know, it's just clums in football, but once you get the right player, players in the right position and you develop them properly, they all fit into that puzzle. And now you see the beautiful picture. So that's what you see.

It takes a while to get these. Some guys make it. Some guys don't. So you got to figure out who's going to fit in your puzzle and then go from there. But the first, I think the biggest thing that is an attribute of Coach Sweeney is he's developing men. So when you look at their graduation rate, I mean, it is up there with schools such as Stanford. You know, I mean, that's nothing to sneeze at. I think it's like almost 99, 98% graduation rates up there.

And guys who don't graduate end up coming back and getting their degree. You know, so I mean, it's a beautiful thing because now these guys are the full student athlete. I'm not just coming here to play ball. I'm coming here to get my education. I'm coming here to grow as a man. And I'm being prepared for society once I leave Clemson. And that's the big thing. You've got good quality guys that come in and they buy into the program and they focus on what they need to do to, you know, be the best person they can possibly be so they can make the team the best team it can possibly be.

So that's what he's done and you see it because it's not, again, it even branches out from athletics. You know, it's into the university now. Students, regular students take pride in Clemson University. So now they're even pushing the envelope to exceed in just their individual majors because of that part of the pride of having the orange and white. So it's a beautifully infectious thing. Yeah. I kid around with some of my friends. I look I can get into Clemson now.

Oh, I don't know. I couldn't get into Clemson. My wife could get into Clemson right now. But yeah, she's the brainiac, but no. My SATs and my grades were okay. I mean, I'll just be student, but I don't think it would make the cut now. It's so competitive, that's another thing. Being able to sit and serve on the board of visitors,

and you get to hear the different dynamics of Clemson University, you know, how the university operates as a public university, you know, from, you know, the judicial side, the business side, the, I mean, it's just so many interwoven parts to be able to sit in those meetings and listen to them, go through different things. They have Coach Clems. Now I'm not coach, but President Clemens come and talk through some different things. It's amazing the stuff that goes on, you know, from building funds and raising money and all how that ties into Clemson University. And as you were

speaking, just talking about admissions, you know, the average SAT being over 1,300. You know, gray part of average. Now you got to make sure you get into these AP classes and college so you can Excel past, you know, a 4.0 is not 3.8. No, you need about a, you know, 4.5, 4.8 somewhere up in there to be considered and to get in. It's that competitive to get into Clemson. That money must be spread around because I taught a class last week or actually it was Monday. I had it done together. Yeah.

A social media class over there. And I drove by and they've got a new, right in front of the president's house, that new facility for students. like a gym and like I don't know how much time you spent it there oh yeah I know you saw about yeah whatever that building is that wasn't there that's the that's a new dorm and that's it has a um it has their fitness center in there so yeah that was nice we didn't have that that was close some house I think yeah yeah it was over there and they beat all that down and when something else was over there they tore down but yeah it is it is it is coming up and it's how much time have you spent then do facilities like the football facilities I'm spreading it because part of my

territory is Clemson. So if I have time while I'm working, I might stop in there. If I don't have a lunch that day, I may go over there and work out. And I'm part of the Tiger Hood program, which is a program where former athletes, mentor, current athletes. So I get to spend some time with some of the guys and, you know, really speaking to their lives and, you know, help them along the journey that I've already been on. A lot of these guys are so far along than where I was. It's just amazing. It's good to see and good to hear. You know, I learn a lot from them, just sit down and just casual conversations. is it as ridiculous like I haven't been in it I just seem to you know ESPN videos and all

that is it is out there is uh I don't think so okay I think it's something out there for the state of South Carolina okay so I mean you go over you think about Oregon's facilities I mean they've had this stuff for a while now yeah it's just something new for for the state of Carolina and Clemson University. So it was, you know, calling it dabbo land. I mean, I'm not going to take anything away from it. It is a, it is a state of art deal. I went over there, I don't know, one other day and I saw they got these little pods in there where they got the massage chairs and the nap room and all the things. I mean, it is, it is definitely amazing. But I don't, I don't think it's that, not that is not that amazing, but I think they overhyper than what it is. It's still in a grand

building but it's just it's just something new so what are we up to now man I mean you talked about at the beginning but like what where are you wanting to go I mean like I you know there's such a piece about you but at the same time I feel the drive in you to like really make a difference yes so what are those passion points and wherever you hit yeah those passion points for me is I love people you know that's why I got into sales it gave me especially pharmaceutical cells, it gave me the ability to put two of my passions together, you know, my philanthropist side in helping people, especially one of my medications is migraines. I got a medication that help people with migraines.

If you know anybody who suffers from migraines, they are debilitating. So being able to get in there and talk to doctors and get them to prescribe my medicine and then hear the success stories, how people are reengaging in life because of a medicine that I carried and I was able to clearly articulate enough for them to have confidence to write my medication. You know, that is huge. And also that sales side gets you back into that drive to be the best that you could possibly be,

making sure I know how to pronounce the words and understand the disease state and the different aspects of my job, you know, making sure I'm the best salesperson that I can be so I can perform good for my team and my company. So all that runs together and outside of that, the whole...

I've been... When I talked about the setup with football and sport, you know that gave me a platform so now as you mentioned people hear the name woody dancer and then they come to see woody dancer but then they end up meeting jesus and on top of that they get some words of encouragement that will light that that that that that fire in them so they can go out and be the great person that they've been created to be because i kind of coined myself as the friction that likes to match and sometimes people just need to know and feel that they can because a lot of people's background it's been one of despair

has been one of just getting by and okay is enough you know really want to push people into greatness and they always talk about the one percent the one percent on the top epsilon of people and there's really no difference between the two is just that ability to really focus in on what i want to get accomplished and do exactly what I need to do to get it done without taking those days on. I know you're doing speaking and different things. Is there things on the agenda the rest of the year? Like if people want, you know, to have Woody Dance or speak, like talk about, you know, any of the plans to speak the rest of the year and then how someone might go about finding

you for speaking about. Right. Well, it's pretty simple to find me now. Like that, now I'm on social media. Thank goodness. Right. Exactly. So I'm on LinkedIn.

You can search your own LinkedIn. And also I have a business page on Facebook, also on Instagram. So I can be found there. And information for info at Dansler3.com. Shoot me an email about the event. We'll respond and we'll get everything set up. So it's really just that simple. Contact me through that email info at Dansler3.com.

And Danzler is my last thing with I-I-I-I. That's the three part of it.com. And then social media can be found on Facebook and LinkedIn as well as Instagram and then put in the request and we'll go from there. You get involved with any of the other players? Like, you know, I was it Taj Boyd's event at his fundraiser a couple weeks ago. Yeah. We're going to be helping him with some stuff.

And, you know, do you get involved with other players thing? Oh, yes. You guys kind of intermeable. It's a brotherhood. One of the things that we've committed to do is, especially former Clemson-Avon, just happens in general, to support one another and whatever endeavors that, excuse me, that we're doing. I actually would have been to that event myself, but I actually had a speaking engagement

that night, so I missed it. But, yes, we definitely stay close. We stay tuned into what the events one another got have going on, and we do our best to support one way or the other. Yeah. Is there, um, any of the current players that, uh, how close do you stay to like, you follow up like the recruiting and like current players and all that, but, I don't do the recruiter. I think that's, I'm, I'm not a fan of the whole recruiting thing. I say, I guess necessarily, but it is, it is just so far-fetched. But once the guys get there, you know,

I'm able to build relationships and talk with them and, and, you know, Any player on your radar that we need to look out for them. Nobody's under the radar anymore, but like, in social media, but are anybody you hearing names about over Clemson's and the inside tips? Actually, there are a few guys on that team, because you're sitting there and you say, well, they're losing on the D-line, they're losing here,

who's going to replace? They got guys to replace. I'm just going to say that and just keep your eyes open, and you're going to be like, how in the world they keep doing this. Don't miss the stuff, Yeah, I'm going to miss a step. There's a machine's all over there. Yeah.

But my big thing with that also, I mean, the talent obviously is there. But I always, because people always add, how do they're going to do this year? And I always say, you know what? I don't really know. They have the potential, too. But I am the one to see because once moving parts are taken out, I like to see who's going to step up into that leadership role. And I want to see what this new team dynamic is going to look like. And then as I see them over the summers and I see them, you know, through spring over the summer.

and then you see them as a year starts and you kind of see what that team's going to be then you get a better predictor because talent is in all ways always the best what you call it the best predictor of success there you go that's what I was looking for

talent isn't it because I said they have the talent and just I want to see who's going to step up be that leader and how the rest of the guys going to fall into their places and how they're going to perform as a team so great yeah well I I can't wait to stay connected moving forward, you know, like getting

know each other better. Yes, yes. Seeing how, you know, radical maybe can't help you with some things and just, you know, help them tell your story. Being involved with you, I can't be more appreciative if you're coming on the podcast and, you know, look forward to kind of just

just being the beginning. Yes, it definitely is the beginning. That's right, we got to, once we just cuts off, we're going to set a time to meet again and get moving on the process because I think there's a lot that we can continue to do together. Yeah, man. Well, really appreciate you being on. Woody gave all the places that you can keep up with him.

You want to reach out for speaking engagements. I mean, this guy's as upstanding as they are and just couldn't be more excited about having Woody on today in the future. But this is Ryan Alford for the Radical Company podcast, and we'll talk to you soon.