SPEAKER_00 0:00

So you could be cruising down the Danube River in Europe and be playing pickleball. You can play pickleball anywhere you go.

SPEAKER_02 0:14

Hey Pete, I am really excited. It's time for another episode.

SPEAKER_01 0:18

Let's do it, Rockin' Rich.

SPEAKER_02 0:19

Alright, so listen, when I first started playing a couple of years ago, I was playing at Pickle and Park Club. Remember?

SPEAKER_01 0:25

Club Club, right? Remember, Andrew?

SPEAKER_02 0:27

Pickle and Park Club. Melville. I met people that met a whole group of people. And one of the first few bunch of people I met with is here. Haley Goldsmith. Hello, Haley?

SPEAKER_00 0:39

Hello. How are you? It's nice to be here with you guys today. So I work for I'm associated with Fora Travel, and my company is Papillon Destinations and Company, which means uh butterflies in French because butterflies are my spirit sign and I love butterflies.

SPEAKER_02 0:57

So really nice. Nice, nice, cool. Well, thank you for being here.

SPEAKER_00 1:01

Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02 1:03

So we'll start off. We'll start off with some questions. Uh how did you first get hooked to pickleball?

SPEAKER_00 1:10

Well, I was a tennis player and I played for years in high school. I was on the tennis team, and I was like, let's try pickleball. I started taking lessons at the JCC. I did 12 weeks of lessons and then another 10 weeks. And then I got very into it. And I started going to pickle and par and playing in the open place. I didn't know anyone when I first started playing pickleball. And now I probably know everyone at that place. So it's been and now I love playing.

SPEAKER_02 1:41

Yeah, awesome, awesome. Um and I know you played a bunch of pickleball. Do you have any memorable pickleball moments or games that you're like, I'm never gonna forget? This was like a great game, or whatever. Uh anything. Come back wins. Come back win. Come back wins. Yep.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

I mean, there's been there's some times where I played games and I could I there was a game I played recently where I was losing. I think it was 9-1, and I beat them 11-1? That's cool. 11-9, sorry. 11-9. So that's a great comeback. That's a great comeback, but really I just enjoy playing the socialization of it, meeting nice people, and it's a good workout.

SPEAKER_01 2:28

Cool. Sure is. Yeah. Uh I have another question for you. Has pickleball changed your physical or mental health in any way from when you started till now? Transitioning from tennis? Tell us about how you're feeling.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

I can't imagine not playing. I think it helps mentally. It feels good to if I I mean there are days I walk in so stress and slamming that ball really helps. And you know, I'm very into my wellness and all of that. So meditation and mindfulness. So I think pickable really also helps you feel good. The exercising, it's a way to do cardio, but not as hard on your body.

SPEAKER_01 3:12

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 3:12

Um, I think that's been really helpful. And if I don't play, I usually don't feel good well.

SPEAKER_01 3:18

So it's balancing your life. It's sort of like the missing key and element in what you were looking for to balance everything. Yes. Very, very cool. Yeah. Uh how did you first get started in the travel business? Talking about the butterflies and all this stuff.

SPEAKER_00 3:33

So I started I in college, I did event planning and PR. I majored, I minored in tourism, but I always thought I was gonna do event planning or PR. And I graduated in 2009. It was impossible to find a job. And a recruiter called me one day saying, we have a travel company that once is looking for somebody. And it's similar to event planning. So that was over 15 years ago. And between working in companies doing group travel, I worked for cruise lines, a lot. I developed and operated, and here's a butterfly with us.

SPEAKER_01 4:15

That's that's telling us something. We did not release that. We did not release that. We did not plan. We did not plan. There you go, the butterfly. Right. Coming from Indiana, we went to college.

SPEAKER_00 4:26

So the um I developed and operate high-end group trips all over the world for years, and then I decided to start my own business. I work for multiple different companies as contract employee work, and I also do individual and group travel um on my own as well. So it's been great, and one of the big things that I want to start doing is since wellness is so important. I'm actually working for a company doing um wellness retreats with yoga instructors and traveling all over the world. So I would I want to start doing pickleball retreats.

SPEAKER_02 5:07

Oh, that's great. Oh, that's right. That would be that you know which that's definitely a hot thing now.

SPEAKER_00 5:15

Yeah, pickle and par and I have designed one. So we will see where it goes, hopefully, as well. So and hopefully many others.

unknown 5:22

Great.

SPEAKER_02 5:23

That's great.

SPEAKER_01 5:23

Rich, what's the next question?

SPEAKER_02 5:24

So the next question. Um obviously it's very easy to book stuff online. So with that said, why should someone use you?

SPEAKER_00 5:34

The convenience. You don't have to worry about if there's an issue, you don't have to do all the research, I take care of it all. And believe it or not, and I think this would go into, I'm sure you'll ask this later, but it kind of goes into it. Over 15 years, if about 10, 50, you would have thought travel agents were dying out.

SPEAKER_02 5:55

Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_00 5:57

People were doing it on their own. But now travel advisors are the biggest thing again.

SPEAKER_03 6:03

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 6:03

I think you know, fora, the one that I'm associated with, has a everything is technology based. It's so easy for me to take care of. They, because of the bulk buying that they can do and they have all these relationships, I am gonna get a better deal than you would going direct to the hotel, which I mean I booked. Oh, sure, you're right.

SPEAKER_02 6:26

No, no, so yeah, we were able to get it. Yeah, we were able to see this go.

SPEAKER_00 6:30

And his the same rate online, my rate is breakfast included, you're getting a resort credit, you're getting more.

SPEAKER_02 6:39

We've been gone to that. Possibly. A lot of perks and a lot of perks. Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

Um, I have relationships then with the hotels that I can be in contact with them. I have relationships with vendors on the ground for tours, for anything. So this way it's kind of more an easier, smooth transition. You don't have to worry about who you're contacting. I take care of all that. And usually I'm able to get whether it's a better rate or more perks included. It's now become huge for advisors to do that. That's great.

SPEAKER_01 7:15

That's great to hear that that industry is growing now and there's a demand for for you.

SPEAKER_00 7:20

Now to book online. I think back it was my the systems were different, and it's so different now. And now it's people want more luxury and people so it's you know, you there are different companies for different Right, a little more niche now, like you said, and the wellness thing is the one thing that you're niching in on. So, but I do anything. I mean, I can do art tours, I can do cult history and culture, I could do anywhere, any part of the world I have a contact in.

SPEAKER_02 7:46

That's great. That's great. That's good to hear. Good to hear.

SPEAKER_01 7:49

Yeah, what's the one destination out of all these places in the world that you think is underrated today? That's uh, you know, just underrated. Was it a rubber or is it something? You know, my God. I mean I have been where people just went, wow, I didn't think it was gonna be like this.

SPEAKER_00 8:05

I have been to so many places.

SPEAKER_02 8:09

Um So let me ask you something. What is your favorite what did you have a favorite place you've been? Favorite?

SPEAKER_00 8:18

Pick one.

SPEAKER_02 8:18

One that's the top five.

SPEAKER_00 8:21

I have been to Cuba eight eight times. Really? Eight times?

SPEAKER_02 8:24

Wow, wow, eight times.

SPEAKER_00 8:26

I ran the Cuba department at my last company. Um all legally done, safely. Uh-huh. And that was an incredible experience.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

It's very old world culture there, right?

SPEAKER_00 8:38

Yes, Colombia. I've been a few times.

SPEAKER_01 8:40

Okay, South America, right?

SPEAKER_00 8:42

And I never thought I'd love Iceland. I love with wellness and all the adventure and activity. Iceland. Really interesting. That was a great place. And Cuba, Iceland. Columbia, Iceland. Egypt. Oh, but those are Egypt, so many things.

SPEAKER_02 8:57

There's four good ones. I hear, I hear Portugal's hot.

SPEAKER_00 9:00

Yes. So I uh was in the Azores, which I'm actually, you know, with the company I'm at, fit for traveling. I'm working for that. We're doing um, they do a lot of retreats in the Azores. Is that a mountain? It's an island part of Portugal.

SPEAKER_01 9:15

Very nice. Okay. We'll learn something today.

SPEAKER_00 9:18

Yes. So the Azores is beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 9:22

I heard Greece is very hot. Yes. Right? Greece. Greece and all the islands right now. My daughter went to some of the islands. Yep, which is off the coast of Italy, right? By the Sicily region.

SPEAKER_00 9:34

Oh nice. Sicily, Puglia, Italy, you know.

SPEAKER_01 9:37

I was in Puglia last year. Beautiful. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 9:39

Polynano there with the I haven't been, but I'd love to be able to get it.

SPEAKER_01 9:42

Beautiful, the caves, and you go inside with the boat. It's really nice, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:45

And now they're built, you know, building so many pickleball courts in all these places, too. So you can play pickleball anywhere you go.

SPEAKER_02 9:52

Got it, got it.

SPEAKER_00 9:54

Even even one of the cruise ships I work, the big cruise ships have pickleball. Yes, I'm gonna do it. And some of the river cruises now have pickleball courts. So you could be cruising down the Danube River in Europe and be playing pickleballs. Playing pickleball.

SPEAKER_02 10:06

I know. A couple years ago I was on the World Caribbean cruiser, they had pickleball course on it.

SPEAKER_01 10:10

Floating on the water or ocean, playing pickleball.

SPEAKER_02 10:12

Yeah, you can. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let me ask something. Have you ever gotten any strange or odd requests? I mean, something that you wouldn't expect someone to ask you.

SPEAKER_01 10:22

The strangest request you've ever gotten from a client. That really you're like, wow, that's different.

SPEAKER_02 10:31

That made you how to think about how to answer. I mean, again, you know, you're an expert in this area, but like it made you think, like, hmm, never been asked this before.

SPEAKER_00 10:39

I can't think of anything because I feel like with travel, wherever they want to go, you make it happen.

SPEAKER_02 10:46

Got it, right.

SPEAKER_00 10:47

So if I don't have a contact somewhere, I'll find a contact somewhere. Right. So I can't really think of anything that was really out there.

SPEAKER_01 10:59

Got it.

SPEAKER_00 11:00

I mean, it could be, you know, trying to get a private home opened up, but there's ways to even do that.

SPEAKER_01 11:06

So right, you have an answer and a resolution for every client. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 11:10

So going back to pickable vacations, what are some of the top options out there for pickable vacations or uh, you know uh destination vacations.

SPEAKER_01 11:22

They're places that stand out or any particular places that stand out.

SPEAKER_00 11:25

So in the U.S., it's very big in Arizona. Okay. They have a lot. I mean, you can go into Florida too. Uh there's many, I mean, now there are courts, you could do retreats in Italy. In Italy, really?

SPEAKER_02 11:42

My wife is going in if it's going in October. If I would have known this, maybe I would have uh joined them on the trip.

SPEAKER_00 11:47

Bermuda, a lot in Bermuda, a lot in different islands. So there's a lot of potential for pickleball retreats.

SPEAKER_02 11:54

And in Portugal, you say, right?

SPEAKER_00 11:56

Yeah, they're all a lot in Europe. Okay, okay. Just uh a lot of potential for sure.

SPEAKER_01 12:02

What do you think the best vacation you've ever planned that stands out for somebody? Uh I know you've done a lot, but something that was just extraordinary that you were like, wow, this is probably the best vacation, most exquisite vacation I've ever planned for a client. Something that stands out.

SPEAKER_00 12:20

So privately individual clients that I've done, I would say they're all great experiences in their own way. Um group tours, a lot of them the privates and specials I get, you know, in it could be before hours in a museum, it could be meeting an art in a gallery with an artist. Um but individual, it could, you know, people love just the hotel alone. They I get comments saying, oh my god, this was like one of the best hotels I've ever stayed in. It's such a great experience. So I think it, you know, it really depends they're all special in their own way, depending on what somebody wants.

SPEAKER_01 13:16

Right. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 13:17

I can't think of one because I think they're all okay.

SPEAKER_02 13:22

That's fine. That's fine. Now we'll go into some little rapid fire stuff.

SPEAKER_01 13:26

Yeah, uh, what's your favorite post-game meal after pickleball? What do you crave the most? Yeah, you played three or four hours, you really gave it your all. What would be your favorite meal? Forget about the calories, just what would you like after the game? You played awesome, you played for hours.

SPEAKER_00 13:45

Pizza. There you go.

SPEAKER_01 13:46

There you go. You've gotten that one. That's a popular, I think it's a popular one. Treat yourself, right? Right there you go. Nice good slice of New York pizza.

SPEAKER_00 13:53

Exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 13:55

Yeah. So let me ask you something. You're about to play in an important tournament and you need to choose one person. Let's just say it's a money ball uh, you know, tournament, chance to win money. And your choices were Andrew Ritter or Eric Handelman, who would you choose?

SPEAKER_00 14:16

That's a tough one. There you go. There you go.

SPEAKER_02 14:20

That's a tough one. Who edges out who he is? For you. For you, exactly. For you. No one's gonna get offended. Nobody will be offended.

SPEAKER_00 14:28

I'd probably choose Andrew, though, but Okay.

SPEAKER_01 14:30

I'm sure I'm sure Eric was a close, close second.

SPEAKER_00 14:34

Very close, but I'd probably choose Andrew. But definitely close. I would play with either one of them.

SPEAKER_02 14:40

Oh, they're both great. They they really are. That's why I wanted that's why we asked that question. It's a hard answer.

SPEAKER_00 14:45

Yes, definitely a hard one. Definitely.

SPEAKER_02 14:47

I mean, it's not like it's Andrew or me. I mean I would be a no-brainer. All right. Dream celebrity pickleball partner. Male, female. Well, you know, you have the opportunity to play with somebody.

SPEAKER_00 15:03

Anyone who we don't even know if they play pickleball.

SPEAKER_02 15:06

We don't know. It's a dream. Oh, you got the opportunity to play pickleball with them, whether it's on a social level, regular game, whatever. One person's like, yeah, I got to play pickleball with this person.

SPEAKER_00 15:17

Probably Damon or Stefan from the Vampire Diaries.

SPEAKER_01 15:20

Okay. There you go. Cool. Okay. So, I mean, is this still the same question? If you could play one person, if you play with one person, whether they were alive or not here anymore against that. Who would it be? It could be a family member, a celebrity, anybody. Just an open question.

SPEAKER_00 15:46

Hmm. So one.

SPEAKER_02 15:52

One of them. So one of them, okay. One of them. One of them, okay.

SPEAKER_00 15:57

Okay. Okay. Okay. I'd be happy with either one.

SPEAKER_02 16:00

So moving on to more personal stuff. What other passions do you have besides playing pickleball that you enjoy to do that you like to do?

SPEAKER_00 16:06

I well, we know I love traveling. Travel. I'm sorry, besides traveling and pickleball.

SPEAKER_02 16:11

Besides traveling and pickleball.

SPEAKER_00 16:12

I'm very into Pilates. I love being going on walks with my dog.

SPEAKER_01 16:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 16:17

Very nice. Um mindfulness, meditation.

SPEAKER_01 16:22

Wow, I like that.

SPEAKER_00 16:23

Yes. Um.

SPEAKER_02 16:27

What's something people don't know about you?

SPEAKER_00 16:30

Well, if you don't know me, my one of my favorite things to do also is karaoke.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

Oh, really? Karaoke? Okay. Yes. So that is another thing. I do that kind of stuff. Is there any particular places?

SPEAKER_00 16:43

Well, it used to always go to um what was that restaurant? It's closed in the one on Jericho term page. Yeah, Wild Rose, it was called. I used to go there a lot.

SPEAKER_01 17:03

Yeah, a farming dale. A farming down? All the islanders hung out there. Yeah. Melville Farming Dale. Wow, nobody would know that about it. What type of music do you like to sing? Ballards, a little bit more upbeat, a little bit of everything, rock and roll.

SPEAKER_00 17:23

My song that I always even in college, everyone made me do it pre-games was um I love this.

SPEAKER_01 17:30

This is great.

SPEAKER_00 17:33

Good morning Baltimore from Hairspray.

SPEAKER_01 17:35

Oh yes, I remember that one. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 17:37

Then I like doing a duet to shallow.

SPEAKER_01 17:39

Oh, you must have some voice that's a good thing. And then the house. Lady getting the lady getting in the house.

SPEAKER_00 17:46

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 17:47

Yes. Who does shallow? So love it. Wonderful.

SPEAKER_02 17:52

That's awesome. Got a PKS next to it.

SPEAKER_01 17:53

Yeah, yeah. I also like karaoke, too, so you know. Yeah, it's funny. Uh who has inspired you the most besides Rocket Rich and Pistol Pete?

SPEAKER_00 18:03

So I would say I'm very into a lot of motivational podcasts and uh I think Gabby Bernstein is one of my favorite speakers. She really helped me through bad times and helped me to really connect with myself.

SPEAKER_01 18:25

You know, all that. So I would say she's probably somebody that I self-growth, development, getting through life's challenges. That's great.

SPEAKER_00 18:36

And many others, but definitely get yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:39

That's great. That's great. Uh what's your definition of success, you personally? What is your definition? Does it mean money? Does it mean uh you know self-growth? Uh what's your definition of self-growth for sure.

SPEAKER_00 18:52

Uh-huh. Um staying positive, enjoying what you're doing.

SPEAKER_01 18:59

This is true.

SPEAKER_00 19:00

You know, yes, it's nice to make money and do well, but I think it's enjoying where you are, what you're doing, feeling good about it. Passionate about it, passionate about it, helping others and yeah, so and staying active. Right. And do f finding a way to do it all.

SPEAKER_01 19:21

Right.

SPEAKER_00 19:22

Balance.

SPEAKER_02 19:24

Balance.

SPEAKER_01 19:24

So would you say pickleball is your is your newest passion, so to speak? It's really like taking your life with all the other elements to another level. It seems that way.

SPEAKER_00 19:33

It seems that. I think it's been a few years now. Yeah. But I can't imagine not playing pickleball. It's that's great. It enjoy it's in I enjoy it so much.

SPEAKER_01 19:43

Cool. And it's I enjoy the people I meet and great relationships, the business we got to meet here, podcasts, it's all coming together. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:52

It's great to be here.

SPEAKER_01 19:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:53

That's great. Well, I think she's kind of answered, maybe you've answered the last second to last question. If someone we were going to ask you, if there was someone out there who's watching this interview that's uh thinking about or trying to play pickle trying to play pickleball, or maybe he's interested in learning it, what's your pitch to convince them?

SPEAKER_00 20:11

Just try.

SPEAKER_02 20:12

Just try.

SPEAKER_00 20:13

Just try. Just try. You never know. You know, I've had friends who they're stuck, they don't, you know, they're not doing things, and I tell them, try pickleball. Take a few lessons, join a beginner's. You might love it, you might not, but just try it. Be social.

SPEAKER_01 20:32

It's just it's a feel-good activity.

SPEAKER_00 20:36

You never know, and it's might not for everybody. Right. But just do it. Just try it because it might be what you need.

SPEAKER_01 20:43

Give it a shot. If it's a good fit, it's gonna help you in your life.

unknown 20:46

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 20:47

Okay, cool. Why do we ask her the last question?

SPEAKER_01 20:50

Sure, sure. Um before we leave, we have something called the kitchen confession. Before we leave the kitchen.

SPEAKER_02 20:57

That's our last question we've been asking.

SPEAKER_01 20:59

Tell us one thing you've never admitted on a pickleball court.

SPEAKER_00 21:05

I don't know. I think I think we all talk too much. We talk too much.

SPEAKER_01 21:10

We all do the opposite.

SPEAKER_00 21:12

We talk too much. I don't think there's ever a time that it's like I haven't admitted. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 21:16

So you've played with, you know, have you play you've played with people that, you know, again, they're just talking way too much. You try to focus on the game and stuff like that, and they just talk and talk and talk.

SPEAKER_00 21:27

People talk and talk a lot.

SPEAKER_02 21:29

Talk and talk a lot.

SPEAKER_01 21:30

Do you like the talking on the court? The chatter sometimes when people talk too much. I personally don't.

SPEAKER_00 21:34

I don't mind it in between, but when I'm actually playing, I need to focus.

SPEAKER_01 21:39

Focus in on what you're doing, right?

SPEAKER_00 21:41

Um but you know, sometimes there's anything. But I guess it's really depends on who. I think pickleball, like every people are f friends with each other. But you know, you're not personally discussing things unless it's someone you're really close to.

SPEAKER_01 22:07

Right.

SPEAKER_00 22:08

So I think I mean I I have no shame. I'll say, you know, sometimes I wear a wrist brace because my wrist hurts. So I you know, I'm gonna say, people be like, Why are you wearing a wrist brace? Oh, I have a bad wrist, I'm gonna wear it. But, you know, it's kind of just a very friendly, no one Right.

SPEAKER_02 22:26

Agreed.

SPEAKER_01 22:27

Agreed. Great wrist. All right, well thank you. That's a lot about you. Yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_00 22:31

Yeah, I really yeah, exactly. Thank you for having me.