You Can Be More, Everyday, In Every Way | Ep. 009 - Brandon Morris

Join host Lynn Debilzen in this phenomenal interview with Brandon Morris on Redraw Your Path!

In this interview, Lynn learns about Brandon’s journey of finding his passion through playing professional basketball, advocating for change, and thinking through his impact on future generations. Their conversation touches on:

• How you can overcome society’s odds, keeping your “why” and bigger purpose in mind
• The importance of keeping your values at the center, focusing on the time in front of you, and paying respect to your personal history as you’re navigating through your turns
• How success can come when help is asked for or supports are put in place, like when Brandon is diagnosed with Test Anxiety

Tune in for a dynamic discussion on life and growth!

About Brandon:

‌Brandon Morris, (40) proud native and resident of Kenosha, WI. Wife, Alexis Morris, KUSD Elementary Asst. Principal. (2) Children: Son, (18) Mikail Brandon Harmison, Daughter, (8) Layali Nichole Morris.

Brandon is part owner of Evolution Basketball Inc. and serves as the Vice President of the company. But his primary career is being the Graduation Specialist with the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha through a program call ‘Be Great Graduate’ while being housed in Kenosha Bradford High School with a caseload of 25 amazing scholars.

In Morris’ sparetime he enjoys being a High School Boys Varsity Basketball Coach at Kenosha Tremper High School. Basketball Coaching History: - 14 years Coaching Experience (6 years as a Head Coach)

Basketball Playing History:

- 10 years Professional Basketball Experience

- 4 years College Basketball Experience (2 years at the Division 1 level, 2 years at the JUCO level)

Over the last 20+ years, Morris has been considered a community activist looking to breakthrough barriers and alter systems with the hopes of every student succeeding while having a keen focus on Black, Brown and economically disadvantaged students.

And for the last 18 years Brandon has been sharing his story of being a Division 1 athlete who was diagnosed with Test Anxiety; inspired to break the stigma around mental health.

Connect with Brandon:
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandon.morris.3762

Instagram: @coach_b_morris 

Connect with Lynn:

• www.redrawyourpath.com
• www.lynndebilzen.com
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynndebilzen/

Transcript

Lynn: 0:01

Hey friends, welcome to Redraw Your Path, a podcast where I share stories of people who have made big changes in their lives and forged their own unique paths. Guests talk about their moments of messiness, fear, and reframing on their way to where they are now. I'm Lynn Debilzen, and my goal is to inspire you about the shape your life could take. So let's get inspired. Hey, everyone. I am really excited to share this next episode of Redraw Your Path with you. my interview with Brandon Morris was no less than phenomenal, and I'm really excited to hear what wisdom you're walking away with. a little bit about Brandon's history. Brandon Morris is a proud native and resident of Kenosha, Wisconsin. He is a dad and a husband to his wife, Alexis. Brandon is part owner of Evolution Basketball, Inc., and he serves as the vice president of the company. But his primary career is being the graduation specialist with the Boys and Girls Club of Kenosha through a program called Be Great, Graduate. In his spare time, Brandon enjoys being a high school boys varsity basketball coach. he has been coaching for 14 years, with 6 years as a head coach, and also has 10 years of professional basketball experience, which you will hear about. so 20 years, Brandon has been considered a community activist, looking to break through barriers and alter systems. With the hopes of every student succeeding, while having a keen focus on Black, Brown, and economically disadvantaged students. And for the last 18 years, Brandon has been sharing his story of being a Division I athlete who was diagnosed with test anxiety. And he's been inspired to break the stigma around mental health. and I cannot state enough. how grateful I am for Brandon's friendship. I was able to work with him for several years doing community organizing and systems change work with the focus on Black and Brown students. And, he definitely is hands down a community activist and one of the best out there. so I hope you enjoy this episode. Can't wait to hear what you think. don't hesitate to reach out and let me know what you're thinking of Redraw Your Path. Hello, Brandon Morris. I am so excited to have you on Redraw Your Path today.

Brandon: 2:55

What's up, Lynn? Thanks for having me. I'm super excited.

Lynn: 2:58

Yay, thanks for joining. So I always like to start with bookends, with guests. So I'd love to hear about the beginning of life, and then I want to hear where you're at now. So can you give me some context about where and how you grew up for listeners?

Brandon: 3:17

Absolutely. So I grew up in the greatest city in the country, which is Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Lynn: 3:23

Mm hmm.

Brandon: 3:24

knows that. and I say it's the greatest city in the country is because we're not too big and we're not too small. And if you want to get away to a big city life, you can go an hour north to Milwaukee or hour south to Chicago. And Kenosha just has everything. We have the lake and right on, right on Lake Michigan. So I think we just have the best of both worlds, but grew up in Kenosha on the south side of town in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. and, and grew up at the address 1514 68th Street, which I felt like was, just the greatest neighborhood. Ever, because that's all I knew. I grew up with my, my mother and then eventually my, my, my stepfather. my father was in prison. most of my life are in and out of prison. my biological father. So, my mother married my stepfather. and then I grew up also with my older sister, Simone, and then eventually my mom. and stepfather had, twins, my little sister and brother, which are, Nicholas and Nicole. So, we also grew up with my grandmother. so we were all in the same house together. And then my cousin, my cousin Lynn, she also lived with us as well. So we grew up on South side of Kenosha in Lincoln Park neighborhood. And, like I said, I just thought that that neighborhood was the best of the best. I had some of my aunts and uncles living in that neighborhood. And, yeah, it was just, it was everything to, to us. I also would say about me growing up, I mentioned, my father being in prison, in and out, throughout my life, probably until I was the age of 24. And then, my mother also. battle, drug addiction. I can't remember the ages, but yeah, in between, I would guess my middle school, some of my elementary middle school, some of my high school. so, what I, what I've learned over time as I kind of share, my story with folks, someone asked a question and, and made me even think about it, think it in this way that basically, we can say that my mom was a functioning addict. and I never thought of it that way. I just knew that, yeah, she battled drug addiction, but outside, I guess you would, you know, you would never know unless you were told because, you know, she went to work, she got up, she, you know, kept us on point, made us go to school, be respectful and all those different things. So, yeah, that was kind of me growing up. And I guess. One other thing I'd like to add, so that we can get to all, all of your questions, but when, when I was growing up, I think I was in about the sixth grade, maybe the seventh grade, a mentor of mine told me that I was more likely to go to prison than I was to succeed at life. And if you think about it as a seventh grader, you're like, wait a minute. What? What'd you just say to me? Um, but as I got older, I, you know, started doing my own research and, you know, it was, that person was exactly right. me born into, my household where my father was in prison, in and out, and my mother battling drug addiction, living on the south side of Kenosha, they were exactly right. Because I looked at my family's history, and a lot of my uncles, were in and out of prison, a lot of my cousins were, and, and they're just black men in general, throughout the country, were more likely going to prison than they were finishing high school and, and even going off to college. So, that statement, It hit and it hurt at that time, but it was a true statement. And basically they were pointing out the statistics not to, I don't think it was to degrade me or, or make me feel less of, but, it was definitely to point out the fact that, hey, You have to do things different. if you don't want to go down that route and be a statistic.

Lynn: 7:33

Yeah, that statement is so interesting because I'm just thinking about seventh grade Brandon. And how did you take it at that time? Did you take it like, Oh, I see what he's doing. He's challenging me and motivating me or How did that come across at that time for young Brandon?

Brandon: 7:54

Well, I was offended. I was, I thought it was totally uncalled for. And it was frustrating. It was hurtful I mean, to hear someone tell you that. You're more likely to go to prison than you are to succeed at life. It was, it was, yeah, it was hurtful. and I didn't get it at that time, but like I said, over time, getting older, I did my research and clearly it stinged hard enough that it, it stuck with me to even to now, to this day, I'm 40 years old.

Lynn: 8:22

Yeah, it's, it's interesting. I, I think I'm, I'm like angry at that statement because even though, and you and I like met through doing systems change work. And even though we know the statistics, I'm putting myself in the shoes of a 13, 14 year old. And gosh, that's, that's a lot to, to, to hear. And it sounds like your neighborhood had so many amazing things to offer, that it was a really, really, rich place to grow up in terms of intergenerational access to your family. And that it was really the center of your universe. And it sounded like, too, did you carry a lot in terms of, you mentioned your dad being in prison and your mom being a functioning addict. Did you find that that was a lot for you to carry? As a young

Brandon: 9:26

know what? I don't think I even gave it thought. I think it was more of an afterthought as I got older, just for the simple fact that. In my neighborhood, you know, that was, I thought that, you know, that was the norm. Like, uh, I, I need to reward myself with probably a little more than a Starbucks, but, I'm, I'm trying to finish a book. I'm trying to finish my book and the title is calledYou Can Be More: Overcoming Society's Odds While Living My Norm. And my norms was just that. Like, I, I just thought that, you know, everybody's. parents or uncles or cousins and brothers, maybe battle drug or alcohol, addiction. I thought everybody's, parents or uncles and aunts and, did time in jail, in prison. Um, I, I just, I just thought that was the norm, you know?

Lynn: 10:24

It's interesting. I, that's one of the main reasons I wanted to start this podcast actually was because we all grew up in our family unit or whatever family unit we have. And we all grew up thinking that what is expected of us in that environment is the norm. And then I think it's not until much later that we realize, oh, wait, like everybody else has had very different life experiences and very different expectations and no matter what that childhood was like. you spend time untangling a lot of that and untangling a lot of those expectations and norms that either play out or they don't, or they play out as pressures. But that's one of the reasons I wanted to start this, was to hear how did this person grow up, and what expectations were placed on them, and then, like, what have they done with that, and how have they rewritten that path over time? and do you have a publishing date for your, for your book, You Can Be More?

Brandon: 11:34

No, I do not. I wish I did. I, I honestly just wanted to be done with the book by, by this year of my birthday. And I'm not even sure when the last time I wrote anything, so yeah, no publishing date.

Lynn: 11:52

Well, keep, keep us updated because I know I'm going to be reading it and I bet, some listeners would be interested in reading that too and supporting you along the journey. so, okay, I mentioned bookends. So we started with how, where and how you grew up. How about now? Where and how are you currently spending your days? Awesome.

Brandon: 12:17

Wow. so, currently, I am the I'm the graduation coordinator or graduation specialist through the Boys and Girls Club in a program called Be Great Graduate. So, I have about 25 students on my caseload that I work with, here in Kenosha Bradford High School. And it's really all around graduation, where I have some kids that are on track to graduate, some kids that are on the fence, and then other kids that are not on track to graduate, and some kids that are not even close. And really, it's all about providing those resources and incentives and motivation for kids to be at school every day, one, and then two, to Lead the work and turn it in on time and then, eventually staying on track to graduate and considering trades and, or college. So, yeah, that's one part of it. And then, my business partner and I, we have a basketball tournament company where we were hosting 16 basketball tournaments, a year and we kind of cut that down now to, 12 tournaments a year. Kind of like redefined our, our system and saw that we'd probably be better suited with a little less tournaments and getting more bang for your buck that way. so I'm doing that as well. we actually have a tournament next weekend. and outside of that, I am the head boys basketball coach at Kenosha Tremper High School. So I'm working inside of Bradford every day and I'm the coach at their rival school, Kenosha Tremper. So. so that's how I spend my day. And then, being a husband, to my wife that, that is an administrator. So she's an assistant principal. So we both have busy, busy lives. and then also I have an 18 year old son who's in his first year of college and an eight year old daughter who's, a busy cheerleader.

Lynn: 14:20

Awesome. Yeah,.It does. I'm exhausted just thinking about it. I'm gonna go take a nap. I'm just, I'm just kidding. You know, but, thank you. You're, you're definitely busy and I'm excited to hear. how you got there, right? Because hearing where you started and then how you ended up with what you're doing now, it probably wasn't linear. But before we get to that, like specific, what did your path look like and how did you redraw your path along the way? I'm curious if we go back to childhood, most of us grew up with external pressures or expectations placed on us. And you talked about this a little bit already in terms of like, more likely to go to prison than to be successful and graduate from high school. But, We, we grew up with those molds that we didn't ask for. I'm curious, if there are any more for you that you would want to highlight or what path were you expected to take, if any?

Brandon: 15:24

Well, I think, I'm not even sure if there was like, like those high expectations of, of what we think of now today. My mother and stepfather and my grandmother, they were just big on, you know. Being respectful, getting your education and, you know, keeping God first, and letting things play out how they would, because my grandmother, she, she didn't go to college. my mother didn't go to college. My father didn't go to college. and my stepfather, he didn't go to college. He served in the military. but really that, that was about it. And it was really, I guess being focused on the time in front of you. because I know my grandmother often said like, we're not promised tomorrow. and and that's the, that's kind of like how now looking back, I think that's kind of how things were up until, I guess, high school. where expectations started to change a little bit.

Lynn: 16:25

I, I love that your grandmother shared that life lesson of we're not promised tomorrow. And it's actually, I think, pretty unique so far from when I, from talking with guests. because a lot of my guests have heard, you know, like work hard, work hard, work hard. Right. And, that emphasis on essentially enjoying that time in front of you hasn't necessarily been there. So I appreciate you sharing that. So I'm hearing like. Just expectations of being respectful, getting an education, and really it sounds like some pressure to be the, maybe the first one in the family or the first generation to continue education. Yeah. Mm. hmm.

Brandon: 17:18

definitely being the first one. and then I, I guess too, I, I, I should point out the fact that, you know, one being a black family and my, my grandmother, they came up from Arkansas. And, and maybe people don't always point this out, but my grandmother told me stories about her picking cotton in Arkansas. And that's like, like, wait a minute, what? And basically came up to the Kenosha area because of the jobs that were available versus what was available in the South. So. just that in itself, makes you have like just a total different outlook on life for me, uh, and to, you know, to appreciate what you have. And I guess that's, that's probably more of a reason why they were so big on like being respectful. And, and, you know, my grandma, my grandmother always used to say, annunciate, pronounce your words, you know, stand up straight. Like even to this day, there's not a day that I've gone where I don't wear a belt. Like I always wear a belt. I think it might have been one or two days where I didn't wear a belt. because my mom was, she was always on me about always make sure you wear your belt, tuck your shirt in, stand up straight, you know, all those different things. Um, um, just because I guess, growing up in the South, and then if you're black, we were always taught, basically engraved in our minds, that you always have to be ten times better than the person next to you.

Lynn: 19:02

Mm hmm. Mm

Brandon: 19:04

And that's, I guess, those are some values, family values, that we always took into consideration. And then just to take it one step further, when you talk about wearing a belt, and, so I never sagged either, I know that was a thing. Like in the, in the nineties, but I never sagged my pants. Like I said, I always wore a belt. but I heard a story about, my great grandfather and, his friends and other family members. maybe it was maybe even later than that, but some of them joined the military to go to war just to get out of slavery as well as so that they could have. Pants, shoes, a belt, shirts, socks, just so they can have that. So me, like paying respect or homage to those that came before me, that's why I didn't sag, that's why I wear a belt. That's why I'm, uh, you know, that's why I dress up, daily and, and look good because these people that came before me, my ancestors, my family members, their friends. They all sacrifice certain things so that I could do what I'm doing today. And I take great pride in that. just because I want to pay respect to those that that did things before me. I know my grandma, my great grandfather always talked about black folks always dressed up. He says, why don't you guys dress up? Why don't these young folks dress up now? So that's, that's why I'm always the way I am. And I have my own style now, but I think that was, that, that was important for me to answer your question in an extended answer, just paying homage and understanding and respecting those that came before me. that kind of builds up our family values.

Lynn: 20:55

Yeah, I, I really, really appreciate you elaborating on that because, I mean, it is just incredible to hear, wait, what? Grandma, you in your lifetime were picking cotton. And so hearing about that journey to have, like, blue collar jobs or, access to better jobs with benefits, And those sacrifices made and then the thought that, you know, I'm going to choose war, because that is what provides me respect and security and, And I have the freedom now to choose that. it's, it's all really interesting. And as you were talking about that, I I'm glad you elaborated on that because I hear what you're saying. It's out of respect to who came before. And in my mind, I originally thought perhaps that's out of fear of systems that are harder on Black men than, you know, than on others who. may be able to sag their pants or not wear a belt and get away with it. so I just, I appreciate you bringing some nuance. to that.

Brandon: 22:14

Absolutely.

Lynn: 22:16

all right. So let's let's hear about your path. I'm curious. So you had those expectations of, always being respectful, focusing on that education, because you have that opportunity to and really prioritizing it. everything like God first, and enjoying the time in front of you. so what would be the first big way that you redrew your path? And I'm going to just bring back to listeners that quote that that mentor told you in the beginning, when you were in seventh grade, that they essentially gave you that statistic. so I'm curious, what was the first big way you found yourself redrawing your path?

Brandon: 23:01

Yeah, I think I would, I would have to go to, to high school, because I didn't, like I said, my mother and father and stepfather, many of my family members had never been to college. so me graduating from high school and then going off to college. Is just a path that I guess earlier in life, I didn't even, that expectation wasn't there. And then I also have to point out that as a ninth grader going into high school, and I didn't know this until probably midway through my ninth grade year, I was reading at a sixth grade reading level in the second month. And that's kind of how they, you know, break it down. And I didn't understand that at the time, but it's like, wait a minute, how could I be in the ninth grade reading at a sixth grade reading level? and basically what, uh, my mentor was told at the time was, well, he got this far, he got to the ninth grade because he came to school every day and he didn't brandish a weapon. And it was just like, wait a minute, what? Passing the kid along because he's a good kid and he's showing up every day. Okay. And he doesn't carry a weapon. Okay. So yeah, me going off to college was just a path that I didn't see until maybe until I was in high school. And mainly because I played basketball and basketball was kind of like my ticket or my vehicle, to what we always say. That's our ticket to get out of the hood. so me going off to college. and I went to a junior college, in Iowa, Iowa Western Community College, went there for two years on a scholarship. and then after my two years was done there, I mean, I went on to UW Green Bay and did two years there, graduated. And I always like to emphasize that I graduated with honors. And I like to emphasize that because number one, as a ninth grader, I was here I am graduating from college with honors. It was, it just, it still blows my mind to this day. On top of that, on top of that, I was my senior year or my junior year. End of my junior year, the grades come out and I was, declared academically ineligible. So as an athlete, you have to carry a certain GPA because you're on scholarship. And you have to pass all your classes. And if you don't, then you will be academically ineligible. And I had to sit out eight games the following season, my senior year, the first semester. So, the, the coach is like, well, you're not a dummy. You're, you, you seem very smart. You're intelligent. Like what is going on? so then I got tested by, I can't remember if she was a psychiatrist or psychologist. I can't remember her title, but she worked for the Packers and she tested me on a number of different things. And basically I got diagnosed with test anxiety and I hadn't heard that word before or I didn't notice it and it was, it was true. So once I got diagnosed with test anxiety, my whole, well, the rest of my summer and my whole senior year, every test that I took from there on, it wasn't taken in the classroom and it wasn't timed. I aced the first test and I'm like, wait a minute, they have to be joking or playing around with me trying to get me to believe something that I don't think is there. And then I aced another one and aced another one. And after the third time, I literally started bawling. I'm crying like I cannot believe this is happening. I can't believe this is happening. Like I've been struggling. Taking tests all this time. And you mean to tell me that I just needed to be pulled out of a classroom?

Lynn: 26:56

Mm hmm.

Brandon: 26:58

So yeah, my mind was just blown away. And again, like I said, graduated with honors, which I'm very proud to, to have graduated with honors because I struggled for obviously a lifetime up until this point, that path of going off to college and then graduating, graduating with honors, there's a chapter there's a chapter in my book that's called uh, graduating for a hundred thousand. And basically in that chapter of my book, I'm just talking about how important it was for me to graduate for the city of Kenosha, but more specifically, my neighborhood, the Lincoln Park neighborhood, kids that grew up in that neighborhood, number one, it wasn't normal, or it wasn't really a thing that kids left and went off to college, let alone graduate. So that's. That's what I was graduating for because I wanted to be an inspiration. I wanted to be a motivator for those kids that grew up in my neighborhood, as well as my peers, to go off to college

Lynn: 28:03

Mm hmm. That, that's really powerful. And I'm, I'm curious, because I could imagine my frustration learning my senior year of college. Wait, I have test anxiety and we can do something about that. were there narratives about yourself that you were rewriting at that time? Or how were you, how were you kind of like making sense of that? In your mind, in terms of how you saw yourself.

Brandon: 28:37

Well, yeah, it was definitely some frustration, uh, again, with some, with some tears and everything else. It was like, all of this time, I probably could have graduated. I mean, you know, I could have had A's, B's. throughout my whole college experience, throughout my high school experience, that things could have been, you know, totally different for me. My life probably could have went a totally different way. but obviously, like I said, you know, believing in God and keeping God first, he had a different path for me. And that's why I have to finish my

Lynn: 29:11

Yes, you do!

Brandon: 29:12

because clearly I was put on earth to, you know, send a message to many others that probably struggle with a lot of the things that, you know, I struggle with throughout my life. And, you know, to point out, you know, just something as simple as test anxiety, like, Yeah. Some, some students right now, somewhere that may be listening to this podcast, you may have test anxiety and you might just need to get tested. And you probably can have a, you know, a far greater college career if you're just simply taken out of the classroom and your test is untimed. so for me, yes, there were many different emotions when I got to that point. Like I said, frustration and, and maybe, you know, my, my life could be different and, and so on. So,

Lynn: 30:03

When you were, declared ineligible, to play those eight games and play that next semester, what were you seeing at the end of the tunnel for yourself?

Brandon: 30:13

it was so uncertain because. I had a good junior year,

Lynn: 30:18

hmm.

Brandon: 30:18

and I was, I was awarded, MVP, and I played the most minutes, I scored the, I was the leading scorer on the team, I was tied for steals, and, and so on. there was even, for the next season, my coach had already let me know that there was going to be a billboard up of me. so, yeah, and, and it was. My face wasn't on it because they couldn't do that at the time. I wish NIL deals were, were popular or were a thing back then, but it had my whole body with my jersey number on there and everything was like a picture of me playing. They just didn't have my face on there. but yeah, I just didn't know, you know, where my future was going to go just for the simple fact that it's. You're sitting out eight games. Like if you thought that you wanted to go to the NBA and you're having this good season, well, you can cancel all of that. There's no way you can do it. yeah, I, I just didn't know. I didn't know what it meant. I didn't know how I was supposed to move forward, but you know, you kept taking it day by day and you know, it played out, I think, amazing.

Lynn: 31:24

Yeah. Yeah. I'm excited. I'm excited to hear, because I know, having worked in college athletics on the other side in the office administration part, that's sometimes, you know, everybody's goal is to make it pro, right? And so that is what the focus is on. It's, it's really hard, I think, to think about, well, what is my backup plan, because, you know, college students, right? Brain development doesn't stop until you're 25. So, college students are seeing, like, that's all there is in front of them. well, thank you for sharing that turn, because I think it, although you shared some challenges, I think the ultimate, like, win there is like, went to college, graduated with honors, and then that awareness of of getting diagnosed with test anxiety so late in your academic career and being able to bring that awareness and inspiration to students now. so I'm curious if you would fast forward a little bit, what was the second big way that you redrew your path in life?

Brandon: 32:36

well, I think it comes right after college because, yeah, yeah, it definitely comes right after college. And it's kind of like a two, two in one, and it goes over a span of nine years. so my senior year, son's mother, I was pregnant and eventually my son was born in July after I graduated. so of course now there's a whole new path. You graduated from college. Well, one, when she first told me that she was pregnant, it was like, wait a minute. I'm only, I'm only 22 years old, I don't pay bills. Like, there's no way, like, we can have a child. There's like, it was, there was like all these different things that were running through my head, like, Oh my God, my career is over. My life is over. Like, what am I going to do? I can't have a kid. I'm only 22. I'm a kid myself. again, you know, my son was born in July and. then I, I got a job over the summer and I had to finish up a couple of classes or a class and I was still going, living in Kenosha and traveling back up to Green Bay. And I can remember me being on a bus one day and I got a block call and it was a sports agent and I hung up on him like two or three times because. He said that he was looking for Mr. Morris and my friends and I, we do pranks all the time. So I thought they were pranking me. Uh, anyways, I ended up, hiring that guy to represent me as an agent, so I can get a professional job possibly in the NBA, but what it really developed being was. A job overseas. And my first offer was to play in Italy, and I turned it down because I said, I can't be a father being in Italy. So I'm not going to play. I'm done. I don't play basketball again. I'm going to stay here and, be a dad. so there I was, you know, being a dad and trying to do this co parenting thing. Which was somewhat of a struggle throughout the time. and then there was an agent calling me again

Lynn: 34:56

Same one.

Brandon: 34:57

same one. And saying, Hey, I have a job for you in New Zealand and you would have to leave in two days. And now, you know, I'm, like I said, I'm working and I have a job and now I got to figure this out. And my grandmother said that she gave me some great advice. She said, well. This opportunity has come to you again and it doesn't come to kids like you often. Your son is going to grow up and he's going to be just fine. You can kind of, you can, you can reach him and still talk with his mother while you're playing professionally, but I really think you should take this opportunity. She says, I've had visions of you being able to, reach millions of people. And she says, I think this is one of the ways that's going to allow you to reach, you know, millions of people. And,

Lynn: 35:55

grandma.

Brandon: 35:56

and that right there just had me, yeah, that had me just like, wow. I can't even remember my grandma, like when I was seven years old, my grandma, she thought that I was going to be the first black president. Uh, she told me that while I was sitting in a

Lynn: 36:10

Mm.

Brandon: 36:12

We're waiting to, we're waiting to go into the dentist and I'm sitting there reading, a magazine and some guy walks by and says, wow, that's a very fine young man reading out loud to you. And, she says, yeah, he's going to be the first black president of the United States

Lynn: 36:28

Wait, you didn't, you didn't mention that in the expectations. Grandma.

Brandon: 36:35

I know I forgot about it until, until now. Yeah, but she told someone that. so yeah, then over the next nine years, you know, I played professional basketball in six different countries. my grandma was right, you know, still got to be a dad and, and be in my son's life. Obviously, kind of. Remotely, but I still, one of the biggest things I think I learned from her saying that too, was how would I be able to speak to my son and tell him, you know, you, you have to follow your dreams and, and, you know, never give up on your dreams and do this and do that. And would I be trying to live my life or past life through him if I didn't take advantage of this opportunity? and, that that was one of the motivating factors to kind of make me make that decision to, to, to be a professional basketball player. And I'm, I'm, yeah, I'm very thankful that I did it because I I wouldn't get those experiences, uh, without playing, you know? Mm-Hmm.

Lynn: 37:42

Yeah. Yeah. And it's, it's really awesome that you were able to fast forward through your son's life and think about that moment where he asked you for that advice. because I think oftentimes parents make sacrifices. for their children, but the opposite ends up happening than what they hope, right? Like, you almost said no to the second contract, to go be a Kiwi

Brandon: 38:11

Yep,

Lynn: 38:12

um, so that you could stay closer to your son physically, but then he wouldn't have had that model in you of following your, your dreams and making a whole different type of sacrifice.

Brandon: 38:27

yep, yep. Absolutely.

Lynn: 38:29

With, um, with being in six different countries over those nine years, and I'm guessing you had off season back in the States, were you ever able to feel grounded and settled anywhere, or was it pretty constant change and upheaval? Mm.

Brandon: 38:48

I think, I think it's a little bit of both. But I was always coming, you know, back home and then, I guess for me, playing travel basketball, uh, since I was in the sixth grade, it was like that. It was kind of just like playing travel basketball where I can't even remember my junior year. In the month of July, we might have been at home for like six days.

Lynn: 39:13

Mm

Brandon: 39:14

we traveled to so many tournaments because July, as you know, is the most important month. That's when the time when college coaches were out on the trails and looking to recruit kids and, yeah. So, I think that's kind of what it was for me. Like, I was used to moving around and used to traveling and not being in one place. Now, looking back on it, playing professionally nine years and then coming back home, it was just kind of my norm. so, yeah, I think I felt grounded every time I came back home. Because being in another country, you don't speak the language, and it's not your home, although it is for six or seven to nine months. Um, when I came back home, it was just, refreshing, not just to be back home, but, you know, the way the community received me. you know, one being the kid from Lincoln Park neighborhood, uh, that went off to college and graduated. And that was like, at that time, you know, I was one of maybe a few. And then now, two, to be a professional basketball player from the Lincoln Park neighborhood, from Kenosha, which at that time it was only, that we knew of Nick Van Exel, who played in the NBA. So it was like, okay, now Brandon, you're the, like the second professional basketball player and from this neighborhood. So the community just received me well. So it was always, I was always grounded. I felt like.

Lynn: 40:44

Yeah. Oh, that's awesome. Grounded in signing autographs. I love that. it's so fascinating to have most of your 20s, just playing professional ball, which had been your dream. And, just having such a pivotal decade of your life, I feel like teens are important, 20s are important, 30s, meh, and then, you know, like, different, decades have different, um, purposes, but to have that experience in your 20s, I think is so interesting and, and unique too, At least you are the first professional ballplayer that I've had on this podcast, Redraw Your Path, so far. So far, but there, there may be more. I don't know. Um, okay. So what was the next big way you redrew your path? You had nine years of overseas professional ball playing. You would come back in the summers. What was the next big turn for you? Culture

Brandon: 41:42

well, the next big term was getting into the workforce, where you're like, all right, you're done playing now what, but, and I will, yeah, absolutely. But I will mention too, though, anytime I was in between contracts or waiting on a contract, I was always working, from being working at the front desk of the Boys and Girls Club, um, uh, to substitute teaching, uh, I was even doing like, community liaison, like social work, but having a case load of kids. but primarily or mainly the most that I stayed with was substitute teaching because I always had a passion for, for kids and giving back and trying to pour into them what was poured into me or what wasn't poured into me. so once I was completely done playing, I took a job as an eighth grade science teacher in Racine Unified School District. and. It was one day that in the spring that I was like, you know what? I took this job and I don't think I want to be in the classroom. I want to have more of an impact some other way. And I ended the contract there and I said, you know what, whatever job next that comes along, it'll be for me. I'll just go back to substitute teaching. And if it comes, it comes. If it doesn't, I don't know. We'll figure it out when it comes. But for now.

Lynn: 43:10

to that faith

Brandon: 43:10

Yes, absolutely. But for now, yeah, just going to have faith in what's for me it will be. and then that's how I got the chance to meet you. Tim Mahone, reached out and told me, Hey, there's this job that's open. I really think you should give a, you should give a go at it. It seems like it fits you perfect. I think you're going to thrive in this position. And that was. Uh, with Building Our Future and being the college and, career readiness and, community engagement manager. so yeah, got to do that for three years with you and, working on, You know, changing systems, systems change work. And it was so much that was learned in there, for me.

Lynn: 43:52

Did you find, Brandon, any adjustments you needed to make for yourself or, like, narratives you had to redraw for yourself when going from, teaching or substitute teaching to the community organizing and systems change work that we were trying to do. was that a, was that a pretty easy shift for you or did you find yourself having to, rewrite some narratives and thoughts for yourself?

Brandon: 44:23

well, I think it was just, it was definitely like a, for me, it was a huge learning curve because it was totally different. Anything I had done before, I think just understanding like what it was, and knowing that you can potentially change systems, yeah, so it was somewhat of a struggle. It was something that I had to learn and get used to. but thankfully, Having folks like you and Eric and, and then, and Tatiana to like really guide me through it. And then later on, of course, learning from the different partners. I think eventually, I don't know, actually, I, now that I think about it, I don't think I ever really felt like I had it down 100 percent because it was always like that constant. learning. Um, but yeah, it was difficult.

Lynn: 45:18

Mm hmm. What I hear, I mean, it is definitely difficult work and um, definitely, you know, it's, it's 100% needed and worth it to change systems and 100 percent very challenging work. and what I'm hearing is that there was a curve. It was more of a learning curve and really wrapping your head around the what and never really a question of like, am I capable of this work? Can I do this? It sounds like you I had those really healthy narratives for yourself already. Am I, am I capturing that correctly?

Brandon: 46:03

Yes, absolutely captured that. Perfect.

Lynn: 46:06

Okay, cool. Gosh, I, see, it's, it's so interesting because one of the reasons I started this podcast is because I think I've always struggled with the narratives of like, can I do this? Am I good enough? Like, am I can I figure this out? And, um, I It's, I think, just really healthy for me to hear, oh, like, not everyone has that, and also, like, that that can really be, it goes back to growth mindset, right? And then also just like training that inner critic, which I'm, I'm sure with, coming out of the sports world, just that mindset work of, Being able to shed that inner critic is really, really powerful and translates across spaces.

Brandon: 46:57

Yeah, because I'll say this too, like, I don't know if it if I was mentally just just trained this way over time. But would it be in Black History Month, I keep hearing people sharing their different stories, and A course sharing black history where a lot of, uh, of our black community, we often take pride in saying, if you just give me the opportunity, I know that I can be successful at whatever it is. So I think that's just kind of, The way that you just grow up and thinking daily, like if you, if I just have the opportunity and I can learn how to do it, I know I can be successful at it,

Lynn: 47:43

Mm hmm.

Brandon: 47:44

even if it's, if it's me building a, a spaceship or, anything like, I know nothing about spaceships. I know nothing about like putting things together, really. But if you give me the opportunity and I can learn it. I can try and be one of the best at it.

Lynn: 48:00

this is why I've been saying for years I need to hire you as my coach, because, because it's interesting, like, I think for myself, I objectively know that, right? I objectively know and have proven time and time again that I can rise to the task, yet subjectively, this is, this is why I spend a lot of money on this. therapy. Um, as listeners know. Um, but subjectively, I'm like, someone's gonna give me this opportunity and I'm gonna mess it up. You know, like, and I know, objectively, I know that that's not gonna happen.

Brandon: 48:35

right,

Lynn: 48:36

But It is, you know, for me it's been really helpful to be vulnerable about that and just be really humorous about that

Brandon: 48:44

Yep.

Lynn: 48:46

and really honest about like, what are our inner critics and inner sage telling us? And, I want others to know whatever their inner person is telling them, they can retrain it to be thinking positively about their capabilities.

Brandon: 49:01

and if you, and if you don't do it or if you don't feel like you're successful at it, the biggest thing I always take away from is, hey, at least I tried.

Lynn: 49:10

Yeah.

Brandon: 49:12

a go.

Lynn: 49:13

one of the things I teach on in some of my workshops is actually about confidence. And I stole this from, Mel Robbins, who's an advice guru, but she talks about the confidence competence cycle and how you build Confidence is you try something and confidence isn't a feeling, it's the willingness to try. And by having that willingness to try, you are then building like a tiny bit of competence and then you're gonna try it again and build a tiny bit more competence. and that's essentially how you live out and feel that confidence is just being willing to try. And try and try again.

Brandon: 49:57

I agree.

Lynn: 49:58

all right. Well, we've, we've established I'm going to hire you as my coach, which I appreciate. Thank you. but any other ways that you've redrawn your path that you would want to share?

Brandon: 50:09

I think, I think the, I guess the final one, if I want to say a final, was really, again, stepping out on faith and, you know, resigning my position with Building Our Future and kind of going off into the entrepreneur space. my business partner and I had been kind of having our layout plan, with, with basketball to my love, my, my passion. And our layout plan kind of started back in 2014 and we said, all right, we're going to do this, this, this, and this. And get to the point where it's going to be our career and we're going to be getting paid to do this. and that was, you know, hosting basketball So basically we started off as just a travel basketball team, uh, organization, and we provided teams, you know, I think we had 13 teams the first year to start, uh, and then we'd started doing a little bit of, of, basketball training. and then we, we wanted to provide gear, like sports gear, and then there was the, the tournament side and where we have our own facility. So that was kind of our plan of, okay, this is gonna be our job, this is gonna be our career. this is what we're gonna get paid to do and do it every day. And that's why I resigned from, Building Our Future because. it was, it was time where the work was just picking up. My business partner could no longer do it by himself and me just doing it on the side. So it was time for me to do it full time. and now, you know, or when we got to the point where we built a system over like a year and a half, two year period where I could do it from anywhere and he could go back to like managing it more the bulk of the work. I found an opportunity, where I can kind of get back to the things that I was passionate about. Again, helping kids. It's pouring into kids and, this position came available with the boys and girls club, through the Be Great Graduate program. And thankfully enough, I was the right candidate or the best candidate and I got the job. So now I was, I'm still able to host tournaments with my business partner, doing the bulk of the work with the system that we created. And, you know, me, I get to pour into these students and help them graduate.

Lynn: 52:33

Yeah, that's awesome. And it's interesting. So, okay, if I do the math, you started building your business in 2014, right?

Brandon: 52:42

Yup.

Lynn: 52:43

you resigned your other full time role 2022. So eight years between starting and then like going into it full time. Right.

Brandon: 52:52

Yes,

Lynn: 52:54

That is, I love that. That is commitment. I think sometimes entrepreneurs have this. Impatience, right? Of like, well, here's our plan and we're going to execute it over six months and it's going to be really linear. Was it linear over those eight years or did you find yourselves, kind of ebbing and flowing as life changed?

Brandon: 53:16

absolutely. it was it was not linear. and actually the rollout plan, we didn't even have like a time to it. My business partner is more what we say, like have OCD tendencies and, he kind of wants things, you know, very. On the straight and narrow. And I said, let's not put a time to it. Cause if you put a time to it, then you got to live up to that. And what if we're moving faster than what we, what we expected, or what if we're moving much slower than what we expected? So, originally when we first. Started off, it wasn't even like a business. It was to grow into a business. so I think, ah, readjusting things as we went along, like we even gave up the travel teams because we had like a business guru that came in and said, okay, you guys have a plan of turning this nonprofit at some point where you're going to have a for profit and. I want to point out the fact that, yeah, you are hosting two tournaments a year, and you spend 90 percent of your time on travel basketball teams, and you probably bring in, uh, 1 percent of profit, and then you spend maybe 5 to 10 percent of your time, hosting tournaments. And it probably brings in 90 percent profit. And it's like, wait a minute, hold on. What, what was those numbers? What did you say? and then when you think about, you know, the headaches that come along with, you know, the travel basketball teams where, some kids can't pay and now you got to figure out if you can get sponsors to pay, and then if you don't, then you're left with that cost and, there's parents that complain about. You know, we love, we want this coach. We love this coach. And then when it doesn't kind of go their way, Oh, this is the worst coach ever. We got to get a new coach. I'm going to leave the program, you know, really in travel basketball, there's no loyalty. so when you think about all of those things. We were like, what are we doing? Let's just give up the teams and let's focus more on training and hosting more tournaments. and that's kind of how we got to the for profit side of, basketball.

Lynn: 55:28

Awesome. It sounds like the, those adjustments over time and, you analyze the data or someone else analyze the data. And when you actually dug into it, you realize, oh, wait, this is a distraction and a big headache. Um, love the players, love the students, but this is actually really, really hard and it's taking us away from our actual goal. so I know that was kind of like two in one big changes, but when you went back into your full time role now of being at the Boys and Girls Club and working with students, were there again like any narratives you had to rewrite for yourself or, any questions that were coming up for you? Like, were you questioning, like, is this the right move? Is it not the right move? How did Brandon sort that out?

Brandon: 56:21

Well, I knew it was the right move because over those, let's say, between. 2018 and, when I got the job in late 2023, I had been a guest speaker in a classroom or a guest speaker at a community center or showing up at, basketball practices and different things like that. And, then. Going back to some classrooms and being a guest speaker. And I knew that I had missed it and I had been away from the, the, the classroom or the school setting where you're impacting students directly, for a long time, uh, six, what, six years. so a part of me missed all of that and, and being a high school basketball coach. and then, you know, work with Build Our Future and eventually have it run in the business. You know, you, you miss all of those different things and nuances that go along with school and students and what I was doing on the daily. so I just really missed that. And when I did get hired for me, it was just an easy transition because it was kind of like, Oh yeah, I'm riding the bike again. This is, this is, this is how you ride a bike. and then again, just how I was received by the staff. And the students, it was just a great warm welcome. basically, there was, staff that I had worked with in other schools and says, Oh, man, I haven't seen you in I don't know how long, like, yeah, it's been like six, seven years. and then seeing some of those younger students that was in my classroom. now our seniors. So it's been pretty cool. It's been a pretty cool transition. just to be back in the schools and working directly with students and then seeing some of my old students, now about to graduate and some of them are on my caseload and, I'll get to be a part of their journey again.

Lynn: 58:19

Yeah, which is so powerful. And what I hear is that it just felt right when you made that move and that you're really living into your purpose again. And that expectation or, that vision your grandmother had of you impacting millions. And right now you're impacting. You know, 25 at a time on your caseload, plus like everyone else you're impacting and all of your different roles that you play. Um, but like you said, it feels like riding a bike again. It just feels like the right thing. And what I hear is that that may, may or may not be forever. However, it is you living into your bigger purpose, which is to provide that impact and inspiration. To younger students.

Brandon: 59:10

Absolutely. I love the way you put that together. Wow. I got to hire you then. I,

Lynn: 59:17

easy, because I you know I know you, and I've seen that impact and inspiration you've had on students. So, it's not hard to put into words. And I can hear, too, just that it, it feels right and that you could feel in your, Almost like in your body that you missed it and you missed having that impact on students. So that's a really cool turn. okay. So the big question, what advice would you give to others who are considering redrawing their own path?

Brandon: 59:50

would say, obviously, jump out on faith and then really lean into it. I mean, you only, you only get to live once. And what's the worst that can happen is go back to what you were doing before. you know, and then there's always something to gain from it. There's going to be a lesson learned when you do it. There won't be a lesson learned if you don't do it. And then, you feel like you don't know what's on the other side, but it does provide you that growth, that you need to, you know, be the best version of you and reach your fullest potential.

Lynn: 1:00:23

Absolutely, and that growth is really critical. When you think about, like, anybody reaching that, their fullest potential, they're never going to get there unless they're willing to go out on faith and lean into it and realize that there's more out there.

Brandon: 1:00:39

I guess. Yeah. And then the second part, I guess I would say, because I understand that we are all hesitant to kind of recreate the path or go a different path. And I'm telling kids this more and more. Is, you know, maybe talk to someone that's in that field, talk to someone that's done or gone, where you want to go, because you're not going to ask an astronaut how to, fix your toilet. It just, it doesn't work out like that. You're going to ask, if you want to be an astronaut, you're going to go talk to, you should go talk to an astronaut and say, how did you, how did you get to that point? So. I would say speak to someone that has that lived experience.

Lynn: 1:01:22

I love that. I love that advice. And I think it's, it's advice that I don't know about you, Brandon, but in my experience, I think students are a lot more likely to take that advice than adults. But I think it is so important for adults, you know, like, Whatever your age, talk to someone who has done it, or is doing it, because one, that's going to give you like more awareness and knowledge, but two, it's going to build relationships in your community and your group of cheerleaders. So, that's really, really powerful advice. Any, anything else? Any other advice?

Brandon: 1:01:57

well, I live by this motto every single day, it all stemmed from the words that I got when I was a seventh grader that, you know, you're more likely to go to prison than you are to succeed at life. So I live by this motto. You can be more every day, in every way. And it means just that you can be more, you can be more than what you're born into. So even though I was born into being a black male, even though I was born into a father that was in prison, up until I was 24, a mother that battled drug addiction, and I forgot to mention this, they are both winning. My dad rehabilitated himself. And he won. He's out of prison. He's married. He has a home. I mean, he's a homeowner, him and his wife. You know, he's winning. He gets to be a granddad. He gets to be a father. And my mom, she battled drug addiction and she's winning every single day. she's, you know, one of the most amazing people in the world to me. And then I didn't mention my stepfather, he battled alcoholism. So he's, he was an alcoholic he fought that and he beat that, up until the point of him having to get, a transplant when he, before he got the transplant, I didn't know this. You have to basically sign a contract saying you're going to do right by this. Kidney or by this liver, because you didn't do right by yours and the individual that gave up this organ for you to have a better life and live longer, you have to commit to never touching alcohol again. And he did. And he was probably, he probably lived what I saw his greatest life ever for the time that he was, that he was alive. Yeah, no alcohol, just cut it off, cold turkey, and Yeah, it was one of the most amazing journeys I've ever seen. So again, just you can be more, you know, like it doesn't matter what you're born into. I mean, you can be born into riches and become wealthy. You can be born into poverty and become, rich. And I don't just mean rich by money. Because I feel like I'm rich because the people that I come in contact with meeting you, like, there was a purpose for that. And there's so many people that I feel like that makes me rich. So again, you can be more every day in every way.

Lynn: 1:04:44

I love that. And it sounds like your father and your mother and your stepfather were all finding inspiration from you and living that every day. It's like you can be more in every way, every day. Thank you for sharing that wise nugget. and I'm glad I asked that second question of like any other advice

Brandon: 1:05:04

Yep.

Lynn: 1:05:05

I think that was helpful. That was some good stuff. Brandon, where can people find you and is there anything you want to promote or share with listeners? I mean, when your book is published, we will be sharing that with listeners. Absolutely. But where do you want people to find you right now?

Brandon: 1:05:23

Oh, man. Well, right now, I'm obviously on Facebook under Brandon Morris. I'm on Instagram, which I update and I let my daughter take over sometimes. I'm under Brandon Morris, or actually I'm under Coach B. Morris. I think it's Coach underscore B underscore Morris. But yeah, those are the places

Lynn: 1:05:45

Nice. And I'll suggest, Instagram for you because last, we talked about Facebook friends. I believe you were close to the limit of 5, 000 friends. Was that right? Like a couple years ago, at least you were already pretty close to the limit. So.

Brandon: 1:06:01

Yeah. Yeah.

Lynn: 1:06:02

Perfect. Um, thank you, Brandon, so much for sharing your story and how you've redrawn your path several times with listeners. I really, really, really appreciate it. And I'm grateful for your friendship.

Brandon: 1:06:15

Thank you for this opportunity to share how I redraw my path. And hopefully people were able to take something from this and learn and maybe apply it to their own lives.

Lynn: 1:06:24

Awesome. They will. Thanks, Brandon. Hey, thanks for listening to Redraw Your Path with me Lynn Debilzen, If you liked the episode, please share and subscribe. That helps more listeners find me. And don't be shy, reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn. I would love to know what resonated with you. Can't wait to share more inspiring stories with you. See you next week.