This is the most valuable part of our conversation with Nate Spangle, founder of Get Indiana, pulled out as its own episode.
Nate is known across Indiana as a hype man. Big stunts, small towns, a truck, a camera. But none of that is where the story starts. It starts in 2017, when his mom died of cancer while he was in college. He admits he was a self-absorbed 20 year old who talked mostly to hear his own voice. He gave his mom a blank notebook when she got diagnosed and asked her to write down her story. After she was gone, he opened it and it was empty. That moment is where he stopped blaming her and started blaming the questions he never asked.
Then his grandmother stepped in. On the surface she was a farmer's wife who cooked and did laundry. Once he started asking real questions, he found a woman who took a class in bookkeeping, ran his grandfather's businesses, took a cross country train trip alone, and built radio tubes for airplanes during World War Two. Same woman. Different questions.
In this episode:
- Why losing a parent turned a self-absorbed kid into a man obsessed with other people's stories
- The blank notebook, and the mistake almost every man makes with the people he loves
- How to get past the surface with someone you think you already know
- Why the people you find boring are usually a sign of the questions you are asking
- What Nate would ask his mom if he had one more conversation, and why the answer took him thirty seconds to say out loud
- The second chance he got with his grandmother, and exactly what he did differently
- How his mom hyping him up at wrestling meets became the whole business model he runs today
If you have a parent still living, a grandparent you have never really talked to, or kids who will one day try to remember who you were, this one is worth thirteen minutes.
Nate Spangle is the founder of Get Indiana and host of Get IN. with Nate Spangle. Find him at getindiana.com and at @natespangle everywhere.
The Upgraded Man is for men who refuse to stay complacent. Full episode with Nate is available now.
This episode may or may not be sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links, meaning we'll receive a small commission if you buy something.
===========================
⚡️ PODCAST: Subscribe and listen on all major platforms
⚡️ Want to be a guest on The Upgraded Man? Apply here ➡ https://upgraded-man.com/guest
⚡️ For support or business inquiries, email us ➡ chris@upgraded-man.com
Our mission at The Upgraded Man is simple — help men upgrade every area of their life through real conversations, honest stories, and actionable insight from men who have done the work.
Want to be a guest on The Upgraded Man? Send Chris Anderson a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/upgradedmanpodcast
The content on The Upgraded Man is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not constitute professional legal, financial, medical, or therapeutic advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on information discussed on this podcast.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
