He made me feel like Jimmy Chitwood in Hoosiers.

He believed in me—especially when I didn’t believe in myself.

In those moments, it wasn’t about my performance on the court or in the classroom.

It was about me....and the authentic value he knew I held.

Wait...What?  Influence without social media?

I wonder if anyone under the age of 60 will even read this article.

Will my effort go unnoticed—lost between “influencers” and "media?"

In my 50 years, I’ve been shaped by a handful of extraordinary leaders. People I will never forget. People, and their actions, who have made a lasting impact long before social media ever existed.

Like my small-town (less than 300), high-school (less than 80 students), basketball coach.

He’d pull up to our Kansas farmhouse in his blue, Ford Ranger around 7 a.m. on dark, snowy Saturday mornings, ready to hunt pheasant with me until noon. It was ALWAYS the mornings after a Friday night game. He’d sit there quietly in our gravel driveway, waiting for the sun to rise.

My mom would nudge me awake: “Coach Heinz is here...waiting in his truck.”

We called him "Herb" from of the 1980's show "WKRP in Cincinnati." He dressed well and wore a plaid jacket every time he coached.

I’d roll out of bed, grab my gear and hop in his truck without saying much.

He never had much time for small talk anyway.

Just questions...and they would start before we got to the first field:
“What did you think about last night’s game?”
“What could we have done better?”
“How did YOU feel?”

After walking through that first field of tall grass, milo or corn, the questions got more personal:
“How’s school? Your grades? Friends? How are Mom and Dad?”

Then he'd move into the future:
“So what happens after high school? Anything you want to do?”

He made me feel like Jimmy Chitwood in Hoosiers. He believed in me—especially when I didn’t believe in myself.

In those moments, it wasn’t about performance on the court or in the classroom. It was about me. As a person.

Those hunts weren’t about birds. They were about presence.
Mentorship in camouflage.

The most influential people in my life have rarely "posted content." They weren’t tracking followers.

But they changed my life more than any viral moment ever could.

They were steady. Intentional. Consistent.

Their influence wasn’t flashy—it was meaningful to the core....and relational.

Today, influence is too often equated with visibility. But real influence happens when no one’s watching. When no one is counting hearts, thumbs, claps, or shares.

In my eyes, it looks like someone showing up. Asking questions. And sticking around to truly hear the answer.

I want to be someone’s "Herb."

It was never about his name, the pheasants, the early mornings, or the baseball game the night before.
It was about a place for him to listen, encourage and guide.

He was someone who helps others see their own potential...and rise to it...just by being there.

The proof is in his own kids, how they treat others, and how they live their lives.

I want to help build spaces where business leaders, coaches, teachers, moms, dads, and mentors can show up fully—undistracted and present—for the people who need them most.

Because here’s the truth:

You don’t need a platform to be an influencer.

You need less attention...and just a little more intention.
The right moment.
And the desire to show up.

Remain Encouraged,

Brian

www.LoneOakRetreat.com/about-us