I once pulled a plane for charity.
Yes, an actual plane. A massive hunk of steel that, on paper, no human being should be able to move. People always ask me the same thing:
“Shaun, why would you even try that?”
Honestly? Because it made a great story. (And because my buddies dared me… and I have this highly punchable but also highly likable face that gets me into these situations.)
Here’s the twist: the very day I was supposed to fly out for the plane pull, I got hit by a car while skateboarding into work. I literally flipped over the hood, destroyed my board, showed up late for one of the only times in my career, and walked into the office to discover my sales team had just crushed the massive goal we’d been chasing for months. I kept my word, shaved my head, and hopped on a plane to go drag 100,000 pounds across a tarmac.
Sounds wild, right? But none of it was about me. It was about showing up — for my team, for my community, for anyone who needed a reminder that resilience isn’t about perfection. It’s about getting knocked down, laughing it off, and still grabbing the rope to pull together.
What Pulling Planes Taught Me About Partnerships
Here’s what you learn real fast when you’re on the tarmac with a jumbo jet: you can’t move it alone. Doesn’t matter how strong you are, how many squats you’ve done, or how much pre-workout you’ve slammed. You need a crew. You need everyone pulling the rope, leaning in the same direction, at the same time.
That’s exactly how I think about partnerships in business.
In the construction and technology world, I’ve seen incredible results when the right people align. At the St. Louis IT Roundtable and AEC TechCon, I get to connect engineers, sales leaders, and executives — people who might not normally sit at the same table. And when we bring in trusted partners like PanTerra Networks, Five9, or even wellness-focused companies like NiTOR Performance, suddenly businesses aren’t just buying “cool tech.” They’re building systems that actually help them sell more, serve better, and take care of their people.
Because here’s my philosophy: cool tech is worthless if it doesn’t create better outcomes for people.
The Bigger Lesson: Resilience Over Hype
I’ve been in the cage, I’ve stood on the American Ninja Warrior course, I’ve pulled planes for charity, and I’ve stood on stages with a band — but what makes all of that matter isn’t the highlight reel moment. It’s the discipline and resilience it took to get there.
Resilience isn’t sexy. It’s not what trends on LinkedIn. It’s early mornings in the gym. It’s taking that sales call even when you’re sore from training. It’s being the guy who connects competitors at the table because you care more about the client’s outcome than your own ego.
That’s the thread through everything I do. And it’s the same thread that runs through Gladly’s mission: business should be about blessing lives, not just making sales.
How Gladly Extends the Mission
What I love about being a Gladly Voice is that it isn’t just about content — it’s about community. Gladly doesn’t stop at talking about people-first leadership; they live it.
- Gladly Travel makes it easier for families to create memories together, with savings on hotels, flights, and parks — because shared experiences build stronger bonds.
- NiTOR Performance helps athletes and everyday people fuel their bodies with clean, veteran-owned sports nutrition, while giving back to the fight against human trafficking.
- The Hypochlorous Company is replacing toxic chemicals with safe, sustainable solutions that protect homes and communities.
- Gladly Shop makes it simple for companies to give meaningful gifts that show care, not just swag.
All of these partnerships embody the same values I’ve lived in the gym, the ring, and the boardroom: integrity, resilience, and a belief that the best outcomes happen when people come together.
Your Takeaway
The truth? None of us were built to pull planes alone.
Whether you’re running a construction firm, leading a sales team, or figuring out your next step, resilience isn’t about going viral — it’s about showing up. It’s about surrounding yourself with people who pull with you, not against you. It’s about doing the work in a way that lets everyone walk away with their head high.
That’s what partnerships — and life — are really about.
Follow along here on Gladly for more stories, lessons, and real talk about partnerships, leadership, resilience, and the messy, meaningful work of building things that matter.
