246: Rick Mirer Podcast

In today’s episode of the ‘Finding your Summit’ podcast, host Mark Pattison, former NFL Player, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and Mountaineer who has climbed the Seven Summits, talks with guest Rick Mirer, the NFL Football player. He shares his journey of football, discusses his wine business, and how that business is supporting his foundation.

Listen to “EP 246 Rick Mirer: From the gridiron to Mirror Wines. He's living the best version of himself and helping others.” on Spreaker.

Episode Highlights

• 02:25 – Mark inquires what it was it like for Rick to grow up in the great state of Indiana— it just seems like it’s such a basketball-minded and sports-crazed state?
• 04:44 – Mark asks if Notre Dame was always the magical place that Rick wanted to be
• 06:38 – Rick mentions that he was still on the rise when he showed up.
• 08:40 – Rick shares that he got a lot of attention with the recruiting stuff, and then all through college, all those media days and press conference things.
• 10:44 – Rick has been blessed and lucky in most ways. Not every season was easy, not every week or game was the best outcome, but that’s life in the fast lane.
• 12:00 – Rick shares about his wine business and how all that played out.
• 14:50 – They don’t make a lot of wine, and they do not farm it. They have contracts with the growers and they’ve got a great winemaker, great team.
• 17:00 – Mark asks Rick about the $1 million that he has given away out of the Mirer Family Foundation.
• 19:00 – Rick says that through this foundation, they get to talk to the people on the other end and it feels good.
• 22:00 – Rick is trying to be a good example, but they’re also doing something necessary to make things happen. There are so many things that need help and support.
• 24:55 – They’ve been in California longer than they ever would have thought, but it’s been hard to leave, states Rick.
• 26:33 – Rick has told kids, including his kids, that they do miss the things that they complain about.
• 28:50 – Rick sees tons of guys whose kids follow them, and of course, everybody knows who they are, their last name and that doesn’t need to be a curse.
• 30:53 – They didn’t play together but it feels like they did and that’s the brotherhood, says Rick.

Three Key Points

1. All he wanted to do was play basketball, baseball, or football— whatever season it was in. So, it felt normal to him. Now he comes back and it seems very small and slower than some of the other places he lives, but he misses and loves that, and it’s a good place for a kid to figure out his craft, play a lot of honest ball, and see where it takes them.
2. They started the Mirer Foundation back in 1996. They supported the endowment; they have a scholarship at Notre Dame to help kids that are not athletes and are part of the state that he’s from.
3. They’ve been able to generate money from some trade-offs and some support with the wine that starts adding up over time and it’s rewarding. They don’t have a big staff of people. They don’t have any expenses; they try to keep it clean. And of course, they’re going to get hit up for donations because everybody needs wine for these events.

Tweetable Quotes

“The lead up to the draft was nothing like the circus it is now.” – Rick Mirer

“It didn’t matter what pick you were, you’re going to get your head kicked in once in a while, you’re going to have some glory once a while.” – Rick Mirer

“When we added the wine, we added a whole separate element to raise money.” – Rick Mirer

“Those individual kids that you were able to help and now they can go help somebody hopefully down the road.” – Mark Pattison

“We’ve been able to evolve, but our focus has always been the kids.” – Rick Mirer

“I didn’t push anybody to do what I did.” – Rick Mirer

 

Resources Mentioned

Rick Mirer: Twitter | NFL Website

Mark Pattison YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingYourSummitWithMarkPattison/featured