This one has been on our “Mount Rushmore” list from the very beginning. Hans Schlegel finally joins the show, and it’s everything we hoped for.

From his roots on a family farm in northwest Ohio to eight summers selling books, Hans brings stories of go-kart racing, marching band, zoology, bird study, saving a man’s life with the Heimlich, and building a family with his wife Laura and their five kids.

We dive into his first summer in Joplin, Missouri, those early “canon events” on the book field, the challenges of finding HQs, the grind of first days, and what made him stick it out. Hans also shares the beginnings of traditions, wild Sizzler lore, and even the origin story of the legendary “Speedo Amigos.”

And on top of it all, we talk about the momentum building today around Southwestern alumni — with Hans spearheading the company’s official network and Pony Tales launching its independent community. Two networks, two vibes, one mission: bringing book people back together.

Scroll down for links to pre-register for the Southwestern Alumni Network, to join the Pony Tales “Neighborhood,” and more.

00:00 – Intro & why Hans was a “Mount Rushmore” guest
02:06 – Who is Hans Schlegel? Farm life, go-karts, marching band, zoology, and saving a life
04:14 – Selling books for eight summers & family background
05:37 – First big conversation: were we in a cult?
10:12 – Early book memories & friendships
11:07 – Launching alumni networks: corporate & independent
22:20 – Why two networks make sense
25:15 – Canon events: the shared Southwestern experience
31:51 – Family legacies and alumni kids
36:00 – Quitting thoughts, turning points, and growth
41:50 – Community, accountability, and why alumni networks matter
46:00 – How to connect with Hans and the Southwestern alumni group
52:40 – What’s next: timeline and goals
1:12:00 – Rewinding the clock: Hans’ first summer in Joplin
1:20:00 – First doors, first customers, first day alone
1:28:00 – Struggles, breakthroughs, and record weeks
1:43:30 – Highlights of that rookie summer
2:05:00 – Heimlich maneuver story: saving a life
2:18:00 – Traditions, lore, and GRS costumes
2:37:00 – Favorite turf, states, HQs, and rapid-fire favorites
3:13:00 – The Speedo Amigos legacy
3:28:00 – Closing thoughts & links to alumni networks

In this episode of the Pony Tales Podcast, we sit down with Ben Fisher, a two-summer bookman with the FORCE organization (2011–2012) who now lives in California. Ben attended Concordia University in Nebraska and is the author of the children’s book Scribbaloo and the Color Cruncher, available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle, with more than 175 five-star reviews. He’s also the Ben behind the classic “I sell books and I love it” video many alumni remember from Sales School.

This conversation is filled with reflections, laughs, and lessons: from the opening line of “Were we in a cult?” to stories from the book field, publishing a children’s book, and the practical side of decision-making. Ben shares how the simple act of narrowing choices became a powerful tool, and he comes back again and again to the lessons learned selling books — persistence, resilience, and how to talk to people.

We close with a fun rapid-fire round, covering favorite turf (New York vs. Maine), territory types, and more. Ben also shares where you can find his book and connect with him.

Chapters:
00:00 – Intro (California, two summers, FORCE org, Concordia)
01:32 – “I sell books and I love it” video
03:18 – Scribb Aloo and the Color Cruncher (Amazon; 175 five-star reviews)
04:00 – “Were we in a cult?”
38:26 – Writing and publishing a book
53:04 – Decision-making trick by narrowing options
1:12:27 – Lessons from the book field
1:15:29 – Rapid-fire round begins
1:16:16 – Favorite territory, turf type, and more
1:29:39 – Closing thanks and where to find Ben’s book

Subscribe to Pony Tales Podcast for more conversations with alumni and the stories that connect us all.

John Carey didn't plan on becoming an expert in grid security and renewable energy infrastructure—he started with a random call to his dorm at NC State, which landed him in door-to-door book sales with Southwestern Advantage. Today, he's CEO of Ovanova, a company creating portable microgrids and secure energy solutions.

In this three-hour conversation, John covers how knocking on doors in rural America prepared him for leadership, resilience, and high-stakes problem-solving. He shares detailed experiences like the night his own home power system was disabled by a firmware update from overseas, highlighting hidden vulnerabilities in our energy grid.

John explains Ovanova’s Portable Energy Trailer (PET)—a robust, mobile microgrid that significantly outperforms standard units, capable of powering communities during natural disasters and supporting emergency response operations. He dives into critical issues facing America's energy grid, from rural utilities struggling with peak-hour demand to car dealerships facing millions in grid infrastructure costs.

Along the way, John shares his reflections on leadership strategies he's carried forward from his early door-to-door days, why emotional intelligence still matters deeply in tech-driven fields, and the books he recommends most often (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Deep Work, and the Bhagavad Gita).

If you're curious about energy security, microgrids, or simply how the skills learned from door-to-door sales translate into leading an innovative tech company, this episode offers unmatched insights directly from John's experience.

Stream the full episode, share your thoughts in the comments, and subscribe to Pony Tales Podcast for weekly stories from alumni doing remarkable things.

Lester Crafton and John Carey back to Pony Tales for nearly three hours of straight-through conversation. They start with the job that first put them on doorsteps and finish in the middle of a national-grid debate, showing—step by step—how those early summers shaped everything that came after.

Lester explains the moment he realised energy was the thread connecting almost every modern problem and why he left residential solar to focus on utility-scale projects. John walks through the hard lessons of appointment setting, the day a remote firmware update shut off power to his own house, and the reason rural co-ops care more about peak-demand penalties than slick marketing. Together they break down how portable “energy trailers” can back up disaster zones, soak up excess midday solar and even feed power back to transformers that would otherwise overload at five p.m.

The conversation drifts—from the first time either of them heard the phrase “grid security,” to an early field test where three kinds of solar modules were bolted to the same roof just to see what would survive a Carolina summer. Along the way they trade stories: a cash quote so high a homeowner laughed out loud, a USDA grant that sat frozen for a year, and the drone-monitored micro-grid they built as a sandbox for every new inverter they could find.

By the last hour the talk shifts to leadership and culture: why commissions alone never keep a team together, how emotional intelligence shows up in metrics-driven sales, and the simple coaching habits—borrowed straight from the book field—that still anchor their companies today.

It is equal parts technical deep-dive and field-tested mindset, and it shows exactly how two former door-to-door reps ended up solving problems that touch the U.S. power grid. Stream the full episode to see how it all connects.

Big thanks to our sponsors over at Cardinal Senior Insurance — and shoutout to everyone who's been supporting the show!

Get a sit down with their leadership and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠schedule an Interview with Cardinal Senior Benefits⁠⁠

Get info about BIZZLER in Greece here: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

Welcome to The Pony Tales Podcast, where we dive into the inspiring stories and unique experiences of Southwestern Advantage alumni. Each episode features candid conversations with former book-sellers, exploring how their time selling books shaped their personal and professional lives. From incredible career journeys to valuable life lessons, our guests share the habits, mindset, and challenges that led them to success. Whether you’re a former book-seller or just looking for some motivation and wisdom, you’ll find something to relate to and learn from in every episode.

Victoria Varberg works in conservation now — specifically raising money to help protect rhinos at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. In this episode, she talks about how she got into that world, what it’s really like working in international fundraising, and how much of what she learned from selling books still applies.

She also tells the story of her craziest week on the book field — a stretch that included a cult, a broken-down car, and one of her biggest sales weeks ever.

Big thanks to our sponsors over at Cardinal Senior Insurance — and shoutout to everyone who's been supporting the show!

Get a sit down with their leadership and ⁠⁠⁠⁠schedule an Interview with Cardinal Senior Benefits⁠

Get info about BIZZLER in Greece here: ⁠⁠[email protected]

Welcome to The Pony Tales Podcast, where we dive into the inspiring stories and unique experiences of Southwestern Advantage alumni. Each episode features candid conversations with former book-sellers, exploring how their time selling books shaped their personal and professional lives. From incredible career journeys to valuable life lessons, our guests share the habits, mindset, and challenges that led them to success. Whether you’re a former book-seller or just looking for some motivation and wisdom, you’ll find something to relate to and learn from in every episode.

Eric Hampton is an AE and RevOps Manager at Lemony.ai, and he’s carved out a career in one of the fastest-moving industries out there: AI startups.

In this episode, we talk about what it’s actually like working in tech after the book field — how sales cycles are different, how to position yourself to get hired, and how to figure out which startups are worth jumping into (and which are a dumpster fire in stealth mode).

We also get into a story from his first summer that involves a totaled car, a Pontiac Trans Sport van, and more than one person assuming he was absolutely up to no good.

This one’s a mix of strategy, career advice, and a little chaos — just how we like it.

Get info about BIZZLER in Greece here: ⁠[email protected]

IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST EPISODE:

Welcome to The Pony Tales Podcast, where we dive into the inspiring stories and unique experiences of Southwestern Advantage alumni. Each episode features candid conversations with former book-sellers, exploring how their time selling books shaped their personal and professional lives. From incredible career journeys to valuable life lessons, our guests share the habits, mindset, and challenges that led them to success. Whether you’re a former book-seller or just looking for some motivation and wisdom, you’ll find something to relate to and learn from in every episode. Tune in and be inspired!

Get info about BIZZLER in Greece here: ⁠[email protected]

Get ready for a marathon episode with Ella Roach!

As the daughter of a book-seller, Ella brings a perspective we don’t hear often — what it’s like growing up around Southwestern and then going through the experience yourself. In this conversation, we talk about what it means to stay coachable while also advocating for yourself, learning who you are, and holding onto your independence.

If you know Ella, you already know you’re in for bold opinions and unfiltered takes. And if you don’t? You will by the end of this episode.

Big thanks to our sponsors over at Cardinal Senior Insurance — and shoutout to everyone who's been supporting the show!

Get a sit down with their leadership and ⁠⁠⁠schedule an Interview with Cardinal Senior Benefits

Welcome to The Pony Tales Podcast, where we dive into the inspiring stories and unique experiences of Southwestern Advantage alumni. Each episode features candid conversations with former book-sellers, exploring how their time selling books shaped their personal and professional lives. From incredible career journeys to valuable life lessons, our guests share the habits, mindset, and challenges that led them to success. Whether you’re a former book-seller or just looking for some motivation and wisdom, you’ll find something to relate to and learn from in every episode. Tune in and be inspired!

Get info about BIZZLER in Greece here: ⁠[email protected]

In this episode of The Pony Tales Podcast, we chat with Joe, who sold books for three summers in the 1980s and went on to build a remarkable career. Joe is the author of Habits Driven is the Game Changer, where he shares how the habits he developed during his book-selling days paved the way for his success in business. He’s now a consultant for Live Better Financial in California, specializing in Reverse Mortgages and Divorce Lending, a unique niche in the mortgage industry.  This episode offers a fascinating look into Joe’s career journey and the impactful lessons he’s learned along the way. Tune in—you won’t want to miss it!

A big thanks to our sponsors over at Cardinal Senior Insurance.

Get a sit down with their leadership and ⁠⁠schedule an Interview with Cardinal Senior Benefits

IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST EPISODE:

Welcome to The Pony Tales Podcast, where we dive into the inspiring stories and unique experiences of Southwestern Advantage alumni. Each episode features candid conversations with former book-sellers, exploring how their time selling books shaped their personal and professional lives. From incredible career journeys to valuable life lessons, our guests share the habits, mindset, and challenges that led them to success. Whether you’re a former book-seller or just looking for some motivation and wisdom, you’ll find something to relate to and learn from in every episode. Tune in and be inspired!

In this episode of The Pony Tales Podcast, we sit down with Emma, a true champion of the book-field. Growing up in a family of successful book-sellers, Emma shares what it was like to be surrounded by such a high-achieving alumni family. She opens up about the pressures of living up to their success and how she learned to let go of her ego and the need for recognition. By embracing a mindset of self-improvement, she hit her biggest goals yet.

A big thanks to our sponsors over at Cardinal Senior Insurance.

Get a sit down with their leadership and ⁠schedule an Interview with Cardinal Senior Benefits

Get info about BIZZLER in Greece here: [email protected]

Monette Howell is a 7-summer book girl who sold in the late-70s/early-80s at a time when not many women were on the bookfield. During the COVID shutdown, Monette started her own weekly podcast, Mornings with Monette. She and Andres talk about the origins of her podcast and the learning curve that comes with an audio platform. Monette had a star-studded career on the bookfield and she talks about how she was a student of the game, what she did to bring a 20-man team, and so much more. Be sure to check out her show via the links below!

Mornings with Monette

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mornings-with-monette/id1513242698

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1rR1IPEADGAAJvD913SdtF 

Book link: Habits Driven is the Game Changer 

https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Driven-Game-Changer-Siau/dp/1951797949

Key Moments and Chapters:

00:00:00 - Start

00:03:30 - Was it a Cult?

00:06:00 - Having one of your kids go sell books

00:09:20 - Mornings with Monette

00:18:50 - Top Series of the Podcast

00:21:30 - Content creation process

00:31:34 - SW Origin Story

00:36:30 - Being good at selling is different than being a good manager

00:40:15 - Managing women?

00:48:20 - The Firsts - and without a car

00:59:30 - The Power of Belief

01:08:00 - How to leave your territory in pristine condition

01:16:10 - Recruiting lessons

01:23:00 - The Famous Off Schedule Rodeo Encounter

01:26:00 - Rapid Fire

01:50:00 - Moonshine Capital of the World

01:53:20 - 20th Man on the 20-Man Team

02:00:00 - Pony Tales