Are you asking God about your big decisions in life? Are you talking to Him in both good and hard times? 

In this episode, Jeff and Sam discuss: 

• Lessons learned from life-changing events.
• Pushing through and finding strength in your purpose and cause.
• Learning how to trust others and delegate for greater success and influence.
• Knowing what to invest in and what not to invest in each day.

Key Takeaways: 

• If you find the right people, you give them the resources and tell them to do things, they're pretty good at it. You will find more success in lifting others and letting them do the work they can do.
• Technology is the key to putting people with disabilities back to work.
• It doesn't take too many degrees of separation for most people to find somebody within their family or their friend group who needs accessibility either now or in the future.
• Remember who is in control. There is a higher power leading you to the right decisions and opening doors. It is up to you to follow Him.

"I used to think passion and purpose were the same thing, and then it's been an evolution. But I really think racing is my passion; DRIVEN, which is the name of the facilities, is my purpose." — Sam Schmidt

About Sam Schmidt: Sam Schmidt was born in Lincoln, NE, and moved to CA as a toddler. He attended Pepperdine University, receiving a BS in Business Administration in 1986 and an MBA in International Finance in 1987.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Sam developed an unmeasured interest in motorsports. His goal was to race in the Indianapolis 500.

In 1997, he made his 1st IndyCar start. He raced in 3 consecutive Indy 500s and netted his 1st victory from the pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 1999, finishing the year 5th in series points. During testing in preparation for the 2000 season, Sam suffered a crash on January 6, 2000, which rendered him a quadriplegic. Though no longer able to drive a racecar, Sam was still passionate about the sport. Inspired by meeting paraplegic F1 team owner Sir Frank Williams, he founded Sam Schmidt Motorsports, now the most successful team in the history of the Firestone Indy Lights Series. At the end of 2024, Sam sold the IndyCar team to the McLaren F1 organization so that he could focus on the foundation.

After his accident, Sam and a few close friends founded the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation, which was rebranded Conquer Paralysis Now (CPN) in 2015. The Foundation has funded research on a global level, providing grants to organizations benefiting the disabled and providing opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

CPN has embarked on a major initiative to spark collaboration among researchers on an international level to find cures and treatments for paralysis. In 2018, the DRIVEN Neuro Recovery Center was opened in downtown Las Vegas as a program of CPN. The facility provides activity-based therapy, an open gym, and many programs for anyone with a neurological disorder. In 2024, CPN opened a flagship 114K sqft DRIVEN center in Carmel, IN, with hopes of creating more facilities around the country.

Sam lives in Henderson, NV, with his wife of 33 years, Sheila. Savannah is married and lives in Orange County, CA. Spencer is a racing professional and lives in Henderson, NV.

Connect with Sam Schmidt:

Website: conquerparalysisnow.org

Connect with Jeff Thomas: 

Website: arkosglobal.com

Podcast: generousbusinessowner.com

Book: arkosglobal.com/trading-up

Email: [email protected]

X: x.com/ArkosGlobalAdv

Facebook: facebook.com/arkosglobal

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors

Instagram: instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors

YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw