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Hi, this is Ralph Zuranski. I'm on the phone with Frank Deardurff. He is one of the top
internet web designers and also does a lot of work with Alex Mandossian.
In the ASK Campaign he was one of the programmers that spent thousands of hours creating that
marvelous program that uses the Socratic method to find out what it is the customers actually
want. Frank, perhaps you might be able to give us sort of an overview of what it is
that you do. Well, Ralph, what I do is I design what they
call direct response web sites and graphics and everything related to web site hook-up
and shopping carts. We do customer programming here at Access Café Networks.
I have been in the computer industry for over 20 years doing network consulting in various
different computer programs such as AutoCAD, computer graphics, technical illustration,
and recently in the past four or five years I have gotten involved in internet marketing.
I have been able to work with people like Alex Mandossian in internet marketing to better
incorporate those into my direct response web sites.
I've seen you a lot. In fact I first met you at one of the seminars that I went to. I think
it was the Big Seminar in Dallas that was the first place that I met you.
I was always impressed with your quiet enthusiasm and just your ability to produce incredible
web sites with high integrity and gorgeous designs. You worked a lot with Bret Ridgway,
too, in the back of the room doing speaker fulfillment.
I always admired the people that were real servants at the seminars that were quietly
working to make a difference in the world for not only the speakers but all the attendees
that were there. Yes, Bret is a good friend of mine. We worked
at a sister company at one time together. I go to these events to help him out as well
as meet a lot of the people that go. As you know attending seminars such as those are
priceless. I was always curious what your definition
of heroism is. A hero to me is somebody that you can look
up to. It doesn't need to be somebody like a Michael Jordan or anybody of that sort that
is in the limelight. A hero could be someone you admire and want
to be like just for certain qualities that they have or achievements they have done.
Somebody you could consider a true role model. A hero could be somebody like your parents
or a teacher who stood out for you at school, or somebody in your local community.
I had some difficulties when I was a child and it helped me overcome my difficulties.
I created a secret hero in my mind that helped encourage me to deal with life's difficulties.
Did you ever create a secret hero like that? Not so much a secret hero but I also, being
from a single-parent home I didn't have a father role model so that I had to look at
other people in my life. A lot of people just assume that your father,
if you are a man, is your role model. My mother inspired me in many ways that I couldn't even
go into at the moment. But there are also other people that have
made an impression in my life that I look to as not necessarily a single hero but some
important factors that I learned from them. What is your perspective on goodness, ethics
and moral behavior? In society today it seems that expediency is more important than following
a strict code of ethics. Everybody seems to be warring against absolutes
as far as "this is right and this is wrong." It seems that everybody is trying to justify
their actions in the pursuit of their goals without any standards.
I have always been brought up in a God-fearing home, not that you are afraid of God but just
that you know that there is a price to pay for your actions.
In the school corporations today that is not around, and when I was growing up that was.
I think from what you are saying people need to be held accountable for what they do, whether
it is good or bad. You have to take good criticism along with
bad criticism and learn from those aspects. But you also have to have set certain standards
that you can live by, something you aren't going to be embarrassed or ashamed of saying,
"Yes, I did that." You think that it's important to have personal
integrity? I think so, yes.
What are the principles you are willing to sacrifice your life for? I know there has
been a question about running into a burning building to save the life of somebody. But
there is more of another silent sacrifice of somebody who takes care of somebody in
their family or just does a quiet good job on doing the things that they should.
I think those are the most rewarding. I think some rewards are just maybe you are helping
a small child or you see a person in need. If you don't think, "What am I going to get
out of this" before you do it I think that is actually truly a good deed. You aren't
looking to get some reward out of it. What was the lowest point in your life and
how did you change your life path to one of victory over all obstacles?
I try to live very optimistically. To say that I had a low point it's hard to pick out
a low point. My mother has always envisioned in us or passed onto us that you always look
for the good things in life no matter what it be.
Coming from a single-parent childhood where there were four kids, my mother never allowed
us to think that we were poor or did without. We always had food on the table. We never
stopped to think that it wasn't steak and baked potatoes.
Trying to look for a low point I don't know if that is possible.
Do you have a dream or vision that sets a course for your life?
A dream or a vision that I have always had, coming from the home that I did, I've always
had the vision to be able to support myself without having to ask how much something is
as well as being able to tell my mom to retire and to say, "Thanks for taking care of me,
Mom. Now it's my turn for you." That's great. Do you think that it's important
to take a positive view of any set backs, misfortunes or mistakes that we make?
Well, I love quotes. Benjamin Franklin said that a mistake is truly a mistake if you learn
nothing from it. I live my life by that as well as trying to be as positive as possible
and always trying to look for the good things no matter what the situation is.
Do you think that it takes courage to pursue new ideas?
Oh yeah. Starting a business on my own or with a partner, leaving a guaranteed paycheck
to do something I love and enjoy, trying to help other people. That took a lot of courage
for me, having a family that I am trying to support. I think it takes a lot of courage
no matter what you do. It takes sometimes that courage to make changes
in your life. One of the consequences of that is experiencing discomfort or just realizing
how hard it is sometimes to make your dream come true. Do you think that it's important
to be willing to experience discomfort? Yes, sometimes you have to. Sometimes you
have to do without to get ahead. Do you believe that your dreams will eventually
become reality? I know they will.
So you feel that it's important to have faith in your belief that your dreams will become
reality? Several of the books that we have read growing
up or in the past, and I'm thinking of Think and Grow Rich, The Millionaire Mindset and stuff like that. I think you have to envision
it. I think you have to believe it to achieve it.
Everybody has doubts and fears in their lives. How do you overcome your doubts and fears?
Faith. Talking with my loved ones and my peers or my mentors.
Is there anybody who gives you will power to change things in your life for better other
than just the members of your family? Other than the members of my family? That
would be my mentors, my business partners, the people who are in some of the masterminds
that I am involved in. Do you think that it's important to forgive
those that upset, offend and oppose you? I think you have to. I think, not to get Biblical
on you, but I think before you can be forgiven you have to forgive those that have done things
against you. I believe that is true. Do you experience
service to others as a source of joy? Yes.
What place does the power of prayer have in your life?
Daily, regularly, both in trouble and not in trouble.
Do you feel that it's important to maintain a sense of humor in the face of serious problems?
Yes. I think it can be overdone but I think happiness keeps us healthy. Laughter keeps
us healthy. Who are the heroes in your life?
I have a couple of sports heroes. How they carried themselves on the field as well as
off the field. People like Walter Payton and Mike Singletary. They had a strong faith and
believed in what they did on the field. But I also looked up to people around me,
people that I worked with. There are countless. Of course my biggest hero would be my mother.
Yes. Why do you think heroes are important in young people's lives?
I think it gives them somebody to look up to and somebody they try to image themselves
after. Do you think there are any heroes in our society
today that aren't getting the recognition that they deserve?
Daily. There are many unsung heroes, too numerous to count I would imagine, such as people who
work at the Salvation Army or the food stores for the needy.
They go to those day in and day out without worrying about recognition. I think those
people are unsung heroes. Do you have any good solutions to the problems
facing society today, especially racism, child and spouse abuse, and violence among young
people? Education needs to be done. I don't think
people understand how bad some of the things are with spousal abuse. I know there are different
agencies that help. And I say spousal abuse goes both ways.
There are many kids in the countries I have worked with. Some volunteer agencies for youth
groups where we see kids that get locked out of their homes and can't come home until after
dark. They are left to defend for themselves for
food. So they have to go to food shelters or do without. I think people need to be educated
better about what is out there so that more people can help.
If you had three wishes for your life and the world that would instantly come true what
would they be? Three wishes for my life would be that I could
be a better role model for my kids. There are things I wish I had done differently in the past.
You always try to be the best that you can be and you hope that you have. The goal that
I had of being financially sound so that I could help more people. And maybe educate
other people so they can do the same. What do you think about the In Search of Heroes
program and its impact on the youth, parents and business people? You were one of the first
people to offer to help with logos and web creation and I really appreciate your help
on that. What do you think about the program in general?
I think it is a great program and I'm surprised how many people have put forth an effort to try to help you out.
Yea, that's pretty amazing, isn't it? People that you know are very, very busy and
that have taken the time to step aside and take a few minutes to help you out or give
of their abilities. Of course all the time and effort that you
are putting into it, the countless hours and the interviews and the preparations and the
mind-mapping and everything that you have got into it I think is overwhelming.
It's really a lot of work. That is for sure. But making the world a better place is something
that God has put on my heart to do and no matter what I am going to do it.
What do you think are the things parents can do that will help their children realize that
they too can be heroes and make a positive impact on the lives on others?
Communicate. I think if they communicate that sometimes the goodness that they do is the
only goodness that some people see and that you need to live your life like somebody is
watching you. Not regardless of just flat out fly by the
seat of your pants and don't care what happens. What more parents need to communicate with
their kids on a daily basis just to find out what they are going through.
Schools are different than what they were when we were growing up and sometimes kids
are afraid or embarrassed to even speak about that with their parents. But I think as parents
we need to communicate and ask questions, not just be told.
Yes, I agree. Well, Frank, I know how busy you are and I really appreciate you taking
your time to do this interview. Is there any parting thought you want to share with the
young people? I just wanted to thank you for allowing me
to be a part of this and I hope that any of the children that listen to this, no matter
the age, from two to 20 or whatever, or even the adults that listen, there are still kids
in each of us, I hope that they take the time to ask when they need help.
I really appreciate your sound advice and just look at you as a person that produces
excellence in a quiet and unassuming way. To me you are sort of the epitome of what
heroism is all about. I appreciate that, Ralph.
Thanks again, Frank. Thank you, Ralph.