Chad Shafer begin his career at Georgia
Spa Company as delivery crew member before moving into sales and working his
way up to his current position as the East Sales Manager. Chad is from Bloomington, Illinois,
but spent most of his life locally in Winder, Georgia, where graduated from
Winder Barrow High School. After two years of college, Chad decided to focus on
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), and the decision paid off as he quickly became an elite
level coach and training partner allowing him to travel the world cornering
fighters. Now, even while working at Georgia Spa Company, he continues his own
training as well as training others.
Outside of Georgia Spa
and MMA training/fighting, Chad can be found spending his time with his wife,
two kids and four dogs.
"We have four
dogs - two Dachshunds, a Black Mouth Cur, and a German Shepherd. I like them
some of the time," Chad said jokingly. "My wife, Andrea, and kids
love them, and they make them laugh."
Why did you decide to work for Georgia Spa
Company?
"Prior to joining the Sales Team I had worked
delivery in the past, both seasonally as an extra hand for Home Show weekends
and as an employee. When Andrea and I started our family, I knew this was an
opportunity that could provide for us if I could listen, learn, and
execute at the level required by the position."
What is your favorite memory with Georgia
Spa Company?
"When
I was on delivery. There was a spa we were removing from a deck and taking to
the dump. The spa got stuck in a chokepoint and the delivery crew lead let me
spin side kick it. The spa ended up coming loose. We laughed pretty hard about
it. Fun times!"
What was your first job?
"In the 8th grade I
asked my mom and dad to sign a work release permit so I could get a job before
I was legally allowed to. I worked in a pet store that used to be located in
downtown Winder."
Where do you like to vacation?
"My
wife and I take the kids to the beach every year. I prefer the mountains
myself, but as long as my family is with me, I wouldn't want to be anywhere
else."
If you had to eat one meal, every day for
the rest of your life, what would it be?
"Steak,
chicken, eggs and some rice. I don't care how you make it, just make it with
those main ingredients."
What are three things you have left on your bucket list?
When
I was in kindergarten I came up with a list and it only had 3 items.
1. Become a ninja because you will have to protect your family in the future -
Check!
2. When you grow up you will go to fancy dinner parties with doctors and
astronauts, so learn as much as you can about everything so you can add to the
conversation - Check! And that never stops.
3. Have a bunker because the world is bound to go crazy at some point in your
life. That's the only thing left for me to check.
What is a TV show you like to re-watch a
lot?
The
Chappelle Show
What is your favorite sport?
Combat
Sports. They are the highest level of real time problem solving a man can
attempt. You're part of a very small percentage of people on the planet crazy
and brave enough to think about attempting it. Then deciding to train. Then
sticking with it long enough to become decent at it. Then testing yourself
against another man. Along the way it will teach you understandings about
yourself and life that others will attempt to learn from reading books written
by similar men, but no one can truly grasp the entire lesson unless they learn
it by putting themselves through the fire.
What is your favorite movie?
Any
one I'm watching with my family.
What is the best advice you've ever gotten?
"Never
argue with stupid people. They will drag you down to their level and then beat
you with experience," - Mark Twain
What is
something you would tell your 13 year old self?
Lift heavier and go out for wrestling. Eddie
Bravo says we could be a contender.
What is
your favorite quote?
"It is not the
critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or
where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the
man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and
blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again,
because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually
strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions;
who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the
triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails
while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and
timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat," - Theodore Roosevelt