In this engaging episode of Fulfillment Project, Andy Leonard sits down with his friend Andrew Beeler, a Naval Academy graduate, former Navy officer, ex-Michigan state legislator, and now owner of a floor covering business in Fort Gratiot, Michigan. Their conversation is a delightful mix of humor, reflection, and wisdom, tracing Beeler’s remarkable journey from a small-town kid to a multifaceted professional. The two Andrews, who met by chance at a 2022 conference in Salt Lake City, bonded instantly over shared values and a knack for deep conversation, which carries through in this episode with lighthearted moments like joking about Beeler’s “flamboyant” style and the Virgin Mary as his latest employee.
The discussion covers Beeler’s path through the Naval Academy, where he stumbled into an elite education by Providence, learning discipline, humility, and the value of surrounding himself with people better than him. His time in the Navy, serving on guided missile ships in the Western Pacific and Middle East, sparked an interest in public policy, leading him to pivot from a military career to running for the Michigan legislature in 2020. Beeler shares how grit, hard work, and a bit of ignorance during his campaign helped him win a seat he wasn’t “qualified” for. His decision to leave politics after two terms, despite a promising trajectory, was guided by a lack of peace, a recurring theme in his life choices. This same intuition led him to buy a “boring” floor covering business, embracing the challenge despite no prior experience. Throughout, Beeler emphasizes consistency in effort, the courage to seize opportunities, and a spiritual grounding inspired by Josemaria Escriva’s teachings on sanctifying work. The episode wraps up with a nod to living purposefully, staying open to discomfort, and finding peace through faith and hard work, leaving listeners inspired by Beeler’s adaptability and authenticity.
Top 10 Quotes
Beeler on Providence and the Naval Academy: “The more I look back, the more I'm removed from it, the more and more I'm convinced every single day that I was made to go there. It was the absolute perfect school for me.” (05:50)
Andy on Mentorship: “You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with and putting yourself in a position where the people are like up here gives yourself the best chance to rise to that occasion.” (11:06)
Beeler on Humility at the Academy: “If you were good at something, you were weak at something else... You were helping them do pull-ups. They were helping you not fail chemistry freshman year.” (08:55)
Beeler on Pivoting from the Navy: “I decided that the best thing I could do for the Navy was to let somebody else step up and take the next role... and me use my skills to try to do something else and help the Navy in maybe even a bigger way.” (14:40)
Andy on Courage to Pivot: “It takes a wise person to step back, see their life where they are, see their interests and their passions where they're going and... [realize] somebody else was better served to take that role.” (16:43)
Beeler on Campaign Grit: “It was a true testament of talking to the people you knew... asking folks to share their knowledge with you... just being willing to kind of humble yourself.” (19:22)
Andy on Seizing Opportunities: “Just because you think you aren't qualified doesn't mean you can't go for something. Just because you think you're not the right fit doesn't mean you aren't the right fit.” (21:56)
Beeler on Sanctifying Work: “Work is your life and life is your work... If you’re trudging through anything, you’re probably doing it wrong.” (25:45)
Beeler on Peace as a Guide: “God doesn't speak in lightning bolts all the time. He just, you know, he speaks in peace.” (29:57)
Andy on Death and Life Planning: “The best life planning is death planning. Thinking about how do I want to die? What type of person do I want to be when I die?... That helps clarify and crystallize the type of person I want to be today.” (33:20)
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Fulfillment Project
02:51 Andrew Beeler's Background and Naval Academy Experience
08:20 Transitioning from Navy to Politics
14:04 Running for the Michigan Legislature
21:56 Lessons in Courage and Opportunity
23:00 The Power of Raising Your Hand
24:28 Consistency in Hard Work and Humor
26:02 Work as a Path to Sanctity
27:56 Finding Peace in Decision Making
30:07 Embracing Suffering for Growth
31:54 Practical Spirituality in Everyday Work
33:59 The Journey to Business Ownership
36:01 Trusting the Process and Being Uncomfortable
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