HETMA Presents… Roadto10K: November 2025: Grounded Gratitude

Recorded live at Vanderbilt University, this month’s Road to 10K conversation dives into November’s theme: practicing gratitude. Ryan sits down with Dr. Joe Way (UCLA) and Brittney Grant (Aims Community College) to explore how failure, forgiveness, and community shape who we become – not just as AV/IT professionals, but as humans. They trace the origins of the Road to 10K initiative, reflect on HETMA’s rapid growth from “lightning in a bottle” to an established force in the industry, and unpack why authentic gratitude is so much harder – and more vulnerable – than the polite, surface-level kind.

Along the way, they share deeply personal stories: Joe’s house fire and the industry’s response, Brittany’s ongoing medical journey with providers who finally see her as a whole person, and Ryan’s own reframing of a recent injury through the lens of “it could have been so much harder than this.” The group connects these experiences back to HETMA’s mission, the power of community, and the idea that real legacies are built when leaders step aside and empower others. The episode closes with a challenge to every listener: reach out to one person this month with genuine gratitude or reconciliation – and keep the conversation going in the HETMA Community, complete with a #cowboyhatheadphones engagement challenge.

Topics Discussed

• The origin story of Road to 10K and why gratitude follows failure on the year-long theme calendar
• How HETMA grew from “a voice for our people” to a major higher ed AV force in just six years
• The role of the broader AV industry in validating higher ed’s buying power and influence
• Why authentic gratitude feels awkward, vulnerable, and hard to express without sounding cliché
• Failure as a teacher: how repeated missteps, criticism, and pushback shaped Joe’s leadership
• The emotional weight of being truly “seen” by medical professionals during complex health journeys
• Forgiveness, reconciliation, and the challenge to initiate a better relationship with at least one person
• Community and legacy: building structures that can thrive when founders step back
• The importance of inviting colleagues into professional communities instead of walking past their cubicles
• November’s Road to 10K engagement challenge and the #cowboyhatheadphones micro-contest

Contact & Credits
Connect with Brittney Grant
Email: ApprovedProgram@hetma.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittneymgrant/

Connect with Dr. Joe Way
Email: JosiahWay@hetma.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josiahway/

Connect with Ryan Gray
Email: editor@higheredav.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/
Website: www.HigherEdAV.com

This show is a production of Higher Ed AV Media. Visit www.HigherEdAV.com for new content every day.

Join the Conversation:Keep the Road to 10K gratitude discussion going at community.hetma.org.ur voice matters.

---