Episode 5 - Life Changing Business

What started as a part time thing turned into a life-changing business—but trust us, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. 😅 From late-night hustle sessions to epic fails (and even bigger wins), we’re pulling back the curtain on how we built our business and the lessons we learned along the way. Spoiler: Working with your spouse is amazing and absolutely worth it. 

🎧 Tune in for the real, raw, and ridiculous moments behind our entrepreneurial journey—and why we wouldn’t have it any other way!

💬 Thinking of starting a business with your partner? Let’s chat in the comments! #EntrepreneurLife #CoupleGoals #BusinessOwners #PodcastLife #UnfilteredUs #MarriageAndMoney #HustleAndHeart

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Transcript

Episode 5 - Life Changing Business

 You're listening to unfiltered us, where we keep it real and unscripted. I'm your host, Susie, along with my husband, Miguel. Ready to dive in? Let's get started. Hello. Welcome, everyone. Welcome. Episode five. Yes it is. You excited? It's going fast, right? Yeah I agree. The weeks go by fast when we're like, oh, it's time to record another episode, right? Yeah. So last episode was great. Yes. Yeah. Everybody loved it. A lot of questions were answered. Yes, which was great. A lot of good insight there. Awesome. Well, today we're going to cover life changing business. Yes. So if you guys have remember the previous episodes we've discussed on how I've changed, right. What what was it that, um, got me away from going out so much and in a sense, wasting so much time as I was wasting. If you've been listening to the previous episodes, you know what we're talking about, and we attribute a lot to the business that we're introduced back in 2002. Yes, yes, 2002. And so we're going to talk a little bit about today. So maybe talk a little bit about where were we at that point with our family. So at that point we had just moved into our house. We maybe were in our house for about. A little over a year, a year and a half or so. Miguelito was already born. He was months old. And, um, we were just. I guess your typical family had two jobs. You had one, I had one, and, um, we were barely making ends meet, like living paycheck to paycheck. So we knew we needed some extra income in our life at that time. But it was, um, pretty a pretty normal family. You know, I don't, um. We. Right. You you had a job. I had a job. We had two kids at that point. You know, we had two car payments. We had some credit card debt, we had a mortgage. And so, yeah, I would say it was the average family, the average typical family got, you know, their just work and pay bills and, you know, deal with the occasional vacation, very occasional. Yes. Yeah. And it was like to Disney or something very close. Nothing major, Nothing big, nothing fancy, nothing. Definitely. Um, in a different country, right? No, no, we couldn't afford it. Correct. And so that's that's when I remember, um, I used to work for a company called Zepp, and we worked inside of Home Depots. Uh, at this time, I had actually had left being employed by Home Depot and started working for a company that sold chemical products inside of Home Depot. So I was a representative there vendor, and I remember being at a store in Summerlin, and a guy approached me coming out of the bathroom, and I remember him asking me about my shirt that I was wearing, about the brand of the product, right, that I was wearing. And he he asked me, you know, hey, I'm, I'm in charge of expansion with my company. We're looking for people. Do you ever keep your options open if the money and position were better and of course, as anyone would, who would say no, right. And I said, of course I do. And I remember he. Called me a couple of days after that. I gave him my number. He called me a couple of days after that. He says, I'd like to get together and show you a little bit more about who we are and what we do. And I said, perfect, no problem. We did set up an initial meeting at a Jason's Deli over there in Boca Park, and he showed me the company. He showed me the business, he showed me what the company did. And I remember thinking, okay, well, that sounds good, you know? And, um, I like what you guys do. I mean, but it was, of course, all new to me because I had never been exposed to any type of business like that. And I remember him saying, okay, I would like to set up a time to get together with you and your wife, and then I'll show you guys, you know, a little bit more about everything that we do. And I said, of course. So we did set up an appointment. He came over the house, I don't know, maybe a week later. And that's where he showed us everything. Right? Correct. And then from there, he invited us to go over his office so he could, uh, explain more about the opportunity. I'm coming to work. And I remember we went. And right after that, right after that night, um, he asked those two things. You know, he says, you know, one thing I know about you guys is you don't have any life insurance or you need life insurance. And the second thing she says, you need to make more money because you're not making enough. So it was obvious. Those two things. Um, I didn't have any life insurance. I think I had, like, a very tiny policy through my Sears credit card that I was paying ten bucks a month. And I remember thinking, yeah, well, if I pass away 50,000, that's enough for Suzy and the kids, you know? And, uh, definitely needed to make more money. So I remember we became clients right that night. Correct. And the very next day, um, you you sign me up. Yes. That's really how it went. You signed me up. I remember he stopped by at your job the next day, and then I remember you calling me, and you said, hey, I just gave this guy the check for your licenses. Uh, you need to do this. And I said, okay. And that's really how we started that. Well, I remember to when you got approached by him the very first time, um, you came home and you told me about that. You're like, hey, a guy approached me saying that he's expanding his business, like, would I be interested? And I remember thinking, well, that's great. Like someone. Actually, like, I don't know, wanted to offer you an opportunity, right? In a sense. Right. Uh, and at that time, obviously we needed the extra income. So I thought, wow, this is perfect for us. And I never thought of it of. I guess I always thought of it like it was something big. Like something that you were gonna leave your job for. Like I thought. I thought it was just another job. At the time, I didn't realize it was such a, like, a second job type of thing. Yeah, I didn't realize it was such a big opportunity as it was. And the other crazy thing is that what he did come over and he explained everything he did. That was something that I had been talking to you about months prior, right? About us needing, um, some life insurance. You know, like, I thought, it's so important. And, and I, I don't know if it was just like the adults in me that I was like, we have a house that we just purchased. We have two kids. And I remember thinking, if something were to ever happen to Miguel, like, I would not be able to afford any of this, like, I'd have to sell my house. I'd have to probably go live with my parents, get a second job. Like, there are so many expenses that were coming right through my mind that if and it was, it would be naive of me to think that nothing would ever happen to you. Obviously, I would never want anything to happen to you. I'd rather have you here, but. You know, you could pass away at any age. It doesn't matter what age you are, it is something that could happen. And so I that's just something that was always in my mind. And I thought the same thing for you, like, God forbid something ever happened to me. I don't want me girl, to have to sell his house, the house, and, you know, maybe try to figure out what to do with the, you know, our children and where to live. And so when he came and he explained that, I thought, that's just crazy, because this is something that I have been talking to Miguel months prior, that this is something that we have to look into. So then that, to me, just set it more in stone. Like this is definitely something that is very interesting to me. You kind of brought it as the Law of attraction as we know it now. Yeah, but they didn't find us. You found. Exactly. So, you know, it's it's crazy thinking back about what you just said right now because I, I didn't see any of that. You know, obviously you were the adult in that relationship, so I didn't see any of that until this guy comes over and sits down with us and explains everything that they did. And it just made sense, you know, and and for the people listening, you know, sometimes it takes somebody else other than your spouse or your parents telling you to do something. It takes a complete stranger to tell you something in order for you to click in your head and you realize that, hey there, right, right. This is what we need. And so looking back about that aspect of what you said, of where we were and what we needed and you seeing it, I completely just didn't see it until this happened. And so, um, to pick it up from there. I remember meeting this guy at his house. He. He had me go to his house, and he asked me at that time, okay, well, you kind of make your own hours. You make your own schedule. And he asked me, what's your schedule right now? And I said, well, my I work Monday through Friday. I usually go home around 330, 4:00 and I really don't do anything after that. You know, I remember I would play basketball a couple days out of the week in the afternoons and he says, okay, so what are the days that you will dedicate to do our business? And I'm sitting there and I'm thinking, man, what, what what do I do that I don't want to give up, right? And at that time, the Lakers were on a three peat streak. Right. There was 2000, 2001, 2002. So 2002 they were playing. They were going for their next championship. And I said, you know, as long as the Lakers are not playing on TV, um, I'm game, you know, I'll do priorities. Yes. Well, you know, you know, which is funny because I don't I mean, I, I think back in I just don't think like that anymore, you know, I mean now the Lakers. Yeah. I don't even remember the last time you sat and watched the whole Lakers game. I, I just don't I don't they're there. I mean I like the Lakers I'm waiting for LeBron to retire. But but I'm I just I just I'm just not that person anymore. You know. And so that just goes to show the evolution right that we go through in life. And I started working with him I started working with him. And what happened was is I as we talked in previous episodes, I started going to sleep early. Right. Um, I started going to the trainings in Saturday morning, and I started learning something that was fascinating to me. Um, we helped out a few people. Uh, a lot of family members. Your parents were one of them? Yes. And I saw how much they were being taken advantage of exactly by other insurance companies. Yes. And I thought, this is crazy. Right. And it's unbelievable that some of these companies can do what they do and get away with it. And so I, I really developed a passion for it, I really developed. It's almost like when you start dating somebody and you like the person, you kind of don't like the person. But the more you see the person, the more you learn about the person. Little by little, you start falling in love with this person. It's the same way I. I truly fell in love with everything that there was to be about this business. And one of the things that I was thinking prior to us doing this episode today is I remember starting meeting different people. You know, I think who you hang out obviously has a lot to do with how you end up in life. Because I started meeting people that were just different. They were business owners. These were people that were making six figures and seven figures per year. And and they were great to be around because they provided value. They provided something that number one, I never knew. Number two, I had never been exposed to number three. Um, you know, it was just fascinating to me the whole. You know, aspect of financial services. So would you say prior to this, did you ever imagined in your life or our lives that, um, you would make six figures or seven figures? Did you ever envision that for yourself? Never. And never, because you're not around it. You know, I mean, you do get to hear of people that make a lot of money, but you associate that to some sort of, you know, athlete or rock star or, you know, TV personality, right? Or so-called what we call influencers nowadays. Um, but back then, never, you know, I mean, I had my job at Home Depot. Um, I, I mean, looking back on how much money I made, it wasn't really a lot, but it was a lot to us then, you know? Yeah. And it was what was paying for the bills and obviously everything else. And we were just barely making ends meet as we were. And so I just, I just developed a, a huge passion for helping people really. And that that's really my, my thing. Honestly, I didn't get started in this business for as far as, like you said, a career change. I started because I wanted to make extra income part time, right? I wanted to supplement our income so we can have a little bit of money on a monthly basis. But I really, truly fell in love with what they did for people and how we help them out. Correct. And so that's where you started to see yourself in your self improving as far as like even reading. I know you didn't read books prior to this. That is right. The whole, um, couples like, you know, partnership, partnership, like being able to grow business with your partner. Um, the fact that you were thinking long like big, the bigness of it as far as, like, making really good money and, um, taking extravagant vacations now. So explained how that all came into play as far as you're changing from hanging out with your friends to now hanging out with these people who are very financially set in the room. Mhm. Yeah. So great point. So yeah. So backtrack obviously after I left high school there was no more quote unquote education. I did go to CSUN. Um but then again it wasn't you know, the it's just like formal Education makes sense. It's just textbooks. And so plug it in. Now, in a new business and a new career where people are talking about leadership. People are talking about personal growth, people skills, sales skills and audios. Right? There was no, um, um, you know, podcast. Podcast for sure. No podcast. There was no, um, there was cassettes. Right. And and then later on CDs. It's weird because it sounds like this is 50 years ago, but it was just. Yeah, 22, 23 years ago. So there was cassettes. And so you would get a cassette or a CD, right? And you would put it in your car and you would listen to someone talking about, like, their story and how they got better and the things that they've done for their families. And so you start learning people's, you know, stories, which there were very inspiring to me at that time, being 22, 23 years old and, you know, wanting to go, you know, just. Do something better in life. And then I got into reading. I remember people would say, I just read this book and they would read a little portion of the book, and I'm like, hey, that sounds good. What book was that? And I remember reading books, and I remember coming home and started reading books, and it's all part of the whole personal development, the personal growth that most people just stop after they graduate high school and they never continue to do, you know? So I got submerged into that lifestyle in a sense, which is completely different than who I was before. And this is why, you know, I tell people that this is why this episode is titled, is titled Life Changing Business, because this business literally changed our life when it comes down to that. Yes. And I do have to say, and I know I've said it before. Our marriage was going, I felt like, in such a downward spiral at the time. And, um, I do think that it was introduced at the most perfect time, right. For us, for you to start making a change in me. Started to see the change and then me wanting to change as well, because I know once you started reading books, I was like, I want to read books too. Uh, also the fact that you were introduced to partnership and I was like, oh my gosh, like a partnership. Like we could actually grow this business together. Like we could actually do something together, something that isn't done out in the real world at all. It's just like you go to your job, I go to my job and, you know, like at the end of the day, we meet each other and and then we do it all again the next day. It was not I never thought of us doing something together and growing something together. So I love that part of the business. And I do agree that that part was the one that especially changed our whole lives in a sense. Right. And, you know, it's funny you mentioned that because I remember going back to when I had the job at Home Depot. I remember special, uh, occasion where one of my managers. His wife also got promoted to management and the spouses were allowed to work for the same company, but they were never allowed to work together in the same store. Okay, that was that was their corporate, you know, um, whatever rule and the spouse got. She wasn't going to work at our store, but that's where she had to go and do some training. And so I remember this manager one day came up to us and says, oh, man. He goes, can you believe they put my wife to come work and train at this store? And I remember looking at him and I, I mean, I, I didn't know any better. I was 18 years old when I started working for Home Depot. And then he says, uh, it's so it's so bad. Not only I get to see her all the time at home, but now I get to spend eight hours with her on my job. That's the worst. Working with your spouse is the worst. And so when you don't know any better and you hear that, you're thinking, yeah, you're right. You know, you you. Why would you? Yeah. No, seriously, this is this is this is something that I remember. I go back because those are, in a sense, defining moments. Right? Little things that happen that you go back and you think. But then fast forward now to us working in this business where they empower partnership and they empower bringing your wife and working together or your husband and working together. And you can build something that's going to be yours. And you're thinking, man, I get to work with my spouse, but wait at a job. That's the worst. But here that's the best. Because, yeah, at a job, you're not working for you. You're working for somebody else, or here you get to build something that's going to be yours if you build it together. And so it was like a mind shift because I had to start thinking completely different. Those are things that they you get to unlearn something that you knew that thought was right and then get to pick up. A new habit or a or a new knowledge that you get to apply, that's going to be obviously better for you and your spouse down the road. Right. And so let's talk about the partnership side of it. Again, I'm going into it a little more because I know when you first got your first real promotion at this business, um, they had included my name on the plaque for your promotion. And at that time, we really weren't working together. It was mostly like you were doing it and bringing in the extra income. But I wasn't really showing up to anything. I was, you know, obviously taking care of the kids. And so let's go into that story, because I know you have an interesting story about that. Yeah. So let me let me backtrack a little bit before that, because, yes, I was the one that signed up to work with this company and I was the one going to the trainings and obviously the the appointments with the new clients. Right. And so you, you obviously had to stay at home with the kids after, you know, you got off of work. Okay. And so I was the one showing up to all of that. So up to this point I had been the one doing really all the work. And I remember that they had a big training coming up. And, you know, I had earned a promotion. And I remember, um, you went right to that. And I remember walking across the stage and getting the plaque and and looking at the plaque. And keep in mind that my previous job from Zepp. I had a garden like the cells. The salesperson of the year twice in a row. Right. And those previous two years, I was the number one sales rep. And they would give you plaques and it just had my name. So now going into this new business and I just earned a promotion, and now they give me a plaque and I get this plaque and it says Miguel and Suzy Guzman. And I was like looking at it. And I didn't say anything. I was smiling and I said, why? Why is her name here? Why is her name here? Like, I did my part by babysitting. They made a mistake. Why is her name here? Right? Because she hadn't done nothing compared to this. And so. But then, of course, I understood why they. Why? Why we do it that way. We do it so we can empower partnership and that you can feel a part of it as well too, because it's so important to do that. Yeah. And so just going back to that I on my end, I mean, even though I knew you were going to meetings, you were setting up appointments, I had still a really hard time with that, just because I felt like I just had got you to stop hanging out with your friends. And now I'm sharing time with you in this business. Which, again, is not because I didn't like. It's just that I didn't understand all the time you were taking away, because I didn't understand the partnership side of it. I still wasn't plugged in like we had just said. And so when you would go to appointments or go to meetings, I'd be like, oh my gosh, again, you're going to a meeting again? Or if, let's just say, I knew you had an appointment on a Wednesday and you wouldn't be home. When I got there, I would. I remember I would open the garage door. And I would be like, oh gosh, his car is not here. Like he's not here. He really had an appointment or if the garage door would open and then I would see the car there, I would be like, yes, his appointment rescheduled. Like, yes, I get to spend time with my husband. Like. And so there was a lot of I could understand your frustration as far as like my, my name was on the plaque because I really didn't deserve it. And at this at the same time, I didn't understand. And so I felt like me. I wasn't holding you back for sure, because it's not like something I would express to you. I knew that what you were doing was good. I just didn't want to share my time. That was the hardest time. The hardest thing for me was sharing my time again, you know, but something completely different. And now it's pretty much every afternoon. Oh, my. Now I'm like an Saturdays. Wow. Okay, one trade off for the other. Yes. Yeah that's true big time. And so years now later we're attached at the hip like they say. Right. You know I remember one day, um, I got home. It was a Friday evening. And you had this list of everything that we were going to do the next day on a Saturday. You were like, okay, so tomorrow morning we're going to do this. And I remember I let you finish and I said, okay, we can do all of that. But after 12:00, because I got training at 9:00 in the morning, and then you looked at me and I think at that time, that's when you really realized that, man, he's really serious about this. You know, because my commitment to that at that time was all in my commitment to that was like, okay, I'll do it. I'll go with you here and there. But it has to be after 12. I'll be home by 12. We can do whatever you want. And I remember you looked at me and you said, oh, and you just like, looked at me like. And I said, yeah, anything after 12 we can do. But before that, you know, so I bring that up because I think there's so many people sometimes that go into business for themselves, and they let anything get in the way of them really doing what they're supposed to be doing. Um, you know, in order for them to really build their business, you know, and obviously we're not going to get into the things that you ought to do to build a business. But I think commitment is one of them, especially when, you know, like I said, that this was going to be something that could provide, that would have provided that that did provide for us a better future down the road. Absolutely. I think that's when I, I that was a turning point. Definitely. You remember that? Yeah, absolutely. But there was like a commitment on your end. And I was like, okay. You know, like I didn't fight it, obviously. I just was like, you know this. He's right. And it's not that I. Again, the business was definitely showing its true colors by giving you money. You know what I mean? Like I saw the money coming in. Not just that. You were constantly gone and there was no trade off for us. You. We were getting out of debt. We were paying bills. We. Your biggest goal, I remember, was going Christmas. Like paying everything. Cash, cash, Christmas. Not having to put anything on credit cards because years before we would have to put everything on credit cards. And so the fact that I saw money coming in was definitely for me, like where I, I knew that this was really what they said it was that they, it was going to be for us. And so when I started, I remember they would ask you maybe a lot of the times like where Susie or when is Susie showing up or wouldn't it, you know. And so once you started to show that to me, I was like, okay, let me make the effort to start going to meetings, let me make the effort to attend potlucks where people met each other. Let me make the effort to, um, maybe help them, you know, like, talk to people and help him, like, set appointments, uh, for new clients. So. It was definitely a I think that that story was definitely the turning point for me where I was like, okay, he needs help. They're they they empower the partnership, right? Why not me do my part as well? Right. And I, I do remember that. I do remember when you started. I think it wasn't until like 2003 when we had a retreat at Lake Las Vegas. And you even, even then, you weren't like, 100% in. Yes, I remember that. You were you were still kind of, you know, like, okay, she's she showed up, she's here, but she's not here, you know, you're. Yeah, you're there, but you weren't there. Yes. And so I remember that. And that was also a turning point. But then after that you did start helping out and and we helped a lot of your friends that worked with you at the power company. And you were very, very supportive at that time. And by then the kids obviously were a little bit older. They understood a little bit more. So they kind of knew the dynamic. On how our family started to run. Right. And so that was that was awesome because I felt like, okay, great, she's on board now. And we got this thing going and obviously bye bye. Now for you guys that are listening. And my my mindset was completely off. You know, having a job my my mindset was okay, I'm going to build this, I'm going to do this, I'm going to build a team. I'm going to go and become a broker in our company. I'm going to I'm just going to do it right. I was 100%. Full time, part time, if that makes sense, right? Like, whatever time I had available to do this business I was going to do. Because it's the power of association, the power. I met incredible friends, which I still have till this day, you know, phenomenal people. Um, one I just had lunch with today that helped me tremendously in our business, you know, and so, um, I think that played a big, big role, but I want to go back and talk a little bit about the person that got me started, because I think this is a pretty interesting story. So the guy that got me started at that time, he was a broker with our company, which is not the guy that I report to today. It was a different person. But this person, you know, when I got sold into the business and when I saw what the business did and how we helped families and what we do for them, right. I, I knew the company was amazing, which it is amazing. And I knew that man, this this, the product was great. The company is amazing. But the guy that I was working with, he wasn't the greatest, right? He did a lot of things that are illegal, illegal, and I didn't know any better because I'm brand new in this business. Right. And then it wasn't until probably, what, a year later that I a year or two later that I really learned the stuff that he was doing. Not even probably a year, not probably a year, and that I kind of brought it up to the attention of his upline, you know, his higher up. And, um, it, it it wasn't controversial, but it was controversial in a sense, because I knew that I wanted to be a part of the company, but I didn't want to be a part of him, if that makes sense. Yes. And I always tell that to people that, I mean, it could have if my mindset, if my vision wasn't where I knew that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I probably would have left. Yes, I probably would have quit that and kept my job at Home Depot or Zep and just climb up the corporate ladder, you know? But what happens is you develop the passion, you develop the vision, which I did. And so I worked through that. Right. And then we we got over that and I started working with a guy that I report to right now, which is a great friend of mine. And I remember I started plugging in with him and his trainings and his, uh, coaching. Right, because that became a, you know, part of that. And eventually over time, then we did I did end up, you know, rolling up to to Chris and working with him 100%. And and that's where I'm at. And that's my, my coach today. That's my friend today. Yes. He definitely made a huge impact as well as far as like teaching you the correct. Yeah. You know and it's not in business. Also I think you know he's been a great example of even to this day right. I mean he was he was married at that time and he had three the poor kids, the three daughters, one son and I. I looked at that family life, you know, I looked at the family and how he was with his girls and the things that he would do with his wife and all this stuff. And I, I it, it it was a big part of my realization of that's what I want to do with my wife and kids. That's where my time should have gone all this time. And so and not just him. There was a lot of people in the company that that did that with their spouses and kids. And so that's why I think it was part of that as well too. So it's a really a combination of a lot of things the audios, the videos, the trainings, the examples. Um, you know, obviously what we did for family. So there's a lot of a bunch of different things in there. Do you remember the very first book that you were introduced to? I want to say I do, I, I, I want to say the first book that I bought, it's called What People Think of Me is none of my Business. Is that the one you remember? No, I mean, actually, I don't remember. Okay, that was it. What people think? Well, because. Okay, so that's the first book I bought. Okay. What people think of me is none of my business. Uh, Whitaker is the the author, which I highly recommend, which I'm kind of glad that I read that book early on, because what, to this day, what people think about of me is none of my business. Okay. And those who know me know that that is very true with you. I don't give a what you think of me, I really don't. I could care less. I live my life today on my own terms. And whether you like it or not, that's your problem, not mine. Has nothing to do with me. So that was a great book that I. I'm glad I learned. So that's the very first book I bought. But then I also remember when I started working with Chris, I, I went up to him and I asked him, what's the what's the book that you would recommend that I, that I would read? And he told me the developing the Leader within You by John Maxwell. So that was another book that was kind of like a first time me reading once I started working with him. But yeah, what people think of me is, is None of My Business was definitely the very first book I bought. Which book would you say is probably the one that made the biggest impact on you? There's a lot. There's a lot of books that have made an impact from leadership point of view, of course, John Maxwell. Uh, the founder of our company wrote a book called coach. That's a great book as well, because it teaches you the story of our company. I've read a lot of autobiographies of people who have built businesses like Sam Walton that built Walmart. Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy's. Um, the built from scratch, which was written by Arthur Blank. And, um, I forget the other guy's name, Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus, which are the founders of Home Depot. Um, you know, so these are mega businesses that we're talking about. And I read all their all their autobiographies. And so all those books are great. There's a lot of great thinking books out there. Um, of course, the most famous that a lot of people probably hear of is Think and Grow Rich. Um, Rich dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. So there's a lot of those like, bestsellers, right? But there's also a lot of great books that a lot of people have probably never heard of that are phenomenal books. like The Miracle of the Right Thought. By, um, I believe the the authors Martin Orson Sweat Martin and those are great books as well too, you know. So I mean, I've we've read I know for sure we got a library that has over a thousand books, and I've probably read 60% of those books that are down there. Yeah. So I love our even to this day we still reading books. Yes, I love and I never thought I would say that, but I love reading books. Right. I mean, let's talk about that because I remember you were not reading. No. And I remember I went to a training and some people were complaining because they were trying to force their wives to read. Yes. And so I'm like, well, I, I don't want to force my wife to read, but how do I do it? And I remember someone said, well, you do is once you once you have the book that you're one of your wife to read, or if you're reading a book and you're done with it, instead of putting it on your nightstand, put it on your wife's nightstand and leave it there. And I remember thinking, I'm gonna try that. I think what made me, at least you convinced me on how to read is not so much by leaving the book on my nightstand. It was when you would tell me about the book. Yeah. Like interesting things about the book that would pique my interest. Right. Where I'd be, like, really? Like, I want to know more about that. And so when you would do that and you would pique my interest, and then when that you were done and then you would put it on my nightstand, I was like, oh, I want to read it, because all those little things he told me, I want to know more about it. And so those are the little things that really helped me, like, want to read more? What's crazy is to this day we do that. Yes. Well, now we do it to each other because, you know, I, I tell you, like, babe, you need to read this book. It's so interesting. There's this story that we they, you know, that this happened or this, you know. Right. And so we definitely pick each other's interest still to this day on books that we read because we read very different. I mean, we both read very self-improvement books. Like we don't really we do self-improvement in autobiography? Yeah, we don't do any of the sci fi or any of that. Not any of that nonsense. Wasting time. Books. Sorry if you read if you read that stuff, man. I don't know what to tell you. You live in Fantasyland. You know, all these, you know. You know, even though they're a waste of time. No, no. Yeah. This is. It's better than watching TV, though. Yeah, they still do that. They open up your mind. They make you imagine things. They're not. They're. They're living in a fantasy land because they're all made up stories. They're not really growing. Yes, they're reading and maybe they're exercising their brain, which is a good thing, but still, there's no value there. I mean, that's my personal opinion. I may be wrong and somebody might listen to this and not like it, but there is a difference of reading autobiographies of people that who have actually done something in life and, and business books, right. Or self-improvement books compared to a made up story, you know, like the Twilight or whatever, you know? Yes it is. But, you know, I'm still using your imagination. Mm. Okay. So yeah. You're right. Yeah. I just, I just, I just we just, we just choose not to do it. How about just leave it like that? We both don't like we both don't read. The only book that I read was outside of that was 50 Shades of Grey. All right. Next. That is definitely one that was outside of that realm. But that was it is day. I have not read it nor watched the movie. Saw the movie. Don't watch the movie, I don't, I, I don't it hasn't. It's nothing like the book. But it was the definitely that's what we stick to is self-improvement books and and autobiographies or biographies. Uh, I especially love biographies or autobiographies because like you said, it is something that somebody went through that I find so intriguing when they tell their story. Which one is the one you're reading right now? I'm reading the Ronda Rousey book, and that to me is amazing because I actually saw everything she talks about the book in the book I actually saw happen in real life, like right when she became the first UFC fighter, um, woman fighter, I should say, when, um, she beat her opponent or her opponents, you know? And prior to that, I didn't know the story prior to UFC because I didn't follow her prior to UFC. She prior to UFC, she did so many things. It's insane what she lived through to get to the point where she was, especially because no one believed that she would be the first UFC woman fighter. Everybody was like, no, UFC is not having a woman fighter. It's not going to happen. Even Dana White had said it, you know, and so she wanted to prove people wrong, which she obviously did. So. To me if you get to read that book, it's just phenomenal. Phenomenal book for me to collect royalties now for announcing books here. I'm kidding, I'm kidding. This is a free podcast. Yes. So, you know, go back to let's go back to, um, the we were talking about like the business, you know, I mean, it got to a point where and and you can maybe speak from your point of view because from my point of view, I do remember the, the evolution, you know, I, I really did transform into a completely different person. I'm the same me. Okay? Me is me. I've always been me. Right? Yes. But I've. I've completely changed my habits. I completely change how I view things, how I view you, how I view the kids, how I view, how have you life right and and our future and the things that we wanted to do that in a sense, we're somewhat living today. Um, but from your point of view, I remember seeing that. And that's something that I'm very proud of, that I can look back and I can say, man, I've changed. And when that I've heard from people say, man, you've changed. And I say thank you that that was meant to happen. I, I didn't want to stay the same. And that's an issue with a lot of people today that they are the same person year after year, 23 years later, they're the same person that they were 23 years ago, because maybe they didn't get a chance to be exposed to what we were exposed to, or maybe they got a chance to be exposed to, but they chose not to do it, you know? So maybe talk about what you saw and how you saw that, because it ended up being an evolution for you and me. But first obviously started with me. Yeah. So like the evolution I saw in you is what you're asking. Yeah. Like what what was your mindset at that time when all this stuff was evolving? As far as and I'm not saying like at the beginning when we had those defining moments like, okay, are you you, you know, I'm not going to do that on top of your training after after you realizing that this was the new me, I think for me was the commitment. Now that you had like since I saw you so committed to something and it showed that you were now committed to our marriage. And so that in itself was just like mind blowing to me because I had never seen you be so committed to something that was helping you grow and making you bigger. Like you being committed to your friends before obviously is completely different. Where there was no growth, there was never going to be no value to our family. Right. And so now to see you committed to, um, as a business and then now you being committed to your family because then now when you had the little free times that you would have, we had now the extra money to maybe like do a date night or if you had one, let's just say some kind of contest where you and I were actually going on dates now. Right. And they were nice dates because they would take you to like, fancy restaurants or shows and something that I had never, I hadn't been exposed to, especially even before with my parents. I mean, I left them so young because I got married so young, but even prior to that, like, my parents couldn't afford no fancy dinners or fancy shows like I grew. I was born in Vegas, but I never had gone to a show on the strip. It just was not something that was feasible for us. Because I grew up so poor with my parents. And then now, like being a teenage mom and a wife, I definitely for sure wasn't going to be exposed to anything like that. So once you started making that extra money and I saw your commitment and then you started winning contests to different things, I was like, well, this is a different way of life that I had never seen before, and I love it. And so to me, seeing that change in you, I was like this, this man is going somewhere. I better hold on to him. I need to hold onto him now. That's funny. You know, it's funny you bring that point as far as the the finding and the fine dining and the shows, because that's how we got exposed to, uh, like a higher life. In a sense, we really did, because, I mean, yeah, I had never been to a restaurant on the strip, and we didn't pay for it either. I mean, that was the best part. There were all reward. There were all the awards. There were all earned. You know, because of the hard work that we put in and the contest that, you know, Chris would put out and we would win. And a majority of the shows that we've been to at the strip and majority of this fine dining steak steakhouse restaurant have been, you know, with it. Which is amazing. Yes. And then we started or you started winning, um, contests that the company started throwing out, which was like company, like trips, right? And the great thing about is, is they empower partnership. You got Tagalong partner. So of course I tagged along. They would always give you two airplane tickets and you earned them at that point. And, uh, we would just have to pay for the kids because, uh, they would they didn't pay for kids. But, you know, the fact that they would allow both of us to go and there was a couple times where we were like, no kids on this trip, you know, we would do a nice little trip, like couples trips. So they now be exposed to trips to places that I thought I'd never over the world, you know, uh, I remember we would make we when we really started working the business. Like, we made a list of, like, things we wanted to do or places we wanted to go that we never thought imaginable. And if I look back now or think about it now, we probably could, like, completed a lot of that list and then some. You know, I had never been to Hawaii prior to that. And I remember the guy, I want to go to Hawaii, I want to take the kids to Hawaii. Now, we've been to Hawaii, I don't know, like six, seven times, you know? Um, yeah. The last time we went to Hawaii, the kid says, where are we going? We're like Hawaii. And they were like, again? Only here. Yeah. So it was nice to see that our kids now were growing up completely different than what now I feel like, um, we were giving at least the light that she deserved. Miguelito was so little. That's all the life he's ever known. He. Yes. That's all the life he knows. He did not know what it was like to be poor at all. And so now, you know, Elisa was now living a, you know, like, I, I didn't have to say no anymore to her when she wanted something because we could afford it now and I. Yeah. Uh, Miguelito, like I said, he was spoiled from the very beginning, but that's fine. That's how it's supposed to be. Yeah. You know, and that's one of the things that, again, looking back, that we can take away from this episode was the transition, right. And the evolution. But also you can sit here and look back and say, I'm glad I did it. Not so much because of the trips or the, you know, the, the money, the freedom, but because of the example that now we have given our kids. You know, that to me is worth everything, because the opposite of that is what example do you really give your kids? You know, and again, I don't want to take away from hardworking people right now because there's a lot of people that do have jobs that do their best absolutely to provide for their their kids. But I do want everyone to know that there's always just something different out there. Yeah, that is achievable if you put your mind to it. And. Take advantage of the opportunity. Now, will it take a lot more work? Absolutely. Because there was times where, like, you went to work, you went to go take care of your clients and, you know, you'd be gone all day. Yeah. And there was times you would even say, like, you, we would put the kids to sleep, and you didn't even get to see them until the next morning when they woke up and went to school. So. And the hard work didn't really. It wasn't even on that, on that time, on that phase. The hard work really came when I, I left my job and went full time. That's when I think was like, I was really gone from like 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.. Yes. Yes. That I mean, we can save that for another episode, but that was that was the real work. Yeah. So it's just a matter of like, obviously doing your very best, but then a little bit more. Right? Earned. You gotta earn it. You gotta earn it. You gotta. That's one thing that no, no one can ever take away from you the fact that you did it. The fact that you can sit where you are today and you can say, this is what I did It. And you and I were having this conversation yesterday with a lot of people on social media and a lot of people that write books. So I always look at the author on who wrote the book and what they've done in life, because there's a lot of authors that nobody knows that all they've done is read other books and how they write a book. So they really have no to me. They have no true backing to what they're saying, other than the fact that they read a bunch of books because they never did anything. And so the same thing in business and the same thing with a lot of people in social media today, there's a lot of people on social media that they've never done anything. They've never built anything. They've never sacrificed or trade off or have these stories that you and I have. Uh, as far as business goes. And all of a sudden they're the, you know, the experts on social media, uh. Be quiet. You don't know nothing, right? And so that's the thing you you no one can ever take away from you something that you know, you've done, and you earn where you are today. That's absolutely true. So. Okay. Well yeah. So again, the take back of this episode is that that was the story that was the life changing. Those are the things that we did that I did, that you did, that. We exposed, we were exposed to and we exposed our kids to. And, uh, it really it really definitely changed our family's stories. Yeah, that's without a doubt. We definitely changed our family's story. And now, especially our grandkids, you know, like, we sock away money for our grandkids like no other. And to think that by the time they're 18, they're going to have, you know, thousands and thousands of dollars to, to, you know, buy a home or whatever they want that right. We never we didn't get a chance to do it for our kids. But we did change. We did start to change with them, you know, like they didn't get to be exposed to a lot of the things that me and you, because we were both very grew up with a very poor family, um, that they never got to experience, which is great. You don't want them to experience that. And you definitely want our kids to better become even better than us, which I know they will because they're already on the correct path to do so. So it's incredible to say that you we definitely changed our family stories when it comes to that. Yeah. You know, you you're in in the future which by the way we're still going at it okay. Yeah. We're definitely not retired. Yeah I just I just I was just at my office. We helped out a client this morning. So we still work. Okay. Uh, but I remember hearing this years ago, and I remember someone said, you know, 20 years from now, you're you can either look back and you can say, I wish I could have, I wish I would have. Or you can look back and you can say, I'm glad I did, you know. So there's two different types of future version of yourself and what's going to happen. You're either going to regret something that you could have done and never did at the time, an opportunity to take advantage of it. But you didn't, or you did, and you went through all those things, and you evolve and you change, and you can look back and be in a position kind of like where we are today, where you can say, man, I'm we're glad we did this. We're glad we made it happen. So if there's one thing I can attribute my life back to my family. You just heard it. Yes. Thank you babe, you're growing. Oh, thank you for growing. All right, well, that was it. We hope you enjoy it. Yeah. We love you guys. Take care. The next one. Yes. 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