1 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:11,119 Speaker 1: It's that time time, time, time, luck and load for 2 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 1: Michael Verie show is on the air. 3 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 2: I don't know why we can't just acknowledge that it's 4 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:16,919 Speaker 2: been a good thing. 5 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:21,319 Speaker 1: What's happened. I mean, why why as a Democrat, you know, 6 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:23,640 Speaker 1: we can't just acknowledge that it was successful. 7 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:26,759 Speaker 2: Venezuela is not a security threat to the United States. 8 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 2: They're not threatening to invade US. There is no terrorist 9 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:32,480 Speaker 2: group like Okada operating there that has plans to attack 10 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 2: the United States. To the extent that you care about 11 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 2: the drug trade, yes, they produce drugs, but those drugs 12 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 2: go to Europe. Sentinyl is the drug that's killing Americans. 13 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 2: That's not coming from Venezuela. Venezuela produces cocaine, ninety percent 14 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 2: of it is not coming to the United States. 15 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 3: The fact that they're going to have tim Worth of 16 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 3: Chevron try to run the country and to exppropriate moneys 17 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 3: for oil that is for the Venezuelan people. You know, 18 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 3: that's the form of colone. You listen, maybe that was 19 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 3: the case with McKinley. I know President Trump and Myers McKinley. 20 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 3: That was in the nineteenth century. We don't operate in 21 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 3: that way in the twenty first century. We respect other nations, 22 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 3: we respect human rights. We have plenty of wealth in 23 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 3: this country that we need to figure out how every 24 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 3: person participates. We don't go just grabbing wealth and land 25 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 3: from other nations. 26 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 1: With the turn of the calendar year, I send a 27 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: message to our show sponsors. If there was anything to 28 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: do to help your business, let me know if you're hiring, 29 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: if you need any good or service, and any of 30 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: our other show sponsors provide, I would be happy to 31 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: get on the phone or send an email and get 32 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: you directly connected with the owner. They're going to take 33 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: care of every person I send them, but when I 34 00:01:55,760 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: personally send it, then they're going to hop and jump 35 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: to it. Every company, no matter the company, every team, 36 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: every organization, no matter how good their culture, there's always 37 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: going to be one person who stands above the rest 38 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 1: just a little bit better. And if you have your 39 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 1: way you'd like to get that person, They're going to 40 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 1: make sure you get that person. So I got a 41 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,519 Speaker 1: message from Dale Busic West Point Graduate used to work 42 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: for iHeart back in the day. You remember what Dal 43 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: music did used to sell political when I was a candidate. 44 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: I called up and wanted to buy time from my 45 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 1: campaign two thousand and one, and I was handed over 46 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: to Dale Busic went up and met with him in 47 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:42,799 Speaker 1: his office. I still remember the third floor of two 48 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 1: thousand West Loop. That was when I first met Dale. 49 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 1: Deal Music went on to found a well. He bought 50 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: a franchise sert a Pro, which is the painting company, 51 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: and he ended up creating one of, if not the 52 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: top sert of Pro location in the country, one of them, 53 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: one of a handful, because he brought you know, he's 54 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: one of these guys and you meet these guys. He's 55 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 1: one of these guys that likes to go to conferences 56 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 1: on customer service and organizational management and efficiency and great 57 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: customer service, and he's willing to try anything to make 58 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:28,080 Speaker 1: the business better and he's focused on it constantly. Anyway, 59 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: so I got an email from him that said, we 60 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 1: are in hiring mode for a residential sales associate. This 61 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 1: position is replacing a strong six figure income earner who 62 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: unfortunately I had to terminate. It's the eighteen thousand dollars 63 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: base salary commission heavy comp plan. One hundred thousand plus 64 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: per year is a reasonable expectation for a hard worker. 65 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 1: I pay one hundred percent of our employees medical, dental, 66 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: and vision insurance. Family members are the responsibility of each employee. 67 00:03:55,560 --> 00:04:00,040 Speaker 1: Company paid wrapped vehicle, company provided software, iPhone, tablet, but 68 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: local training plus paid out of market training when needed. 69 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: Email me at phone number is If you are interested 70 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: in either one of those, send me an email and 71 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: I will be happy to forward those Todale. I'll say 72 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 1: this to people all the time. They'll say, you know, 73 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,159 Speaker 1: my kids coming out of school, or my kids in 74 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: their early job and they lost their job, and they 75 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: don't know what to do. What should they do? What field? 76 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:34,840 Speaker 1: Most people have no idea the various fields of professional 77 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:39,840 Speaker 1: engagement into which you can enter. But I always tell people, 78 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:46,480 Speaker 1: if you have a modicum, a modicum of social graces, 79 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: if you are in the slightest bit, not the most 80 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: introverted engineer, physicist, person, sales. Sales is where the money is, 81 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: and people I want to do sales. Okay, my mom 82 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: had that same idea. My mom thought salesmen were bad people, 83 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 1: you know, like a bad movie where you'd have the 84 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:16,039 Speaker 1: salesman who's you know, kind of the creepy guy, or 85 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 1: the salesman who's real sleazy. Doesn't have to be that way. 86 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: A salesman should be a great relationship manager. I got 87 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 1: into an argument with Robert rees over the weekend because 88 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: I have a show sponsor. She's been with us about 89 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:36,360 Speaker 1: fifteen months. Her name is Christine Weaver. She's a one 90 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 1: person operation. When she wanted to sponsor the show, she 91 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 1: got in touch Robert Reese set the whole deal up, 92 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:49,040 Speaker 1: and he came to me and he said, Hey, you're 93 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 1: gonna like this lady. You're gonna love this lady. She 94 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:55,600 Speaker 1: has a law firm. She's a state planning lawyer. Her 95 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 1: name is Christine Weaver. Well, first off, I didn't like 96 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 1: her because she spells her name k R S sorry 97 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: k R I S t y N ramo. You tell 98 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: me how you get Christine out of that. So I 99 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 1: didn't trust her. The spelling of her name made me nervous. 100 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: And so it's a ten grand a month minimum. So 101 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: and people get upset when I say that. Wait a second, 102 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:22,840 Speaker 1: we're the Rolls Royce of I hate the word advertising, 103 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,920 Speaker 1: But if you want to use that word code, what 104 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:33,039 Speaker 1: yes it companies entire economics change from doing this. You 105 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: don't expect to take a first class flight to Paris 106 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: and get mad that it's more than one hundred dollars. 107 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 1: It's expensive. There's a lot of money involved for the company. 108 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,600 Speaker 1: We have a big show team. You know whatever. If 109 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: you I'm not going to argue it. I'm not ashamed 110 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 1: of it. But anyway, there's a ten thousand dollar minimum 111 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:51,359 Speaker 1: that's just to get That's just ten thirs thousand per 112 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 1: month is the minimum to get started. And I say 113 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: that that's no insult to somebody who can't afford it. 114 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 1: It's just you can't afford it, that's okay. Well, I 115 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 1: was very uncomfortable with a one woman operate, one person 116 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 1: operation being able to afford that because it wasn't the 117 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: Christine Weaver law firm or law group or whatever it was. 118 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: It was her by herself, and so met with her, 119 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: spent a lot of time talking to her. Ended up 120 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 1: hiring her to update my wife and I our estate plan. 121 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: And I realized she's got something special. She's willing to 122 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 1: make house calls. She was a landman before she was 123 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 1: a lawyer. Her husband had the day job. She went 124 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 1: back to law school. She's one of these people that 125 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: compliments me perfectly. That's compliments with an E NOA on 126 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: an iramone. She compliments me perfectly because she has the 127 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 1: skill set I don't. She's really organized, she's really diligent. 128 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 1: And so it started and I said, look, I'm going 129 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: to be completely honest with you. I don't know that 130 00:07:56,480 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: this is going to work. It says, the first time 131 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 1: we've tried this category, I'm worried about your economics. Ten 132 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 1: grand a month off the top. And let's just say 133 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: that she did extraordinarily well. So I'll tell you why 134 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: I brought that up in just a moment. But she 135 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: continues because she's good at what she does. She adds value. 136 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 1: People love what she does, and that gives me a 137 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 1: lot of joy. We have changed someone's not just their 138 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 1: professional life, their entire life. By the way, if you 139 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 1: are ever looking to hire someone, take a moment and 140 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: send me an email. And more often than not, I'm 141 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: able to help someone feel the job. I just don't 142 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:39,200 Speaker 1: have to call it out on the AAR. I just 143 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 1: happen to know another listener who's emailed in and is 144 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 1: looking for a job that's in that category. A couple 145 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 1: of thoughts, and maybe this is just my style. Maybe 146 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: people aren't this way. Don't ask me to fill a 147 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: job for you that you're not willing to talk about 148 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 1: how much money the person makes. I realize people have 149 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 1: been told you should be very ashamed of weight and 150 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 1: money and all these sorts of things. But that's how 151 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: people waste a lot of time. Just tell me what 152 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: you're going to pay the person. If it's fifty thousands, 153 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 1: fifty thousand, it's one hundred thousands, one hundred thousand. If 154 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 1: it's one hundred percent commission, tell me its one hundred 155 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:18,080 Speaker 1: percent commission. You're not going to dupe somebody into taking 156 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 1: a job for thirty eight thousand dollars because that's all 157 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 1: your budget is for it. That wanted two hundred thousand. 158 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 1: You're wasting everybody's time. Just get comfored Eddie Martini is 159 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 1: the best person I have ever seen and having difficult conversations. 160 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: That's sorry. He's the second best I've ever seen and 161 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: having difficult conversations. The first is my wife, and it 162 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 1: took me twenty years of marriage to get over the 163 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 1: fact that she is almost on the autism scale blunt. 164 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 1: She is just very straightforward. That is, you should not 165 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: have done that. That offended that person. This comes up 166 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: a lot that offended that person. I know you intended 167 00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: it to be a funny joke. I know that in 168 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: your mind you putting everybody at ease by addressing the 169 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:07,439 Speaker 1: big massive boil on his cheek, but you made everybody uncomfortable. 170 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:10,679 Speaker 1: Not asking for an apology, I'm just letting you know 171 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 1: from a member of the audience how that went over. Okay, Well, 172 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:18,680 Speaker 1: you could occasionally give me a plaud it for when 173 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:22,840 Speaker 1: I you know, when I nail one instead of always correcting. 174 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 1: But I suppose I need that because anyway. Also, if 175 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 1: you're looking for a job and you send me an email, 176 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:33,400 Speaker 1: what I generally do is take five minutes and think, 177 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 1: all right, who has told me they needed someone? If 178 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: you are looking for a job and you send me 179 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: an email, be honest about what you need to make. 180 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:44,680 Speaker 1: People don't want to do this, and I understand the 181 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: game theory that's going on. They figure, well, I'm making 182 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 1: three grand a month. Now I'd like to make a move, 183 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 1: and I'd like it to be a vertical move, not 184 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: a horizontal, not a lateral move. So I'd like to 185 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: make at least fifty grand a month with some upside. 186 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 1: But I don't want to tell him that because it 187 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:06,320 Speaker 1: might be a three million dollar a year job and 188 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 1: then they'll just stick me at fifty thousand. That's not reality. 189 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: The other thing is, if at all possible, I try 190 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: to find people a job in the part of the 191 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 1: region where they live. I just don't understand, other than 192 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 1: the fact that I love you having traffic, because that's 193 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 1: when many of you listen. I don't understand if you 194 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 1: could find a job within ten miles of where you work, 195 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:32,320 Speaker 1: or ten minutes as opposed to living in Tomball working 196 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:34,760 Speaker 1: in Galveston, why you wouldn't do that. It's a quality 197 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:40,680 Speaker 1: of life thing. Ramon had a habit of moving two 198 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 1: hours away from the studio, so he'd have to drive 199 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: in and drive each day, he'd have at least two 200 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,679 Speaker 1: hours of traffic, and so I finally talked him into 201 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 1: being five minutes from the studio, and he loves it, 202 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: but he won't admit it because then he would be 203 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: saying I was right. Jason writes, good morning, Do you 204 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 1: know of any construction managers in New in the region 205 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 1: looking for help? I'm pretty sure I'm getting laid off today, 206 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: and as it turns out, I do, and I'll send 207 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:09,679 Speaker 1: a message to them. I love to do that sort 208 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 1: of stuff. I really enjoy I really enjoy that part 209 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:20,319 Speaker 1: of what we do. I find that to be a 210 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 1: a lot of fun. I was going to tell you 211 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: I was going to welcome a couple of new show 212 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: sponsors to the show. One is American Trust. I had 213 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 1: to call and make sure that that was not a 214 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 1: conflict with McCauley's lumber, because these are actual trust manufacturers 215 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 1: and their their clients, their customers are builders. And I 216 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 1: see this story again and again and again. What separates 217 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: you from someone else. You don't always have to have 218 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: a separator. You don't always have to even necessarily be 219 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 1: better than anybody else. Vietnamese families brought into donut shops, 220 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:01,679 Speaker 1: and so you'll see a donut shop in a strip center, 221 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 1: and they didn't exactly hire a consultant for the name 222 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: of it. It'll be LC Donuts, and that's because it's 223 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 1: Loan and Cooluga that are the two people that own it. 224 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:15,680 Speaker 1: So they put their initials they didn't know or they'll 225 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 1: just have the name donuts or donut like one now, y'all. 226 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:24,040 Speaker 1: And so that donut shop might not be the best 227 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 1: donut shop might not be aspiring to that, might not 228 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 1: have set that as a goal. They just have to 229 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 1: have donuts available in the morning and be open, and 230 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:36,200 Speaker 1: because it's family run, they're going to be there no 231 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:41,439 Speaker 1: matter what. So I don't know that every company needs 232 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: to necessarily be the best at what they do. You 233 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 1: just have to be consistently what you do, and people 234 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: be able to rely on you being consistently what you do. 235 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 1: So I think there is a mistake that people make 236 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: that we have to separate ourselves from the crowd. The 237 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 1: crowd doesn't know every company out there. Once the crowd 238 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 1: knows of you, if you deliver on a price that 239 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 1: is reasonable, you don't have to be the cheapest. You 240 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,960 Speaker 1: don't have to be the best. You just have to 241 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: be consistent and reliable. And in today's world where private 242 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: equity is coming in and scooping up these companies, private 243 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 1: equity's got to make money when they scoop up these companies. 244 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 1: They've got to find money somehow. Well. Usually you can 245 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: see it in fast food. Your burger gets smaller, your 246 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: fewer French fries, the quality of the meat goes down, 247 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: the quality of you might be able to tell it 248 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: in the Coca Cola formulation because they can save a 249 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 1: penny here and a save a penny there. They cut 250 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 1: the people that are cleaning the place. They cut back 251 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 1: on staff, so make sure wait time longer. You know 252 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: what Ramone taught me? Did I tell this on the 253 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 1: air the other day? You know what Ramone taught me, 254 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 1: which is very rare a couple of weeks ago. You 255 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 1: know how when you pull up to water Burger and 256 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: you're in the line and they take your order and 257 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 1: they say, uh, okay, that's great. Could I get you 258 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: to pull up and we'll bring it out to you. 259 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:15,359 Speaker 1: I've always wondered, well, what are you doing in the meantime? 260 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: You already took the order at the at the drive through, 261 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 1: at the box with the bad audio. You already took 262 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 1: the order. So why am I pulling up? Are you 263 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 1: doing is taking my money? You're not speeding anything up. 264 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 1: How did you find that? An employee told you? John 265 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: Walton told you that. Oh he was turning it on 266 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: the air. How did John Walton know it? You know, 267 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 1: John Walton was so cynical that he would have figured 268 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 1: something out like that. Dude was genius. I loved John 269 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 1: Walton anyway, they want to close the ticket to show 270 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: that you got your food, and you have to move up. 271 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 1: The camera has to see you move up to close 272 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: that ticket. Well, you're outside of the camera's view. So 273 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 1: it shows that they got the food out on time, 274 00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: but they didn't. Somebody's send me a picture of a 275 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 1: post Chance McLean put up this morning, and it's a 276 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: picture of him playing ping pong with a woman in 277 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 1: her living room or in some room in her house. 278 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 1: Looks like it's a living room. And he said two things. First, 279 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: this young lady is eighty years old. May we all 280 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 1: age like wine instead of milk. Secondly, she completely smoked 281 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 1: me at ping pong, cleaned the floor with me. And 282 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 1: I'm not a terrible tennis player, terrible table tennis player. 283 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: She was just awesome, methodical, no flash, no spins, no witchcraft, 284 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: just a terminator that never missed and never made mistakes. 285 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: I was a fly stuck between the window and the blinds, exhausted, 286 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 1: dried out, still alive, but barely, and she picked me 287 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 1: up and pulled off my wings. Respect. So your immediate 288 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 1: reaction may be wait, it's a week day and Chance's 289 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 1: playing ping pong with an eighty year old woman in 290 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: her living room and we lose a pretty fancy house. Yeah, 291 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:02,400 Speaker 1: create the job you want see it, envision it. Ten 292 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:04,400 Speaker 1: years ago. My dad was going to be seventy five, 293 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:06,359 Speaker 1: a little over ten years ten and a half years ago, 294 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:10,680 Speaker 1: and I said to Remon, I said to him, I said, 295 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 1: a chance, I want to do a little biography of him, 296 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 1: like the Biography Challenges. You know, I don't know. At 297 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:17,920 Speaker 1: some point the Biography Challenges woke up and said we're 298 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:19,920 Speaker 1: the biography channel. We're not gonna make biography anymore. I 299 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:23,440 Speaker 1: used to love those biographies. I'd watch World War two generals, 300 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:28,680 Speaker 1: I'd watch Civil War generals, I'd watch inventors scientists. I 301 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 1: learned so much, and then they just stopped. I guess 302 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:36,280 Speaker 1: there weren't enough nerds anymore anyway. So I said, I 303 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 1: want you to do one of those of my dad. 304 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 1: I want you to come over and interview him. And 305 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:44,679 Speaker 1: because his birthday was coming up February eighteenth, so maybe 306 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:48,600 Speaker 1: two months before that, he and my mom came over 307 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:52,120 Speaker 1: for Christmas and a chance set up a lawn chair 308 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 1: out in the driveway and interviewed him. Supposed to be 309 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 1: a thirty minute interview. It ended up lasting three or 310 00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:00,719 Speaker 1: four hours. My wife, my mom, was watching from the window, 311 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:03,359 Speaker 1: kitchen window, and she was going, what is your dad 312 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 1: talking about out there? He hasn't talked this long in 313 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 1: whatever it was, fifty years of being married. He never Mom, 314 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:14,879 Speaker 1: Maybe chances listening. Maybe he doesn't know what to do. 315 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: He's got an actual audience. It's listening to him and 316 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 1: you know, seeming interested in what he has to say. Crazy, 317 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:26,920 Speaker 1: no shit, huh, you want to try it? So anyway, 318 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 1: he made that. He took all the photos my mom 319 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 1: and my dad and all of us kids sent in 320 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: and he made a He made the what came to 321 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: be called a heritage film. Ten years later, he's got 322 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 1: an entire company. He's been traveling to other countries. When 323 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,359 Speaker 1: he has clients who live here but they're from some 324 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 1: other country. They want they do the filming of their 325 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:53,160 Speaker 1: business here and their family here, and then they want 326 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 1: to go back to the homeland. In film that travels 327 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:58,120 Speaker 1: all over travels all over the country. He's doing one 328 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:02,840 Speaker 1: for Rick Doak, our farming ranch broker. On you know, 329 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:04,800 Speaker 1: you call him and you want a house in the country. 330 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:07,239 Speaker 1: Here's how you start the process because you know, if 331 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 1: you live in Houston, you go I just I just 332 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 1: want a house in the country. I don't know where 333 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 1: do you go to the Big Easy in Columbus? Do 334 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:17,679 Speaker 1: you go to Texas Grand Ranch? Do you go to 335 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 1: Republic Grand Ranch? Do you go further Afield? Do you 336 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:25,760 Speaker 1: go to Winnie or Hampshire, Finet or Lumberton? Do you 337 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:32,520 Speaker 1: go to Tomball, Magnolia, Chapel Hill, Brenham Page, Independence And 338 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: so he's doing one of those. But the point is, 339 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:38,479 Speaker 1: I find a lot of people will tell me how 340 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:41,480 Speaker 1: much they hate their life, but when I make suggestions 341 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:45,680 Speaker 1: on very disruptive things to change their life, they don't 342 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 1: want to do that because change scares them and change 343 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:52,919 Speaker 1: takes a lot of work and in diligence, and they 344 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:56,640 Speaker 1: don't want to do that. American Trust has joined the show. 345 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:59,399 Speaker 1: I love this because you've got a small business that 346 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:02,400 Speaker 1: they're They're the thing that, as I said, you don't 347 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 1: have to separate yourself. You don't have to be better 348 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:06,720 Speaker 1: than everybody else, good if you are, but you don't 349 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 1: have to be You just have to be good at 350 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:12,920 Speaker 1: what you do. And so in this business, what their 351 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:17,199 Speaker 1: niche is is that they're small enough to care, and 352 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,960 Speaker 1: I think that more businesses should focus on this. Everybody 353 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 1: is so obsessed with the fact that, you know, we 354 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,880 Speaker 1: can't compete with the big boys. There are still people 355 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 1: who compete with Walmart. You just got to be really, 356 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:30,880 Speaker 1: really good, and you've got to understand your prices have 357 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,399 Speaker 1: to be higher in Walmart because they buy in Bold. 358 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: You cannot compete on price. And by the way, I 359 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 1: tell our show sponsors all the time, and I will 360 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:42,400 Speaker 1: say this to you, you do not want customers who 361 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:46,920 Speaker 1: are whose only loyalty to you is lower prices, because 362 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: I will tell you this and I've stood by it forever. 363 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 1: If the only thing you have going for you is 364 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 1: lower prices and the only reason a person comes to 365 00:20:56,119 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 1: you is to save money visa v the competition, that's 366 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:05,160 Speaker 1: not loyalty. When you get laid up in an accident 367 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:09,119 Speaker 1: and you're running a little slow on the delivery times, 368 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:13,439 Speaker 1: they're going somewhere else. When product costs change and someone 369 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:16,680 Speaker 1: else has stockpile three years of inventory, they're going somewhere else. 370 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:22,440 Speaker 1: That's the person who has no affection, affinity, loyalty, commitment 371 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:26,080 Speaker 1: to you and what you're doing. Take a little extra time, 372 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 1: build a client base of people who get what you're doing, 373 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:34,400 Speaker 1: who love what you're doing, who admire what you're doing, 374 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:36,680 Speaker 1: and then turn around and spend your money with them, 375 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,399 Speaker 1: support their business. Take the time to understand what they 376 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 1: do for a living, in how they do it. If 377 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 1: that person at the front is their wife or their mother, 378 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:51,640 Speaker 1: as I see a lot of pay attention. Whin's her birthday? 379 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:53,560 Speaker 1: Take her to lunch. I bet nobody took her to lunch. 380 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:58,159 Speaker 1: Find out her story. She's working there? Is she's still married? Oh, 381 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:01,119 Speaker 1: the owner's dad died, ought his mom in because she 382 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:05,040 Speaker 1: was born at home. That's what life's about. It's not 383 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: about trying to get the most contracts or make the 384 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 1: most money. It's those human connections that's what makes you 385 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: feel alive. On our last poem, Beach Trip was a 386 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:19,120 Speaker 1: husband wife team from Mississippi de Mississippi accent. Everybody loves 387 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:23,680 Speaker 1: them because they were country, They were unpretentious, they were 388 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:26,960 Speaker 1: real people like they didn't try to in any way 389 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:29,560 Speaker 1: be anything that they weren't. Well, it turns out they've 390 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:33,360 Speaker 1: had incredible success. Who would have known in their business. 391 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:36,480 Speaker 1: They own a company called Brookway Landscaping. They do commercial 392 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:41,640 Speaker 1: landscaping sprinkler systems, the landscaping for buildings in those sorts 393 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 1: of things, and so at some point he mentioned, hey, 394 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: we'd like to be a show sponsor. At some point, well, 395 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:49,120 Speaker 1: we don't have a show sponsor that does that. Let's talk. 396 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:52,199 Speaker 1: So we spent the poem beach trip. Every moment we 397 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:55,719 Speaker 1: had that we were by ourselves talking about their business. Anyway, 398 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 1: we'll start talking more about them. Coming up. Wonderful people 399 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:05,240 Speaker 1: Houston Tents and Events. Darren Randall one of our newest 400 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: show sponsors. This guy's a great entrepreneurial story came to 401 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 1: me when he started the business. He said, Hey, I 402 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 1: can't afford to be a sponsor, but I'm going to 403 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:16,639 Speaker 1: build up to where I can, and lo and behold 404 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 1: he has. So it's soup to nuts. Events. They do it. 405 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:22,240 Speaker 1: You can make one call. You got an event, whether 406 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:24,680 Speaker 1: it's your backyard or a festival, and everything in between, 407 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,119 Speaker 1: and they handle every aspects of it, the lighting, the 408 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:30,119 Speaker 1: power of the decor or the seating, everything, the tents. 409 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 1: Of course, I told him the thing I like about 410 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 1: his business, it's intents. And then finally MDVIP, I've been 411 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 1: big on this concierge concept for a while again. It's 412 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 1: like my estate planning lawyer. I needed a doctor from 413 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 1: my dad when I moved him here to Houston, So 414 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,400 Speaker 1: I called San Dukeman, my cardiologist and dear friend. He's 415 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 1: in the Holy Land right now. Yeah, he's very excited 416 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 1: about it. The only problem with somebody taking a vacation 417 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 1: like that is in the next five times you see him, 418 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:03,040 Speaker 1: they want to tell you all about it. I like 419 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 1: to really be the only one telling my stories, you 420 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 1: know what I mean. But anyway, so MDVIP is a 421 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:12,440 Speaker 1: concierge doctor, and so I did those interviews, I started 422 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: digging in. I really like it. The conciergs doctor we 423 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 1: got from my dad, A new Davis comes to the 424 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:19,760 Speaker 1: old Folks home to treat him. He loves, he loves 425 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:22,920 Speaker 1: getting a visit. Anyway. His name is Jim Cuttingham. He's 426 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 1: in Webster and I've gotten to know him pretty well 427 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 1: through this process. He's a really, really interesting dude. If 428 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 1: you want a doctor that sees five patients to day 429 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:33,320 Speaker 1: instead of seventy, and you get the care and that 430 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:36,639 Speaker 1: you can call the cell phone, that's your boy. My 431 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:44,119 Speaker 1: kid's godmother and my longtime assistant was Monica Ipudua and 432 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: her birthday is either January tenth or January eleventh. But 433 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:51,760 Speaker 1: it's one of those things that I can't remember. And 434 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:54,159 Speaker 1: because I can't remember, I've lost confidence in it. So 435 00:24:54,359 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 1: every year I have to ask, So either yesterday or 436 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:01,000 Speaker 1: the day before was her birthday? If you know her, 437 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:02,639 Speaker 1: just tell her I was talking about her birthday, but 438 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:04,400 Speaker 1: don't tell her I can't remember which day it is. 439 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:07,399 Speaker 1: You know, there's a funny thing that happens as you 440 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:09,680 Speaker 1: get older. I don't think I'm losing my memory. People 441 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: think you lose your memories you get older. I think 442 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:16,360 Speaker 1: that you jammed so many things in there that some 443 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:18,199 Speaker 1: of it has to leak out. You know. It's one in, 444 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:20,000 Speaker 1: one out kind of deal. You know, like at the 445 00:25:20,040 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 1: party when the fire marshall says, you know you can't 446 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 1: you got a staunchin right there and you can't let 447 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 1: anybody into. Some people leave, And I think you're just 448 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:31,439 Speaker 1: adding so much stuff in there that some of it 449 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 1: has to leak out. Some of your recall anyway, So 450 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: yesterday was the day that every year I will send 451 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 1: something to Russe Lebarrow because it is the anniversary of 452 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:45,359 Speaker 1: his business and what I love about the guy is 453 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 1: that he is very mindful despite his professional financial success. 454 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:55,239 Speaker 1: Professional and financial success, because frankly, I say this all 455 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: the time, people get mad when a new business opens. 456 00:25:57,640 --> 00:25:59,639 Speaker 1: It's just a question. It's just a matter of how 457 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 1: long it's going to close. Every business is going to close, 458 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:06,679 Speaker 1: and eventually, if you play the long game, every business 459 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:09,719 Speaker 1: is going to close in one way or another. It 460 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 1: may rebrand because it's bought out. They may go bankrupt, 461 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:15,959 Speaker 1: the owners may die and they sell. It's going to close, 462 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:19,680 Speaker 1: and it's just a question of how long. And once 463 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 1: you understand that, you stop beating up business owners so bad. 464 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 1: There are people who are abusive to business owners and 465 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 1: it infuriates me. Whether I tell restaurant owners I walk in, 466 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:36,359 Speaker 1: some restaurant will be full. They are by all accounts successful, 467 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,240 Speaker 1: They have their health, They have a happy marriage, which 468 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:41,320 Speaker 1: is tough if you're a chef. It's a high stressed business, 469 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:46,600 Speaker 1: long hours. Their kids are healthy, their business is financially succeeding, 470 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 1: and you would think that they just got a terminal 471 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 1: diagnosis with three days left to live because somebody wrote 472 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 1: a bad Yelp review, and I tell them, you're written 473 00:26:56,680 --> 00:27:00,920 Speaker 1: a Yelp review, No me, neither. Ninety nine percent of 474 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 1: people who write Yelp reviews are losers. Michael, you shouldn't 475 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 1: say that I write Yelp reviews. Hit those wills first. 476 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:10,080 Speaker 1: Maybe you do. I don't know, not my business. I'm 477 00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:12,879 Speaker 1: just telling you generally, if whatever I say upsets you, 478 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 1: that's something you choose, not me. Who is and by 479 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 1: the way, you know who the guy is that writes 480 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: the negative of yelp review on you. Your competitor. That's what 481 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:25,840 Speaker 1: went wrong with all that. It's your competitor who wants 482 00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 1: to run you down. So every year russell Er Borro 483 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 1: is very reflective on this day. But this is worth 484 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 1: noting because if you think about how many great restaurants 485 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:41,360 Speaker 1: or concepts businesses out there that go under, car manufacturers, airlines, 486 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 1: well funded businesses, businesses with private equity money, businesses that 487 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 1: go public that go under when you start from scratch 488 00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:56,000 Speaker 1: forty eight fifty two to ten, that's wrestler Borro's first 489 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:59,719 Speaker 1: month's rent at his first restaurant. And anybody who's known 490 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:02,480 Speaker 1: r So who, anybody who's a real friend nose forty 491 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:04,320 Speaker 1: eight to fifty two ten, you probably know that Ramon. 492 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 1: That's because that was the number he had to hit. 493 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: It was him and a cook who still with him, 494 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 1: by the way. It was him and a cook, and 495 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 1: he ran everything from a house, and a cook ran 496 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:17,720 Speaker 1: the kitchen, and that was it. They didn't have bus boys. 497 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 1: It was him and a cook, and that was the one. 498 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:23,119 Speaker 1: The cook could be. You know, he could wait. He 499 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 1: didn't have to pay himself. Most business owners don't for 500 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:27,719 Speaker 1: a long time. And a cook, you know, would wait 501 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 1: a couple months if it took that. But he had 502 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 1: to be able to pay the rent. Years ago today, 503 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 1: this was yesterday, at eleven am, a defining moment in 504 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 1: my life took place. I opened the very first Greenos 505 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 1: Text Mexs location in Parland, still there, by the way, 506 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:44,200 Speaker 1: still his number one location. I didn't do it because 507 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 1: I thought it was a great idea, especially since the 508 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 1: property had previously been home to four failed restaurants. That 509 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 1: restaurant is cursed, That location is cursed. People say I 510 00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 1: did it because I had nothing else to fall back 511 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:58,280 Speaker 1: on it. I didn't go to college, I didn't have 512 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: any real skill set, and I didn't even have a 513 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 1: real plan other than to serve the best product. I 514 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 1: knew how to make and offer it at the best 515 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 1: price possible. At thirty one years old, I still had 516 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 1: the drive and determination to succeed. Today, my team and 517 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:15,320 Speaker 1: I operate twenty four restaurants, with four more in development. 518 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:19,120 Speaker 1: We employ over three thousand team members. I could not 519 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 1: have imagined what my future would look like when I 520 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: first pulled the string on the Neon Open sign and 521 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 1: stood there waiting for the very first car to pull 522 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:28,080 Speaker 1: into the parking lot. I'll never forget the gratitude I 523 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:30,800 Speaker 1: felt when one finally did, and I told myself then 524 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:37,520 Speaker 1: that I never want to forget that feeling. That's true. 525 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 1: It is also a back to basic, solid fundamentals. I 526 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:46,880 Speaker 1: see so many people come to me when they start 527 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:51,480 Speaker 1: their business, and then once they have some success. Once 528 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 1: you have success, people find you. If you donate to 529 00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 1: one political campaign, you're on the list. You're going to 530 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:59,280 Speaker 1: be asked to donate to everyone. If you'd make one 531 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 1: charitable don it, you're going to be asked for everyone. 532 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:07,160 Speaker 1: They sell the list. You buy one live auction item 533 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: at one live at one charitable event, they're going to 534 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 1: ask you to come back and get in again. You 535 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 1: do one nice thing, everybody's going to notice you buy 536 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:20,160 Speaker 1: one nice thing, everybody else going to want a piece 537 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 1: of that. You invest in one small business, you do 538 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:29,320 Speaker 1: anything that shows you have had success, and the sharks 539 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 1: will circle, not because they're awful, but because they're going 540 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 1: to go where the food is. There's blood in the water. 541 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:39,680 Speaker 1: So so many guys that do have some success in 542 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: the early days flame out because everything it took to 543 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:47,680 Speaker 1: launch that business and be successful phase one to phase two, 544 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:51,600 Speaker 1: they lose. In phase two. They start with the strippers. 545 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 1: They start with the coat, they start with the cars, 546 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 1: they start with the boat, they start with constant vacations, 547 00:30:57,600 --> 00:31:01,760 Speaker 1: they start with gambling. I've seen it happened, and you 548 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:04,440 Speaker 1: see it, and it's like your own teenagers. They've got 549 00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:06,480 Speaker 1: to learn for themselves. You can only do so much. 550 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 1: I've seen it so many times. Thirty three years in 551 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:15,680 Speaker 1: married to the same woman, two adult children. Most of 552 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 1: the employees have been with him for twenty or more years, 553 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:22,680 Speaker 1: some of them from the earliest days. It's only a couple, 554 00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:26,720 Speaker 1: only a couple of business owners I've seen who keep 555 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:30,040 Speaker 1: people over twenty years in the hospitality business, which is 556 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:32,960 Speaker 1: the hardest, and that is Johnny Kraba, Happy birthday to 557 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:36,200 Speaker 1: Rosie Mama Rosie just turned. I'd better not say hurriage, 558 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:41,200 Speaker 1: but she turned. I think seventy this weekend. Johnny Garraba, 559 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:48,240 Speaker 1: Chris Pappas, Tillman Russell. And there's somebody else who keeps 560 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:50,440 Speaker 1: their employees a very, very long time. I'm trying to 561 00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:53,280 Speaker 1: remember who it was. I was just thinking of well, 562 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:54,720 Speaker 1: I'll think of it later and they'll be mad. I 563 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:57,240 Speaker 1: didn't think of their name. But that is a sign, 564 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:02,080 Speaker 1: you know, when somebody is a person who who everybody 565 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 1: you ever met with them? You go, how's old Bill? 566 00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 1: I don't talk to him anymore. He's awful. Oh okay, Uh, 567 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 1: how Susie. I'm not married to her anymore. She's a bitch? Okay, 568 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:14,840 Speaker 1: how so? And so I'm not talking you. You start 569 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:17,600 Speaker 1: noticing those people. I would like to do one segment. 570 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:20,200 Speaker 1: I want you to call in and if it's somebody 571 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:22,120 Speaker 1: you want to brag about, call them and tell them 572 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:24,920 Speaker 1: to call in. Don't be shy. And you've owned your 573 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:27,960 Speaker 1: business doesn't have to be hospitality for over twenty years. 574 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:30,640 Speaker 1: And I want you to think for a second one 575 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:34,040 Speaker 1: thing that is a key to your longevity, not just 576 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 1: what coused you to succeed in The beginning was what's 577 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 1: one fundamental youse stay true to seven one three nine 578 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 1: nine nine one thousand. Seven one three, nine, nine nine, 579 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 1: one thousand,