1 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:11,399 Speaker 1: It's that time, time, time, time, Luck and load of 2 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: Michael Vari's show is on the air. 3 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 2: On this the eve of D Day, and that will 4 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 2: be woven into the thread of tomorrow's show. It will 5 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 2: not be our sole focus, but it will be mentioned. 6 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 2: It's the eightieth anniversary. No, it's the eighty first. You know, 7 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 2: I still think of us being in twenty twenty four, 8 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 2: eighty first anniversary of DA Remember they had the big 9 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 2: deal last year. 10 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: Oh, I wish Trump had been president instead of Biden. 11 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 3: You remember last. 12 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 2: Year, remember Biden wandering around. It was embarrassing, it was horrible. 13 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 2: That's the day to honor valor and sacrifice and strength, 14 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 2: and instead we've got a narcissistic, demented, selfish, corrupt president 15 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 2: wandering around. This is what happens when people will do 16 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 2: anything to grab and hold power. 17 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: And that's what people did. 18 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 2: They used Joe Biden to grab the government, hold the power, 19 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 2: and steal as much money as they possibly could for themselves. 20 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 2: There's a story that came out of Houston a few 21 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 2: days ago. It's made big national news. I know this 22 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 2: because I've been contacted by nash Or news outlets. The 23 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 2: local Fox affiliate had the story. I think Fox National 24 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 2: had it as well. Kim Ogg, who was the district 25 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 2: attorney up until January this year. She's a Democrat and 26 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 2: we used to battle all the time. I would refer 27 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,839 Speaker 2: to her as boss Ogg. Her name is Clark boss Ogg, 28 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 2: because I felt like she was using too much of 29 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 2: her power in bad ways, mostly cases against cops that 30 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:31,640 Speaker 2: I didn't think the cops had done anything wrong and anyway, 31 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 2: so she she indicted the three top aides to the 32 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 2: county judge in Harris County, which is what the county 33 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 2: Houston's in. She indicted them for a bid rigging scheme. 34 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 2: And when she did that, and so when she did that, 35 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 2: she indicted these three Democrats. The county commissioner who runs 36 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 2: the county like a boss tweet, I mean this guy, 37 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 2: this guy has a grip on her count. 38 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: It's quite impressive. 39 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 2: Actually, the extent to which he calls the shots is 40 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 2: very impressive. It's evil, it's awful, but it's impressive. I admit, 41 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 2: you rarely see this. He bids people to his will. Anyway, 42 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 2: So he called out the dogs. She couldn't win her 43 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 2: own Democrat primary for re election because she had indicted 44 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 2: these three people or this bid rigging scheme and he 45 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 2: didn't want that done. Well, hell hath no fury like 46 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 2: a woman scorned. She is now out of office, and 47 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 2: she is now revealing things that she learned while district 48 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 2: attorney that are very disturbing, including that one of the 49 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 2: Venezuelan illegal aliens who married Joscelyn Nungeri accused in a 50 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 2: sexual assault case down in Costa Rica. 51 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 1: It's almost as if people. 52 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 2: Who commit sex crimes commit them again and again and again, which, 53 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 2: as you know, it's the highest recidivism rate of any crime. 54 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 2: It's not about the sex, it's about power and control, 55 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 2: and these people have an impulse control. These people have 56 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 2: real issues with it that they almost never overcome. 57 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 4: So you're saying, this isn't the first time that PEMA 58 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 4: has been accused. 59 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 1: Frae, that's correct. 60 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 5: To just know that this happened to another woman. It 61 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 5: hurts my heart, really, a piece of be shatters a 62 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:35,280 Speaker 5: little bit. 63 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:39,359 Speaker 4: June twenty twenty four, twelve year old Jocelyn Nungrea's body 64 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 4: was found in a byo on West Rincolin Road. Two 65 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 4: undocumented Venezuelan nationals, Johann Jose Martinez Ranguel and Franklin jose 66 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 4: Beanna Ramos are charged with capital murder, accused of sexually 67 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 4: assaulting then killing Jocelyn kem Ogg was the Harrison County 68 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 4: District Attorney at the time. Her office gathered the evidence 69 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 4: they needed to seek the penalty in the case, and 70 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 4: now she's revealing a key piece that helps secure that option. 71 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 6: What we learned during the course of the investigation was 72 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 6: that one of the suspects, Panya, had been involved in 73 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:16,719 Speaker 6: a prior sexual assault. 74 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,799 Speaker 4: She says, a victim from another state was attacked while 75 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:22,559 Speaker 4: on vacation before Jocelyn's killing. 76 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 6: It happened in Costa Rica. It happened to an American 77 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 6: citizen who came forward with that information after their pictures 78 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 6: were shown on national television. 79 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 5: I'm very glad that this young woman had the courage 80 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:41,039 Speaker 5: to come forward. 81 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:46,279 Speaker 4: That evidence specifically helped you make this determination for seeking death. 82 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 6: I believe it helped the entire committee make the determination. 83 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 4: Is this information that you had ever known or is 84 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 4: this new to you too? 85 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: This is definitely news to me. 86 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 5: I always felt in my heart that this was never 87 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,720 Speaker 5: their first time, especially Peya. 88 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 4: Why are you sharing this. 89 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 6: Now because I am very concerned about the decisions that 90 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 6: my successor district's attorney has been making. When she reported 91 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 6: it to the authorities in Costa Rica, they did nothing, 92 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 6: and so imagine the frustration of that individual. I do 93 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 6: not want that to be swept under the carpet. I 94 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 6: think it's important for the public to get to the 95 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:36,279 Speaker 6: final say do they deserve death for the rape and 96 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,840 Speaker 6: murder of Joscelyn or should they spend their life in 97 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 6: the penitentiary. What I don't want is some backdoor deal 98 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:48,559 Speaker 6: done in the quiet of the night and a long 99 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 6: time from now, once people have forgotten the horror of 100 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:53,279 Speaker 6: this case. 101 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 5: I see this as a reoccurring a reoffender scenario, and 102 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 5: because he wasn't held accountable for his actions when he 103 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 5: did this to this other young woman, he should be 104 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 5: held accountable for this young child whose life was taken. 105 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 2: You know, being a crime victim is in and of 106 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 2: itself very traumatic, and a family of a crime victim 107 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 2: who is murdered, you know, you can understand getting hit 108 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 2: by lightning or getting cancer. You don't like it still 109 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 2: just as dead, but you can understand it. But the 110 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 2: fact that someone would choose to end a life it's 111 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 2: just it's so senseless, it's so it's so counterintuitive, and 112 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 2: in that sense it makes it makes the grieving and 113 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 2: acceptance process so difficult that when you find a bastard 114 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 2: like this who does this, and you don't take it 115 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 2: seriously and you don't throw the. 116 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 1: Book at him. These people should live in fear. 117 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 2: Of these sorts of things, of the punishment for these 118 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 2: sorts of things. But we know they don't. Mercy to 119 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 2: the guilty is cruelty to the victory. Adam Smith and boys, 120 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 2: just as true today terms. 121 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: Says, they laugh, learn doing it big on the Michael 122 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 1: Barry Show. 123 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:33,240 Speaker 2: I often speak about the importance in. 124 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 3: Life to having mentors. 125 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 2: And I describe it as a man who was once 126 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 2: a boy in that and I often say that I 127 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 2: particularly believe that boys, as they grow into men, need mentors. 128 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:54,080 Speaker 2: And then as you get older, you still have mentors. 129 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 2: But sometimes those mentors are your peers, They're your same age, 130 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 2: they may be your same station in life. You hang out, 131 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 2: you may play poker, or shoot shotguns or go fishing together. 132 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 2: But in many ways you learn from them, you draw 133 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 2: from them, you seek to emulate them. I had a 134 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 2: Sunday school teacher tell me twenty five years ago that 135 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 2: if you want to know what you're going to be 136 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 2: in five years, look at the people around you. 137 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:24,319 Speaker 3: And my wife. 138 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 2: Heard me say that one day at home. I don't 139 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:29,079 Speaker 2: let her listen to the show because I wouldn't be 140 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:31,439 Speaker 2: able to talk about her. And she said, well, women 141 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 2: need mentors too, we just don't do it as well. 142 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 2: Women don't understand in the workplace. 143 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 3: In the home. 144 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 2: You know, women need mentors as well. They need people 145 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 2: to tell them. You know, as a mom, how do 146 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 2: you deal with you know, the demands of being a mom. 147 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 2: Mentors are important, and I preach on this frequently. I 148 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 2: jokingly use the term preach for those of you who 149 00:09:57,920 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 2: wonder if I think I'm a per pastor. I don't, 150 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 2: but I talk about this a lot because I think 151 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 2: it's very important and I have made it my business. 152 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 2: In fact, there was an article a woman who wrote 153 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 2: for a magazine was in Houston. Houston has a superior 154 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 2: cancer treatment center, and she was getting cancer treatment in Houston, 155 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 2: and she heard our show and she heard me talking 156 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 2: about the fact that my friends are not people who 157 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 2: live next door to me or who I happened to 158 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:28,680 Speaker 2: go to school with or who I happen to be 159 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 2: related to. I choose my friends, and I choose my 160 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 2: friends on the basis of people that I admire, that 161 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 2: I respect, and that I want to be like, who 162 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 2: I can learn from. And that's because you only have 163 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 2: so much time in life, and the time you spend, 164 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 2: even in recreation, can be time that makes you better 165 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 2: as a person. And so she wanted to write an 166 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:59,040 Speaker 2: article and did about what I called strategic friendships. And 167 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:02,679 Speaker 2: I realized that some people that sounds like a person 168 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 2: that is a schemer or whatever, it's not. There are 169 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 2: people you associate with because you sell products to their company, 170 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 2: but that's not your real friend. We use the term friend, 171 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 2: and social media has put that term into too. 172 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 3: Often a use. 173 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:19,839 Speaker 2: You know, how many You know, I don't have three 174 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty one thousand friends, which is what my 175 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:25,559 Speaker 2: old Facebook account has. You just have a few real friends, 176 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 2: people you trust, who trust you anyway. So I like 177 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 2: to share what I learn from these people i'm around. 178 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:37,079 Speaker 2: And I asked Russell Lebarro. I said, it's been a 179 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 2: while since you've been on the show, But every time 180 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 2: I talked to Russell Lebarro, and I have this problem 181 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:46,320 Speaker 2: with mattress Mac too. We tend to talk about things 182 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 2: we're doing for the community, Camp Hope needs money, or 183 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:52,080 Speaker 2: here's a great programmer, here's a great success with Camp Hope. 184 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 2: Thank you for doing that. And with Russell, it's every 185 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 2: cause we're involved with he's always he Connie Stagner at 186 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 2: Corey Diamonds. There's a few folks that just jump right in. 187 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 2: I don't have to ask twice. And I said to 188 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 2: him recently we were talking about site selection for restaurants 189 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 2: and his business acumen is amazing, and I said, you know, Russell, 190 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 2: I'd like to do an interview with you on air 191 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 2: where we talk about business, not service to the community, 192 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 2: not all the wonderful things you're doing. I think people 193 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 2: would really enjoy hearing your perspective because he's a very 194 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 2: very smart businessman, the way Tillman Furtita is, the way 195 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:36,199 Speaker 2: Jim mcnbell is is a very smart businessman. And I said, well, 196 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 2: you do me a favor and we do an interview 197 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 2: on that, and he said anytime. So now is that time. 198 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 2: I also want to say, as something that makes me 199 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 2: very happy, the folks at Oracle knew that we do 200 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 2: these business leader interviews and wanted to sponsor these interviews. 201 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:02,319 Speaker 3: And I'm all up for that. So I will tell. 202 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:04,319 Speaker 2: You because I believe it to be true that if 203 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 2: you got data all over the place at your company, 204 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 2: if you are a decision maker like a Russell Lebara, 205 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 2: and you're trying to decide, hey, we're gonna look at 206 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 2: opening a location. 207 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:18,680 Speaker 3: Let's say this may not be true, but I'm just 208 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 3: making it up. 209 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,719 Speaker 2: We're looking at open a location north of the Woodlands. 210 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 2: And he calls his team and says, I need data 211 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 2: on what our sales are at our location that's fifteen 212 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 2: miles away, and where the people are coming from, and 213 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 2: what their zip code is and how much they're spending 214 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,199 Speaker 2: in all that. If he's got to close, he's got 215 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 2: to get a contract on deal, he's got to make 216 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 2: a decision fast. And if he can't get that information fast, 217 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 2: he can't make a decision, a good decision based on data. 218 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:51,600 Speaker 2: Everything's data driven. Now that enables his company to be 219 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 2: efficient and effective. That's what NetSuite does. And you can 220 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 2: get the free CFO Guide to AI and Machine Learning 221 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 2: at NetSuite dot com. Slash my last name Barry NetSuite 222 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 2: dot com slash Barry. They're going to be sponsoring our 223 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 2: business interview whenever we do them. I love to do them. 224 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 2: I do them every day if I could, but I 225 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:18,839 Speaker 2: know at some point I got to talk about what's 226 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 2: in the news as well. But they love the fact 227 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 2: that we talk about the secret sauce behind the success 228 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 2: of businesses. And they have a program called Success from Scratch, 229 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 2: and they asked if they could sponsor it, and I said, yep. 230 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 2: In fact, I got one coming up with Russell Ibarra. 231 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 2: So if you want, and I hope you do, the 232 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 2: Chief Financial Officer's Guide to AI and Machine Learning, go 233 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 2: to NetSuite dot com, slash Barry. My last name, Russell Abara. 234 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 2: It is an honor to have you back on the show. 235 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 2: I want to talk, as I said, business principles and 236 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 2: the success you've had in business and how you make 237 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 2: those decisions regarding most every aspect of your career. But 238 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 2: I have to ask you, if I had asked you 239 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 2: when you were ten years old, what do you want 240 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 2: to do when you are the age that you are 241 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 2: right now, which I think is sixty three? 242 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 3: Is that right? 243 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 7: That's correct? 244 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 2: If i'd asked you at ten or twelve. Would you 245 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 2: have said a drummer in a band, a professional baseball player, 246 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 2: because I know you were good at both of those things, 247 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 2: or what what would you have said you were going 248 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 2: to do? 249 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 7: You left out Elvis Presley? I want to be a Presley. 250 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, good call all the above. 251 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 7: Yes. But you know, I was fortunate to grow up 252 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 7: in the presence of a dreamer and an entrepreneur and 253 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 7: my father who had started a restaurant chain in the 254 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 7: early sixties, and so just being exposed to his way 255 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 7: of thinking helped start developing my way of thinking. And 256 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 7: I would like to think that I evolved. You know 257 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 7: you every generation should to get better than the previous, 258 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 7: and I think I've done that because I've always kept 259 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 7: an open mind two new ideas wherever they come from. 260 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 7: I don't have to be the one that comes up 261 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 7: with an idea, but my team and I we come 262 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 7: up with some great ideas because we really do brainstorm 263 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 7: and come out with the best of the outcome. Say right, 264 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 7: whatever we're doing. 265 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 2: Our conversation with Russell Ibara, the master Enchilada roller at 266 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 2: gringostexmex dot com, Gringos text Mechs and Jimmy Changa's and 267 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 2: a whole lot. 268 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 8: Of money, HIV spooky VAGINOSI Michael Ferry Sinning with your 269 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 8: naked bod is evil and atrocious. 270 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 3: Rustle Lebara is our guest. 271 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 9: Let's follow up on what you were talking about with 272 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 9: regard to I forget how you said it, but I 273 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:55,840 Speaker 9: heard Bill White, who I ran against for mayor back 274 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 9: in two thousand and three. 275 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 2: He was the first person I heard use this phrase. 276 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 2: You can get a lot more done when there's no 277 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:05,479 Speaker 2: pride of authorship, When you don't need to be the 278 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:09,639 Speaker 2: one that gets the credit, your team will be more effective. 279 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:11,960 Speaker 2: And I have found that to be true in so 280 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 2: many ways. How did you say you learned that lesson 281 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:18,119 Speaker 2: who did you learn that from? 282 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:23,359 Speaker 7: Well, just one small example. When I was younger running 283 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:26,879 Speaker 7: El Matador Food, the frtiaf factory that my family owns today, 284 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:31,840 Speaker 7: I remember that there was one particular employee working on 285 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:34,880 Speaker 7: the production floor and he was doing something he shouldn't 286 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:36,919 Speaker 7: have been doing, and I wanted to catch him. So 287 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 7: I came in one morning, really early, around five o'clock 288 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:43,679 Speaker 7: in the morning, just to catch him during production. And 289 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 7: I caught him, and I presented the problem to my 290 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:53,439 Speaker 7: father who told me, hey, you can terminate him, but 291 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:56,119 Speaker 7: just be sure and find his replacement. And that was 292 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 7: going to be the hardest part of that entire equation. There, 293 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:00,399 Speaker 7: there's just no way I was going to be able to. 294 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 7: So in business you have to really stand back and 295 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 7: always looked at the larger picture and house one decision 296 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 7: is going to impact the entire organization, and a lot 297 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:13,879 Speaker 7: of times it's not your way. It's really the best 298 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 7: way in terms of you know, what is the best 299 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 7: outcome for the company, and if you can approach approach 300 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:22,119 Speaker 7: it that way, you'll come out a lot better. You know. 301 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:26,880 Speaker 7: There was a Instagram post that I just saw recently. 302 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:30,919 Speaker 7: It's this owner of I want to say, seven different 303 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:35,679 Speaker 7: restaurants in the California area at Los Angeles area, and 304 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:38,400 Speaker 7: he was talking about one of his locations where he's 305 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:41,400 Speaker 7: been in business since two thousand and one, so he's 306 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 7: at the time he posted this, twenty three years in 307 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 7: business and over the twenty three years he's had fifteen 308 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:53,639 Speaker 7: general managers. Well, that told me a lot, told me 309 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 7: almost everything I need to know about this individual. Because Gringos, 310 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 7: the original Gringos, has been in business thirty two years 311 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,680 Speaker 7: and We've only had four general managers, and the three 312 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 7: that are no longer general managers have only moved up 313 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 7: to the company, not moved out. And that's the kind 314 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 7: of things that are red flags for me when there's 315 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:18,680 Speaker 7: high turnover. There was this other gentleman years ago and 316 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 7: we had the Burritos franchise. I received a letter from 317 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 7: a window washer, someone that actually cleaned his windows there 318 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 7: at the restaurant, and he sent me a letter complaining 319 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 7: about this franchise e. And I'm thinking to myself, how 320 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 7: bad of a person do you have to be where 321 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 7: you can actually stop a window washer from his daily 322 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:47,120 Speaker 7: activities to write a letter to complain about someone. I mean, 323 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:49,679 Speaker 7: you have to really be a certain type of individual. 324 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:54,200 Speaker 7: So at the end of the day, we are again, 325 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:58,119 Speaker 7: we're a people business. We deal with our customers are people, 326 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 7: and our staff for people, and so they have to 327 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,879 Speaker 7: be our priority and how we approach everything we do 328 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:06,119 Speaker 7: in business. Everything. 329 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 2: The problem with talking to you is that halfway through 330 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:17,359 Speaker 2: your answers, it raises fifty more questions that fascinate me 331 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 2: and made me want to answer them. I learned so 332 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:24,400 Speaker 2: much from this dude. This is what it's like when 333 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 2: we hang out. He's not a big drinker. He'll have 334 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:33,640 Speaker 2: one beer. He's the consummate moderation except in moderation. 335 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 3: Person. 336 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 2: But I just asked him questions because I learned so much. 337 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:42,240 Speaker 2: Let's go through your life. Some people I've talked about 338 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 2: your bio. Let's quickly go through your life so people 339 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 2: kind of understand where you are. And I'm not speaking 340 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 2: ill of you. Some people won't understand this. You've had 341 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:56,119 Speaker 2: failures that are terrible failures that most people would hide from, 342 00:20:56,680 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 2: and instead you embrace them. You talk about it, you 343 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 2: brag about him because from those failures you have succeeded. 344 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 2: But let's start step by step to and just take 345 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:11,480 Speaker 2: one point at the time and I'll speak to get 346 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 2: you to the next one. Kind of where you were 347 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,399 Speaker 2: born in real quick answers, because I think your story, 348 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:19,920 Speaker 2: your your timeline is fascinating. So where were you born? 349 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 7: I was born in Pasadena, Texas, grew up in Laporte. 350 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 3: Family size. 351 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 7: I have six brothers and one sister. 352 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:34,840 Speaker 2: Your place in the number three, I'm number three, Yeah, 353 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:37,679 Speaker 2: which was a great spot, by the way, and was 354 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:39,639 Speaker 2: a great spot the quick story only because I only 355 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 2: have so much time and there's so many things I 356 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:43,200 Speaker 2: want to get to with you on the reason your 357 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:45,439 Speaker 2: father went into the restaurant business, because this is a 358 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 2: great one. 359 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 7: So my father when he was a young tea, well 360 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:53,240 Speaker 7: let's go back a little further when his parents, his 361 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:55,760 Speaker 7: parents divorced when he was three. He was dropped off 362 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 7: at his grandmother's house by his mother to live there permanently. 363 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:02,400 Speaker 7: So it was very shocking to a little five year old, 364 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:06,159 Speaker 7: as you can imagine. And so he had plenty of 365 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,399 Speaker 7: aunts and uncles to help raise him, which thankfully they did. 366 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:14,520 Speaker 7: And when he graduated from high school, he sold batteries, 367 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 7: but he knew that wasn't going to pay the bills, 368 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 7: and so he opened up a restaurant in the port 369 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 7: called Laporte Mexican Food, that's all it was called. But 370 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:26,960 Speaker 7: in junior high he had broke his arm. And the 371 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 7: reason they opened up a business because it had never 372 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:32,160 Speaker 7: held back properly and he could never pass a physical 373 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:34,639 Speaker 7: to get a job with the city or the county 374 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:38,879 Speaker 7: or wherever he was applying. So that kind of forced 375 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 7: him into becoming a business person. But he had to 376 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 7: drive like no other and definitely a visionary because he 377 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:49,199 Speaker 7: was doing things back in the seventies, way before Google. 378 00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:52,720 Speaker 7: That amazed me even today, the fact that he had 379 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:55,479 Speaker 7: a central kitchen set up. He had these huge sixty 380 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 7: gallon pressure cookers growing pressure cookers to do gravy in 381 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:03,119 Speaker 7: and refried beans and taco beet and what have you. 382 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:07,320 Speaker 7: And he even went to Mexico wants to buy an 383 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:10,719 Speaker 7: avocado farm, only to learn that you couldn't import avocados 384 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:13,280 Speaker 7: at the time, so that killed that. And I remember 385 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 7: pulling up to a halopanio pickling plant there and outside 386 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:22,240 Speaker 7: of Monterey, Mexico, because he was interested in buying this plant, 387 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:25,920 Speaker 7: this halopanio pickling plant, and that would have been an 388 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:29,240 Speaker 7: incredible investment. But I don't know what happened there. But anyway, 389 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:32,280 Speaker 7: he partnered with his brother in law and them two 390 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:35,959 Speaker 7: together grew altrolled to as many as eight locations at 391 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 7: one time, and then the sisters could not get along, 392 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 7: so they ended up. My father bought his brother in 393 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:49,240 Speaker 7: law out, and then the two of them individually could 394 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:52,439 Speaker 7: not do well in operations or in business in general. 395 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:56,280 Speaker 7: They were really a team. So that was something that 396 00:23:56,480 --> 00:24:01,480 Speaker 7: I recognized early on. But my father was fortunate that 397 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:05,399 Speaker 7: his oldest sons were graduating from high school and they 398 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:08,919 Speaker 7: came on board to start helping him try to not 399 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 7: only run but grow the restaurant chain, the Ultroll chain. 400 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 7: But only my father's last three restaurants that he opened 401 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 7: and he ended up closing, and one of them was 402 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 7: the Greenos, the original Gringoes in Pentland, which I took 403 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 7: over in nineteen ninety three. But myself, I mean, I 404 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 7: was a C student in school, and I always tell 405 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 7: people when I say I was a C student, I'm 406 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:35,239 Speaker 7: bragging because it was worse than that, and I did 407 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:37,480 Speaker 7: not go to college. I got married very very young, 408 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:39,919 Speaker 7: and fortunately I had a good set of eyeball as 409 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 7: my wife is as beautiful as the day we were married. 410 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 7: And I had a drive in me to succeed, and 411 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,360 Speaker 7: I tried a lot of things in my twenties, from 412 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:54,640 Speaker 7: selling satellite dishes to selling sports cars and some other things. 413 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 7: I even ran an ad, believe or not, on the 414 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 7: back of the Star tabloid magazine, trying to sell these 415 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:06,200 Speaker 7: these little chain alarm it something sounds funny, but I did. 416 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:09,000 Speaker 7: I muster to follow the money I needed to run 417 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:11,360 Speaker 7: one ad, and I actually sold quite a few of them, 418 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:12,159 Speaker 7: but one up. 419 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:15,360 Speaker 3: Russell Lebara of Gringos Texts is our guest. 420 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:21,240 Speaker 8: More complete, allow me to introduce myself. 421 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 7: My name is Mitter, Michael Berry, Genius. 422 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 2: Russell Lebara, the owner of Gringos texmex dot com and 423 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:31,919 Speaker 2: Jimmy Changa's and a lot of other things. 424 00:25:32,359 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 3: Is our guests. 425 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 2: I want to thank Oracle. 426 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: They have a They have a. 427 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:44,560 Speaker 2: Program called NetSuite and you can get the Chief Financial 428 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:48,960 Speaker 2: Officer the cfo's Guide to AI n Machine Learning at 429 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 2: NetSuite dot com forward slash Michael. They wanted to sponsor 430 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 2: our interviews we do with business owners, and I thought 431 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 2: that was a great idea, so you can get that 432 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:05,880 Speaker 2: at NetSuite dot com slash Barry. Did I say Michael 433 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 2: Barry my last name? NetSuite dot com forward slash Barry, 434 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:19,560 Speaker 2: Russell Ebara. We're talking about his business and how he 435 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 2: arrived where he is and how he makes decisions and 436 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:23,639 Speaker 2: what we can all learn from that, whether we own 437 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:25,720 Speaker 2: a business or not. It might be running your household. 438 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 2: You were talking about your father's physical impairment that prevented 439 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:32,919 Speaker 2: him from going to the army and doing a lot 440 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:36,760 Speaker 2: of other things, and that closed a door and another 441 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:41,439 Speaker 2: door opened, and that was entrepreneurship. You had the virtue 442 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 2: of growing up watching your father's success with El Toro 443 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:49,720 Speaker 2: and El Mattador, and he didn't have that. Where did 444 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 2: he develop the savvy to be so successful to build 445 00:26:56,280 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 2: to build this restaurant empire. 446 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:01,720 Speaker 7: That's a great question, I mean, other than he partnered 447 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:07,639 Speaker 7: with so his chef that he hired around nineteen sixty 448 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 7: three was a gentleman named Juan Martinez. We called him 449 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:13,719 Speaker 7: mister John. And if he saw him, you could understand 450 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:15,359 Speaker 7: why he was in the restaurant business or he was 451 00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:18,840 Speaker 7: a chef. He was a large man, and he just 452 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:23,240 Speaker 7: had a unique palette for foods and was an excellent chef. 453 00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 7: And I got exposed to that as well, and one 454 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:29,679 Speaker 7: of those being that mister John only used the highest 455 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 7: quality ingredients that craft foods are served at the time 456 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 7: or sold at the time, and so being exposed to 457 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:38,000 Speaker 7: that really helped shape a lot of what we do 458 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:43,680 Speaker 7: at Gringos today. But again, even one of the things 459 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:46,679 Speaker 7: that I did in the early eighties was started a 460 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:50,320 Speaker 7: tortilla factory because of my father's equipment that he had 461 00:27:50,359 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 7: there at his commissary. He had a corned to tea line, 462 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:55,440 Speaker 7: and he had a flower tortia line, and so I 463 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:59,679 Speaker 7: would go out selling tortillas to any Mexican restaurant that 464 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 7: we to buy them, and I ran into one problem 465 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 7: was that I called it guilt by association. Anytime that 466 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 7: a potential client would consider buying tortise for me if 467 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 7: they found out that my family had restaurants, because I 468 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 7: operated under a different name, it was Il Matador, and 469 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 7: so if they found out that my family also had restaurants, 470 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:22,680 Speaker 7: they would stop buying from me. So that was a 471 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:26,240 Speaker 7: little frustrating. But one of the bigger lessons that I 472 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:29,560 Speaker 7: learned running L Matador was a lot of the equipment 473 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:32,159 Speaker 7: my father had. It was very old equipment and I 474 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:35,680 Speaker 7: could not produce a consistent product out of it. And 475 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:37,879 Speaker 7: one of the accounts that I picked up in the 476 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:41,160 Speaker 7: late eighties was Cassole. I was selling costa A all 477 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 7: of their flower tortillas. Larry Poorhan was kind enough to 478 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 7: give me an opportunity, but I did something very stupid 479 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 7: and there was definitely come back and bite me, and 480 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:53,840 Speaker 7: that was when I ran samples to his offices. I 481 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:57,400 Speaker 7: hand selected the product. I mean I literally hand selected 482 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 7: to be even the best of the best, right, But 483 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:00,960 Speaker 7: that was I want to catch up with me sooner 484 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:02,480 Speaker 7: or later, and it did now I ended up losing 485 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 7: the account. So when I opened up Gringos in a 486 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 7: building that my father had owned and had already been 487 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:14,000 Speaker 7: four other restaurants, I was very paranoid about consistency. I 488 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 7: borrow some ideas from Consolay. They pack all of their 489 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 7: spices and UH and and pre portioned all their spices 490 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:25,480 Speaker 7: for batch cooking, so that would ensure a consistent product 491 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 7: from batch to batch, location to location, and and I 492 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 7: did everything in my power to make sure no matter 493 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 7: what we served it was consistent and truet Kathy with 494 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:37,880 Speaker 7: Chick fil A says that you can you can serve 495 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 7: a terrible cup of coffee, just be sure and serve 496 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:42,480 Speaker 7: it that way each and every time. So that's the 497 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 7: kind of that's the kind of approach that we've taken 498 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:46,719 Speaker 7: at Gringos, that no matter what we serve, let's make 499 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 7: sure it's consistent. And so there are a lot of 500 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:51,360 Speaker 7: systems and procedures that we have to put in place 501 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:54,560 Speaker 7: and uh and that's all we ever talk about, is 502 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:57,040 Speaker 7: how if we're going to roll out a new menu item, 503 00:29:57,480 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 7: how are we going to do it to ensure consistency 504 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 7: across all twenty three restaurants. 505 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:05,800 Speaker 2: I owe you a debt of gratitude for the fact 506 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:11,440 Speaker 2: that I did this exact interview with Larry foehand fifteen 507 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 2: years ago, maybe longer, and you set that up because 508 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:17,560 Speaker 2: of a friendship you' all developed, not as competitors, but 509 00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:21,280 Speaker 2: of peers in a similar industry. 510 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:23,320 Speaker 3: I don't know if I ever told you, but. 511 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 2: Casso Olay was in Orange and Casa Olay was the 512 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 2: fast fanciest restaurant in Orange when I grew up, like 513 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:33,080 Speaker 2: it was a special occasion if you went to Casa Ola, 514 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:38,320 Speaker 2: Casa Ola for an occasion like that was a big deal. 515 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 2: Later in the career, in the lifespan of that business, 516 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 2: it wasn't that. But at that time, boy, that was 517 00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 2: that was really fancy, all right. So take us to 518 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:51,040 Speaker 2: the next step in your life's journey. 519 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:56,560 Speaker 7: Well, you know, after when I first opened Grengos in 520 00:30:57,040 --> 00:30:59,680 Speaker 7: which we just celebrated thirty two years this past Saturday, January, 521 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 7: the life and when we open in ninety three, knowing 522 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:06,280 Speaker 7: the history of that building, it forced me to have 523 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:09,200 Speaker 7: a paradigm shift and that I was no longer focused 524 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:11,480 Speaker 7: on making money, and I'm still not even focused on 525 00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:14,640 Speaker 7: making money today. That's my that's not my primary focus. 526 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:19,720 Speaker 7: It's about delivering a quality product, a good value, a 527 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 7: fair value, and then taking care of everyone that touches 528 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 7: that product, meaning our guest, our staff, the community, everyone 529 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 7: that supports us, because without them, we're just the building 530 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:33,960 Speaker 7: at the end of the day. But it's the people 531 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:37,960 Speaker 7: in the building that makes it successful. So I've always 532 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 7: just wanted to focus on what matters the most, and 533 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:44,600 Speaker 7: you know, and be consistent with that. I mean, you 534 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:47,320 Speaker 7: know a lot of people they change over time when 535 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 7: they become successful. But I would like to believe that 536 00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:53,720 Speaker 7: I'm the same person from the in terms of how 537 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:58,000 Speaker 7: I treat others. You know, from day one, I haven't 538 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:00,239 Speaker 7: changed as an individual. If anything, I would I can 539 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:01,960 Speaker 7: think I've improved in lots of works. 540 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:03,280 Speaker 3: I was going to say, I think you have changed. 541 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:07,240 Speaker 2: You've changed in the time i've known you, because you've 542 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:11,400 Speaker 2: grown older, you've grown wiser, your family has expanded, which 543 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:13,920 Speaker 2: I think also changed you for the better in the 544 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 2: way that family changed me for the better. And I 545 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:21,080 Speaker 2: also think you have watching you and I've learned a 546 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:25,360 Speaker 2: lot from this. You have come to understand your responsibility 547 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:29,520 Speaker 2: to the community, to your employees, to your family, and 548 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:32,120 Speaker 2: how much is expected of you. And that is way 549 00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 2: more than maybe is the standard or the typical or 550 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:37,960 Speaker 2: what we see from other people, but that your your 551 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:41,400 Speaker 2: standard should be high. So, yeah, you have changed, but 552 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:45,000 Speaker 2: I see that as as continual improvement, which I hope, 553 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:46,840 Speaker 2: I hope I'm able to do that. All right, So 554 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:47,960 Speaker 2: take us to the next phase. 555 00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:52,000 Speaker 7: Oh, well, the net was well, I'm building the team. 556 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 7: I mean, that's been a huge component of our success. 557 00:32:56,320 --> 00:32:59,720 Speaker 7: My first team member that I hired was Ugold Vera, 558 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:03,240 Speaker 7: nicknamed those cab Ayeles because he did the work of 559 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 7: two men. And Ugo is still with me today thirty 560 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:11,920 Speaker 7: two years later. And then John Fernandez was the second 561 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:15,160 Speaker 7: piece of the puzzle that I hired, coming up on 562 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:18,440 Speaker 7: thirty years is coming June, which is incredible. And then 563 00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:22,160 Speaker 7: Jonathan Kim, the president of the company, is this coming June, 564 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:27,959 Speaker 7: will be twenty five years and I'm just that that obviously, 565 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 7: it makes me more proud than anything that these individuals 566 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:34,520 Speaker 7: have been with me that many years. I mean, Heather McKinnon, 567 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:37,960 Speaker 7: she started eighteen years old. She's centrve a mid forties 568 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:42,120 Speaker 7: and she sees our COEO. And you know, I can 569 00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 7: go on and on, Matt Bousha, Danny Hanks, all these guys, 570 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:49,600 Speaker 7: and I guess what makes me proud about it is 571 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:52,479 Speaker 7: that I know that the company that we have built, 572 00:33:52,800 --> 00:33:56,200 Speaker 7: our team is built over the years, can continue way 573 00:33:56,280 --> 00:33:58,840 Speaker 7: after I'm going from misso Earth and with the same 574 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:04,600 Speaker 7: same vision and focus. And it's funny because we talk 575 00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:08,040 Speaker 7: about all of these other brands that started, let's say 576 00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:08,840 Speaker 7: in the late eighties. 577 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:12,080 Speaker 2: U these wells Lebrons hold right there, these hold right there. 578 00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:16,759 Speaker 2: I'm up against a break, my momm