1 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:14,320 Speaker 1: My fiance sent me a clip of John bon Jovie 2 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: singing at a concert. It did not sound like him, 3 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 1: like when a woman needs to know when to hang 4 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: up her thongb Can bon Jovi not sing anymore? Or 5 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: was it just a bad thing because he's not really 6 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: that old? So like when does somebody fold it up 7 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:32,520 Speaker 1: and just be like okay if if I don't sound 8 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 1: the same, or is it just another iteration and it's 9 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: camping and you're just seeing the person? What is what's 10 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:41,599 Speaker 1: the expiration date on somebody? Like when do you say, Okay, 11 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:44,919 Speaker 1: the table ain't cold, I'm walking out of here. You're 12 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 1: not grabbing every last dollar. But I just want to 13 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: know did anyone else hear about that? Because my fiance 14 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: sent me a video of bon bon Jovi and he 15 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: was singing a song that like we all no, I 16 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: can't remember which one it was, And I was like, 17 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:58,320 Speaker 1: who is what song is that? He said, It's not 18 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,040 Speaker 1: like shot? Is it Shot to the Heart? One of 19 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: the songs that I think we all know. My guest 20 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 1: today is Ukrainian ballroom dancer Max Schmerkovski. Before Russia invaded 21 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: Ukraine on February, Max was best known for his work 22 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: on Dancing with the Stars, but when he escaped Ukraine, 23 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,120 Speaker 1: the world came to know him as an advocate. He 24 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: stepped forward to share what is really happening in Ukraine 25 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: and what it felt like during the invasion, so that 26 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 1: we could all understand the magnitude of this crisis and 27 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: take action. His story is inspiring and a reminder that 28 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,759 Speaker 1: there's so much more work left to be done in Ukraine. 29 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: Here's our conversation. How are you? How are you? I'm well, 30 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: it's so funny to um have reconnected with you. I 31 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: don't years ago. I think he did my talk show. 32 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 1: But how do we know each other? To begin with? 33 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: Is that how we first met? I don't I really 34 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: know you. I don't remember how we met, but I 35 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: think you did the show, right, I honestly, I don't remember, 36 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 1: to be honest, and I thought about it. I'm like, yeah, 37 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: I know you very well. I speak of you on 38 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 1: the first name basis. I have no idea why and uh, 39 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: and I feel like we keep doing stuff together, but 40 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: never really you know, we always kind of brush it 41 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 1: off to like when we have time, we'll hang out 42 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 1: and all that, but normally we just kind of like, UM, 43 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: I don't know. I speak very highly of you. I 44 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: think you are you know, great, uh, you know, entrepreneur. 45 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: I look up to you know, success of people and yours. 46 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: I remember for some reason that you know, it's one 47 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: of those successes that I that I looked at and 48 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: I was like, yeah, this is this is very attainable. 49 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,959 Speaker 1: This is something that you know, industry can provide that. 50 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:56,080 Speaker 1: You know, I'm in the right place at the right time, 51 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 1: around the right people, and you're people. So I don't 52 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 1: you know, it's just like as far as what you asked, uh, 53 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: you know, kind of like, well, we think of each other, 54 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: we know each other. That's what I kind of feel like, I, 55 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: you know, know about you. Well, I've always liked you. 56 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: I respected you and your brother, and uh, I know 57 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: many of the people that are on this show, and 58 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:20,519 Speaker 1: it is a lot about people an attainable success. So 59 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 1: I'm glad you brought that up. But I don't really 60 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: many of my friends have come on and very successful 61 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: people like Mark Cuban or um Nar Cheryl Sandberg, and 62 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:33,360 Speaker 1: I didn't know that much about them until we have 63 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: these deeper conversations. So I want to talk to you 64 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,839 Speaker 1: about your trajectory because we were friendly a long time 65 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: ago and we both moved on in our personal lives 66 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: and professional lives. And I don't know exactly what you've 67 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: been up to and what your journey is like you 68 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: lived in New Jersey and now you live in l 69 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: a full time. Yes, I do. Okay. So when you 70 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: were dancing on Dancing with the Stars, were you living 71 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: where were you living as your primary residence New Jersey? 72 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: I was unfortly you are unfortly okay. Um, And do 73 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: you consider where do you do you feel like Ukraine's home? 74 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: Is that really where your heart is that? Do you 75 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: have you? Or? And then in the United States is 76 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: it more East Coast or West coast? Like where how 77 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: do you feel inside? Yeah? Is I feel it inside? 78 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: And I feel like it comes out more so than 79 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 1: anything else. Is just Brooklyn? You know, it's not you know, 80 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:31,479 Speaker 1: it's not a cute thing to say. Um. You know, 81 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 1: Val and I talked about this all the time, like 82 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 1: when you know king stuff like you listen, I'm not 83 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: you know, I'm not, admittedly, but I did grow up 84 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: in Brooklyn. That's my first sort of moment of entry 85 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 1: into United States. And by that it's a huge point 86 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:51,480 Speaker 1: in my life. UM. And and to answer your question 87 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 1: as far as when my heart is Ukraine and all 88 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: that Ukraine is like you know, and I said it somewhat, 89 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: Ukraine is like the parent that gave me up for adoption, 90 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:04,840 Speaker 1: you know. And and at fourteen years old, when I'm 91 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: leaving you know, my hometown, my birthplace, we up and 92 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 1: we left. We were never coming back. It wasn't like, hey, 93 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: let's go move for a minute. Um. No, we were 94 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 1: going away. Uh. And when we landed, it was sort 95 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 1: of like the family kind of like model for us 96 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 1: to just like, Okay, here we are. We're now making 97 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: it here. This is not what it is, that's not 98 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: where we are. So I took it as such. I 99 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: fell in love with the place. Obviously, there's a lot 100 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:37,840 Speaker 1: to fall in love with New York. In New York 101 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: City and you know nearby areas. UM had a lot 102 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 1: of culture growing up. We landed in ninety four, so 103 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: the second part of the nineties was like the renaissance 104 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: in New York City was continuing, you know. And so 105 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: I got a whiff of that. UM graduated Brooklyn High School, 106 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:03,359 Speaker 1: edward our model all the way went to Pace university, um, 107 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: you know, did the things that New Yorkers do, and 108 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 1: after a year dropped out because I had a business. 109 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 1: I opened my dance studio in New Jersey and they 110 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:16,039 Speaker 1: were just completely interfere with my business and my dance 111 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:18,919 Speaker 1: career and all of that stuff. So I came to 112 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 1: university said to my I remember it was like accounting 113 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: one on one and the guy came in and said, listen, 114 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:26,600 Speaker 1: you got a value of time and it was like 115 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: the first class of the second year. And I was like, damn, man, 116 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 1: I'm I'm in a wrong place, like I should. I 117 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:36,720 Speaker 1: just I need to be paying more attention to my 118 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 1: career as a dancer and my business as a dancing 119 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: shot too interesting. It's funny that you said that you 120 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 1: feel most connected to Brooklyn, because it is there is 121 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 1: a soulful immigrant pride in broke places like Brooklyn, like 122 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 1: the Lower eas Side of Manhattan, and there's a texture. 123 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,719 Speaker 1: I've been watching Boardwalk Empire recently, and there's a texture 124 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: to places like this that is hard to really explain 125 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:06,919 Speaker 1: to people who didn't I grew up going to Brooklyn 126 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:11,119 Speaker 1: and Queens and it's just they're very multicultural melting pots. 127 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: So there's so much passion and soul and striving and 128 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 1: coming from nothing and making something. So you know that 129 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: that that definitely makes sense with you. The Constitution and 130 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 1: your pride as a man, as a person, as a 131 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: you know, an American man like you definitely have that background. 132 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: I can I can feel that texture. I think that's 133 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: very interesting and Brooklyn is very much that. Um So, 134 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: did you grow up poor, lower middle class? Middle class? 135 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 1: What was your family background? Proud right away to take 136 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 1: that probably lower middle Uh no, and I'm not knocking 137 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: the ones that didn't grow up poor, you know. Is 138 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: if we're just gonna break it down, just feel like 139 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 1: we all have different opportunities. You know. I had an 140 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: opportunity to, you know, to learn the language in a 141 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 1: certain way, you know, to get woven into the um 142 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: the life of the United States as a country a 143 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: certain way. You know. I got to I got to 144 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: travel regardless of my financial status, which is a big 145 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: deal because we consider travel to be vacation. Um I 146 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: was traveling for my career as a professional dancer, you know, 147 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: And so very shortly after lending us literally a week later, 148 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:36,440 Speaker 1: my dad parents decided that, um it is very important 149 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: for the fourteen year old me to continue dancing and 150 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: for the eight year old vow to step and start 151 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 1: doing dancing as well, because that was the plan anyway, 152 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: you know. And so this is what this is where 153 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 1: the fish are anchored. Me down. I'm gonna speak for 154 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 1: me alone. You know. It was eight year difference, sorry, 155 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 1: six year difference with Valve, you know value. You know 156 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:03,319 Speaker 1: I'm too, but you know us a little bit differently, 157 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 1: and you know, we have a lot of similarities, but 158 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: some things are bound to be different. You know. I 159 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 1: experienced it. I experienced immigration as a teenager going into 160 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:17,679 Speaker 1: sort of the years, right, um. But you know the 161 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: thing is that I immediately moved on, right, so that 162 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: the analogy of Ukraine being my birth mother who gave 163 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:30,600 Speaker 1: me up for adoption, US welcomed me, and I moved 164 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 1: on immediately, you know. And so I proudly represented US 165 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:40,199 Speaker 1: from day one as a competitor. And now I'm flying overseas, 166 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: now I'm representing a country. This was also the first 167 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 1: time I got to do that, not because I didn't. 168 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 1: I would not have gotten to do that in Ukraine, 169 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 1: by the way, we don't know, um, But if I 170 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 1: were to continue dancing I would have probably you know, 171 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 1: fought for the same, but I felt like it was 172 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 1: a big deal bestowed on me, you know, myself and value. 173 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:04,439 Speaker 1: We wrapped hard immediately, and so and wait, you were 174 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 1: that you were that good, like in all of Ukraine 175 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 1: for your age, you were that good. Like you were 176 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:13,319 Speaker 1: you would be ranked in the top you know tier 177 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 1: like that. You were like you know, the Olympic athletes 178 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: of dancing at that time, that we're just very good. 179 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: But that's a big deal in the US. I was 180 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: not very good in Ukraine, but I was great in 181 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 1: US because in the US it was just the beginning 182 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: stages of the teens and the youth as we know 183 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: it now, you know, and today obviously we're Dancing with 184 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 1: the Stars as a concept that came on television and 185 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: mid two thousand's thousands five, you know, we had a 186 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 1: big renaissance or ballroom in the United States, Like what 187 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:48,439 Speaker 1: is this? What do these people do? Like what do 188 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 1: you mean? You know, I'm a US national champion, my 189 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: brothers a seventeen time US champion, World champions, you know, 190 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:00,319 Speaker 1: all of these sort of like things started to come 191 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 1: up and people realize it's a huge industry. You know 192 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 1: that we didn't know about. So, you know, I was 193 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:11,439 Speaker 1: given this incredible opportunity. Came from Ukraine. I didn't speak 194 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 1: the language, but had a skill dancing when I was four, 195 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 1: Like I said, fourteen, I was not very good in 196 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: Ukraine's standards. Everyone danced very hard. Competitive career too, you know, 197 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 1: to follow. But I would have done it, but I 198 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 1: got I was I had a different you know, I 199 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 1: had a different path. Nice. Wow, Okay, well that's interesting. 200 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 1: That's like when people go over to you know, play 201 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 1: basketball and Israel or something. It's it's true, and then 202 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 1: come and then come back and actually do because what 203 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: happened is us in the way that it was at 204 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 1: the time and the confidence that it was given us 205 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 1: because the pool of competitors was much smaller. We were 206 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 1: building the industry. We were then going out and representing 207 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:02,640 Speaker 1: us of the world, and we were doing amazing things. Well, 208 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: that's interesting you're saying. If that's an interesting just note 209 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,600 Speaker 1: for people you're if you're in a cea of a 210 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: bunch of people like you that are doing what you're 211 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 1: you know you're doing, and you don't seem like you're 212 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 1: shining to go be a big fish in a small pond. 213 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 1: Then come back to the big pond. You might have 214 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: a different bravado, a different confidence, a different skill set 215 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: where maybe maybe even your your charm or your personality 216 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 1: comes through or some other thing comes through, so you 217 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 1: could succeed back somewhere where you were just flat. I 218 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:31,680 Speaker 1: mean they were jumping. But you know, as a young 219 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:34,160 Speaker 1: father to a five year old, now, you know, I 220 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:36,319 Speaker 1: think about this all at the time. What skills set, 221 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: how do I use it? How what do I give him? 222 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 1: You know, how do I boost his confidence? And then 223 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 1: I get stuck on that boost his confidence. I'm like, 224 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 1: you know, I my confidence was boosted when I moved 225 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:52,079 Speaker 1: to us, and all of a sudden, dance became my 226 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:55,440 Speaker 1: you know, my high card. You know. It wasn't like 227 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 1: I was caught one, like you said, I'm in the 228 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: big seal of like a lot of fish. You know, 229 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: I got this pond and I was like, you know what, 230 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 1: I'm gonna take this opportunity and we were in with it. Um. 231 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 1: And so the confidence, I was going to say, the 232 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:13,200 Speaker 1: confidence that you get from an opportunity where someone comes 233 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:15,720 Speaker 1: and says, well, you're great, You're special, this is a 234 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 1: special skill and then you hear that, like, you know what, 235 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 1: it is a special skill. And just because I'm in 236 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:23,199 Speaker 1: a in a class who in the city, on the 237 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: country where it's super popular everybody does it does mean 238 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 1: my skill is not special. People forget funny. So true. 239 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:33,200 Speaker 1: It's true with kids because I know some people who 240 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: have kids and they're frustrated that they don't have a passion, 241 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:39,839 Speaker 1: like you can't just force that, and they're frustrated that 242 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:43,440 Speaker 1: they don't have some purpose that they funnel their energy into. 243 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 1: My daughter is an artist and she is passionate about it. 244 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:51,200 Speaker 1: She'll sit in an art room for hours and hours 245 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:55,479 Speaker 1: and focus on it. So this is that's so beautiful. 246 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 1: Thank you she made she made I think twenty five 247 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 1: of these. She made twelve thousand Ukraine. But it's nice 248 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: for kids to have something. It could be anything. It 249 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: could be collecting buttons and just to sit in a room, 250 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:08,559 Speaker 1: not be on the phone or the TV, and to 251 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:11,679 Speaker 1: funnel and channel your energy. And so I foster that, 252 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:13,560 Speaker 1: you know, I mean, her teacher say she's the best 253 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 1: in her I mean she's very good. But I don't 254 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 1: know in the world. It doesn't matter. You just feed it. 255 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: I keep feeding it. And you know, telling her how 256 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 1: great it is, and you want to promote that because 257 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 1: you want them to just feel special at something. So 258 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 1: I agree with what you're saying because it boosts confident. 259 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: I'm actually I'm actually just quoting Peter. I gotta admit that, 260 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 1: you know, she brought a lot of what I never had, 261 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: or you know, the perspective that I never had into 262 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 1: my life. And when we got together, the you know, 263 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 1: shy is is like a perfect I hope would be 264 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 1: a product of the both of us. You know, I'm 265 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:50,400 Speaker 1: going to bring whatever I bring. I just feel like 266 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: she levels me and she focuses my you know, this 267 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 1: sort of spread out kind of energy drink. I'll go 268 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: hard a where and she's like, well, why don't we 269 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 1: just focus on things at hand? And amongst other ways 270 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 1: that I feel. Now I'm realizing that she's controlling me 271 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 1: to but that's yeah, but that's that's the reality is 272 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 1: that you know, I know, hard upbringing. You know, I'm 273 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:21,880 Speaker 1: not gonna say that our parents beat us. Now I 274 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 1: got as a couple of times, but that was like 275 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 1: not you know, I was loved and that's what made 276 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 1: us not just survived. Brooklyn and the mid nineties, but 277 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: you know, get better and and and grow and self 278 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: educate or educate be you know, take things in. You know, 279 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:45,440 Speaker 1: we stayed passionate because we were coming out every day 280 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: out of our apartment and we're like, let's go get it. 281 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: Because every night when we come home, every evening, and 282 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 1: I feel like, oh, you know, you know, I don't 283 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 1: have need friends, I don't have a social life. You know, 284 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: I feel depressed as a teenager. I'm already depress and 285 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: I'm depressed not in the speaking the language, you know, 286 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 1: and all of these things. I would come home, I'd 287 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 1: get a hug, a hot meal, you know this constantly. 288 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: There was love, a lot of love in the house 289 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: and so you know, they struggled and we didn't know. 290 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 1: We we knew, but it would kind of like everybody struggles, 291 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: sort of like we made it normal and you know, 292 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,040 Speaker 1: let's go great to come from something, To come from 293 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 1: something like that, the pride, to build something, to see 294 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 1: it on the other side now, to then see your 295 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: parents differently, I mean, all of that is really makes 296 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: creates a texture in the personality. And I'm seeing it 297 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 1: three with you and I'm we'll get to Ukraine. But 298 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: I'm I've seen it, you know, Like I said, I 299 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: don't know you that well, but I'm seeing this come through. 300 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 1: You do need to be harnessed in different areas. We 301 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:47,560 Speaker 1: even talked about that within relief, you wanted to do 302 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 1: everything and you've got to be really focused to make 303 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 1: an impact. But by the same token, I'm seeing that 304 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 1: all of this purpose sort of coming to fruition in 305 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 1: your life. At the same time, it's overwhelming. I get 306 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 1: it too, you know. You sure, we only have so 307 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 1: many years on this planet. You're trying to figure out 308 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: exactly how to focus and channel your energies on bullshit, 309 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:09,880 Speaker 1: on money, on this, on that, on philanthropy, I mean, 310 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:15,919 Speaker 1: you know, on relationships. Um so dancing with the Stars coming. 311 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 1: You didn't come to this country for Dancing with the Stars. 312 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:23,359 Speaker 1: You came because of dancing, and you know it did 313 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: create this resurgence or almost a beginning for ballroom dancing 314 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 1: in this capacity in this country. So it's weird this 315 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 1: this intersection of luck and your skill and the entertainment 316 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:37,879 Speaker 1: industry that all came together. Probably for a lot of 317 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 1: the people on this show, it must have been like, 318 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:42,119 Speaker 1: holy sh it, we're just dancers and no one cares 319 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 1: what we're doing. We're in this niche, little weird world 320 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:51,160 Speaker 1: and now this becomes this mega, crazy, really household name hit. 321 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:54,120 Speaker 1: So how did that whole thing come together? Well, I mean, 322 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:58,239 Speaker 1: you know, we didn't think that that way, you know. 323 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:02,199 Speaker 1: So the timeline is now, uh, two thousand five is 324 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 1: eleven years after we've arrived in the US, and so 325 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: in the eleven years leading up to UM, you know, 326 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 1: we've done a lot, We've grown up. I'm now a 327 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 1: professional who's basically retired from competitive ballroom dancing by going 328 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:21,119 Speaker 1: on Dancing with the Stars. I didn't know it at 329 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:22,720 Speaker 1: the time, but that's how it happened, right, And I 330 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 1: was ready for that two thousand five, you weren't. The 331 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 1: first season though it was a ready a success or, 332 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:30,960 Speaker 1: it was not a success No, no, Well I missed 333 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 1: the pilot season which was during the summer six episodes, 334 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 1: and then the second season when it was coming around, UM, 335 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:40,399 Speaker 1: I would get the same call. And the way it 336 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: was made, these calls were made this by Now this 337 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,960 Speaker 1: is the ballroom dancing is an industry. It's an industry 338 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 1: in the United States, and it's a well represented industry 339 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 1: by US. Valle is now a two time world champion. 340 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: You know, I'm now a big time you know, professional, 341 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:01,679 Speaker 1: but in the world, none of us. But I've been 342 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:06,719 Speaker 1: signing autographs in Germany since since early two thousands, you know, 343 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:10,120 Speaker 1: because because outside of the US, were a big deal. 344 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:13,000 Speaker 1: And so now you've got this ballroom dancing come to 345 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:16,680 Speaker 1: the big the big screen the television right at the time, 346 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:20,679 Speaker 1: and so people are looking at it like this is dope, 347 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:24,199 Speaker 1: this is awesome. I like it. It's corny, it's cute, 348 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:30,000 Speaker 1: it's funny, it's interesting, it's athletic. There they all have accents. 349 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: Why is this guy on my television speaking the way 350 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:37,479 Speaker 1: he's speaking and saying just weirdly constructed sentences, you know, 351 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:39,639 Speaker 1: But then he does the church and I did it. 352 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 1: So it's a good description. That was just listen. You know, 353 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 1: somebody told me one time that like the success of 354 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:53,439 Speaker 1: Dancing with the Stars is in the fact that it 355 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: was never number one. It was always like top two three, 356 00:19:57,119 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: two three, two three, And so if you're number one, 357 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:01,760 Speaker 1: if you don't retain number one, you'd be like when 358 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 1: you're two or three, it's like, okay, it's not for 359 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 1: that show to go Dancing with the Stars that's somebody's 360 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 1: favorite pastime for generations at this point. Yeah, it's unbelievable. 361 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:20,000 Speaker 1: I mean, we're competing with Monday night football for damn 362 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:24,240 Speaker 1: near decade and a half. Amazing. But and what's but 363 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:26,880 Speaker 1: what's jumping off the page? It's funny because years ago 364 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:29,200 Speaker 1: I was going to Apprentice, and when I did that show, 365 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:32,719 Speaker 1: my friend said, they didn't show that you were funny, like, 366 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:35,359 Speaker 1: because it's all about the competition. It was about the competition, 367 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: and even more so obviously on Dancing with the Stars. 368 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 1: Your personality, I don't even think ever comes across like 369 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: you're cute, you're funny, you're handsome, you're you could be 370 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:49,439 Speaker 1: a little tough, you know whatever, you're you're good looking, 371 00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 1: but like you're fine. I mean, even the way you 372 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:53,520 Speaker 1: just describe that, like they should have had you doing 373 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:55,920 Speaker 1: the promo, I don't think your personality, even to this day, 374 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:58,520 Speaker 1: and even within with the relief work, you're so intense 375 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:01,879 Speaker 1: about it because it's obviously not you charming, but you 376 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 1: have a really funny personality and a really good way 377 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: of putting thoughts together. In my opinion, you're a good communicator. 378 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 1: Now that you know the subject is popular and we 379 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: can talk Ukraine, but this the city I'm from, Adessa 380 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:20,919 Speaker 1: is actually a known for its comedic backgrounds in former 381 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: USSR and just in general in that in that community. 382 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:28,399 Speaker 1: But yeah, no, we just have fun sense of humor. 383 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 1: And if you lead with self deprecation, you can just 384 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:34,200 Speaker 1: go straight up be a stand up comic if you 385 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:38,160 Speaker 1: just fabulary to follow it. So um, look I should 386 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 1: try it. I have a couple of moments in my 387 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 1: illustrious uh D answering with the star's career that are 388 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 1: still famous for its just I can't believe this guy 389 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:52,879 Speaker 1: just said that, Like what, I cannot believe he just 390 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: did that, you know, and so and this was naturally 391 00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:58,399 Speaker 1: coming out. But you know, I was gonna answer your 392 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 1: question about like people don't know me. I agree with 393 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 1: that because there was a moment when somebody I was 394 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:07,679 Speaker 1: just completely always disappointed with the way I'm looking. I 395 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:09,679 Speaker 1: look at the packages. At some point there was a 396 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:11,879 Speaker 1: period of time when I was you know that moment 397 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:15,000 Speaker 1: they showed before you dance and I'm like, wow, I 398 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: look like an asshole, you know, Like why am I 399 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 1: constantly this d bag? Right? Like? Why am I? Why 400 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 1: is this? This is not my this is now have 401 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,560 Speaker 1: a field. It's now I feel neat. I'm proud and funny. 402 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 1: I'm like, you know, swap but as a joke and 403 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 1: this is never serious. But anyway, the someone told me 404 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:38,679 Speaker 1: at that time one of those high end exacts in 405 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:42,399 Speaker 1: charge of all this stuff, and I remember, you know complaint. 406 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 1: It's like, look, if you don't say it, we don't 407 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 1: have it. I'm like, okay, cool. So at the moment, 408 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 1: I was like right, But then I followed up with 409 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 1: but I give you fifty hours of rehearsal time at 410 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 1: that time, unregulated. I have a person that just needs 411 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: a lot of time, and I dedicate my self. I 412 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:04,120 Speaker 1: give it forty good hours. Or I'm in the room, 413 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 1: I'm rehearsing and for thirty second piece, you're gonna choose 414 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:12,440 Speaker 1: only that, right, No think So for a long time 415 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 1: I thought it was on me. It's not. It's under 416 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 1: way that they need to have been the character that's 417 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 1: told dark sess nonsense and it's like, is the you know, 418 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:29,119 Speaker 1: not per se guest stone because you never really feel 419 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:32,679 Speaker 1: bad for him. But I'm like that antagonist character that 420 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:35,320 Speaker 1: was chosen to be and I didn't know. I didn't 421 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 1: know that it was right, But well, I don't know 422 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 1: because I think, like me, you have a resting bitch face. 423 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 1: That's my just like you don't understand inside on the inside, 424 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:49,480 Speaker 1: I'm cute and cuddly. I just you're intense. I may 425 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 1: be very cute and cuddly too, but I'm intense. And 426 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:53,800 Speaker 1: so when people see your resting bitch face or how 427 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,280 Speaker 1: intense you are, listen, I saw how you were during 428 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:01,280 Speaker 1: what went on with Ukraine, and it's intense. You're hyper focused. 429 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 1: It's the only thing you're focused on. And that's how 430 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:06,480 Speaker 1: you are with dancing. So good because it's hard to 431 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:10,639 Speaker 1: for people listening who are into business. You can't be, 432 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:14,160 Speaker 1: you know, a jack of all trades. When you're so 433 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:16,920 Speaker 1: intense about business. It's very serious. It's money when you're 434 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,880 Speaker 1: doing relief for it's very serious when you're dancing at 435 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 1: that competitive level. So you are, you are intense in 436 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:26,160 Speaker 1: that way, and that's what comes across and frankly, that's 437 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 1: what the show was about. It was about the competition. 438 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:30,240 Speaker 1: That's why I mentioned it because I went through that 439 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: with the Apprentice. It was not it was not The 440 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:35,960 Speaker 1: show was not that was to me, that was my 441 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 1: intensity and that was the root of all of this stuff. 442 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 1: The show is to entertain I get it. I didn't 443 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:47,360 Speaker 1: know that. I thought, oh damn, I was given an opportunity. 444 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:50,160 Speaker 1: Here you go, what do you do best? And I'm like, 445 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:54,720 Speaker 1: I go for a wind. That's my best quality. Like 446 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: you put me in the front start line. And if 447 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 1: the end result is who finished this first, I'm gonna 448 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 1: give them my own, you know, and then there's no dispute. Right. 449 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 1: But if but then there was another component, this is entertainment, 450 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 1: and another component it's not about value, right, and another 451 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,360 Speaker 1: component the judges. And this is also not about anything. 452 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 1: So it's like it's just a lot of things that 453 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:22,639 Speaker 1: I was not ready for. That side, Well, it's all 454 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 1: about the Benjamin's baby. It's all about business. It's all 455 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:28,040 Speaker 1: about ratings. So if that's entertainment, if that's a competition, 456 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:31,119 Speaker 1: if that's sex sells, that's what it is. That's what 457 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 1: it is on Shark Tank, that's what it is on 458 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:35,119 Speaker 1: The Apprentice, that's what it is on all these shows. 459 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 1: That's what it is on Housewives. It's about the money 460 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 1: and the selling. So how are you bringing people into 461 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 1: your store? So whatever it is that people are doing 462 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:47,119 Speaker 1: they have a store, those are the windows. How are 463 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: you decorating your windows? And if it's you being that guy, 464 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 1: then that's how that window gets secorated, and that's what 465 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:55,760 Speaker 1: you're portrayed to be. It didn't have somebody telling me that. 466 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 1: I had somebody tell me that probably along the way, 467 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: but no one really set it down like listen, you're 468 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 1: not listen. You let just listen to what the war's up. 469 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:07,399 Speaker 1: Because I heard like, hey, you can't be this, or 470 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:10,399 Speaker 1: hey you shouldn't be that, and then my Grandma's like, 471 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:12,880 Speaker 1: m know what, you know, why would you say that? 472 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:15,480 Speaker 1: You know? So it was never like hey, you know what, 473 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:19,879 Speaker 1: you can do that right. You can express yourself. You 474 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: can continue running your brand right what I understand now, 475 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:27,440 Speaker 1: But you can do it in the way that everybody 476 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 1: doesn't cringe, you know on Monday night when they relaxed 477 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: after a long day of work and they don't want 478 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,600 Speaker 1: to see that. That's a different program. Right, Even in 479 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,639 Speaker 1: non entertainment, even in regular business, people have to stop 480 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:40,879 Speaker 1: the stand back and recognize that. When I wanted to 481 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 1: be on the Apprentice and I met with Mark Burnett, 482 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:45,280 Speaker 1: I was about the business. I'm successful, I'm not successful. 483 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 1: I'm smart, I'm motivated. Whatever they wanted, yes, you had 484 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:50,840 Speaker 1: to check that box to get in there. Just like 485 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:52,879 Speaker 1: the dancing, you can't not know how to dance, but 486 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:57,480 Speaker 1: they wanted entertainment. And in business people, the people that 487 00:26:57,520 --> 00:26:59,280 Speaker 1: are going to sixty it is the one who's going 488 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:01,240 Speaker 1: to be a bit arismatic in the meeting or the 489 00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:02,679 Speaker 1: one who's a little bit intense. Are the one who 490 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:04,879 Speaker 1: gets their thoughts across or the person who everyone wonders 491 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:07,520 Speaker 1: what they're thinking. It's the same thing. You have to 492 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:10,679 Speaker 1: be compelling to get your point across one way or 493 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:12,120 Speaker 1: the other. I mean, I have people that have worked 494 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:15,440 Speaker 1: with me, assistance and staff. If they're pleasurable to be around, 495 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:18,680 Speaker 1: if they're entertaining, if they're fun, if I enjoy them, 496 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: that's gonna work better than somebody who's not pleasurable to 497 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:24,439 Speaker 1: be around. So it's interesting how it works in so 498 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:26,879 Speaker 1: many different ways. Even if it's not entertainment, it's about 499 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 1: what's drawing people in. And by the way, in philanthropy too, 500 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: you know what's the message. I bet you saw this, 501 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:40,480 Speaker 1: and it's frustrating philanthropy for many people. Um philanthropy is 502 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:44,359 Speaker 1: is marketing in many ways. So ten different people want 503 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:48,760 Speaker 1: you to bring money into their places, right, and many 504 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:51,120 Speaker 1: of them are middle men and women. Many of them 505 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: these celebrities, now you probably know so much more than 506 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:54,679 Speaker 1: your new a year ago. I've been doing this for 507 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:59,119 Speaker 1: a while. Celebrities link here and donate here. But that 508 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,639 Speaker 1: celebrity does it know what that thing is that's to 509 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 1: another place. So now you've stopped on a stop and 510 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:06,000 Speaker 1: you're giving money. But they're saying, what, I'm going to 511 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 1: tell you to give money to me, and I'm going 512 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 1: to give it to them. Well, I want to talk 513 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:13,480 Speaker 1: to them, so I tried to be with them, meaning no, no, 514 00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:15,400 Speaker 1: I'm in control of the money. So this is where 515 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:18,359 Speaker 1: the money is going. Being transparent talking about the problem. 516 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 1: As you learned, you were telling about the problem in Ukraine. 517 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:23,199 Speaker 1: Then you were trying to direct people. But as you 518 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:26,359 Speaker 1: saw people get over it. It's cool for a week. 519 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:30,400 Speaker 1: It's cool, just like it's cool to watch Johnny Depp 520 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 1: this week, but not next week. It'll be somebody else's divorce. 521 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 1: Last week it was cool that j Lo was getting 522 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 1: engaged someone else next week. So it's weird because philanthropy, 523 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 1: which you just got a real intense dose of is 524 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:45,880 Speaker 1: also marketing. It's a not for profit business, but you 525 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 1: have to find your way in and no one to 526 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:50,960 Speaker 1: pull in. So anyway, I want want to hear more 527 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:54,960 Speaker 1: experience with that. Yeah, I had a crazy entry left 528 00:28:55,160 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 1: entry way into philanthropy, into world of fundraisers and charitable life. 529 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 1: If you will, UM back in a day. You know, 530 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:10,360 Speaker 1: I just started playing golf and we are hot on 531 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 1: Dancing with the Stars. This is like eleven, twelve and 532 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 1: thirteen fifteen, I don't even know, years ago something like that. 533 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 1: And I literally just hit the club for the first time. 534 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:22,440 Speaker 1: I had no business plan on the on the course, 535 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 1: and uh, A friend of mine calls me. It's like, hey, 536 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: I was supposed to do this golf tournament. You go, Like, sure, 537 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: I went, and it was for fundraiser of celebrity golf 538 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 1: tournament for child health and I had no idea what 539 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:36,840 Speaker 1: that is. And so I got there and I see 540 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:40,480 Speaker 1: this expensive experience of golf golfing, and then you get 541 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 1: together and there's an auction and then there's a night 542 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 1: after and the gal and I was like, you know, 543 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: the really raising money for these in battle you know, abuse, 544 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:55,040 Speaker 1: severely abused kids. Um I'm like, I want to see that, 545 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:57,360 Speaker 1: and I don't know. It just irked me. When we 546 00:29:57,440 --> 00:29:59,680 Speaker 1: were talking about this, I was like, oh, this is 547 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,959 Speaker 1: this got really down for a second. I've never been 548 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:06,560 Speaker 1: to these functions before. You know, it's fun. It's everybody's 549 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:10,640 Speaker 1: communicating and boomed down and fundraising starts and they say 550 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 1: that stuff and you're like, you look around the room 551 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:17,280 Speaker 1: and like, it's not the right entertainment, you know program. 552 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 1: At the moment, I thought, I was like, what do 553 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 1: you meaning. It's it's it's tone deaf to be here 554 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 1: with all these celebrities at the highest level talking that 555 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 1: thing you'd direct. They started, they started announcing like here's 556 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 1: the you know, the pictures, and you know, I'm like, wow, 557 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 1: this is really dark, and I'm like, is this event 558 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 1: kind of like for that? But then so I got 559 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:40,920 Speaker 1: really confused. Anyway, so I wanted to follow up and 560 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:43,720 Speaker 1: went out and I visited one of the villages and 561 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:45,920 Speaker 1: it just blew my mind. You know, once you see 562 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:51,000 Speaker 1: kids that were severely abused. She's tagging on your leg 563 00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 1: and she's like nine, it's village. Oh so so child help. 564 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:02,920 Speaker 1: This organ is sayation has three villages in the United States, 565 00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:07,840 Speaker 1: the big communities where they bring the kids, um, rehab them, 566 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 1: do their back. And so the point of this whole 567 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:14,480 Speaker 1: thing was this is a ninety plus million a year 568 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:18,680 Speaker 1: type of fundraising organization. So it's a big deal, Devans. 569 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:21,480 Speaker 1: It's a big because I learned a lot and I 570 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:25,800 Speaker 1: understood the value of entertainment as part of this, because 571 00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 1: you've got to give somebody, you know, an opportunity to 572 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:32,320 Speaker 1: donate because they have such a great time. I learned 573 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:36,440 Speaker 1: the fact that you can't, you know, really frown upon 574 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:39,920 Speaker 1: the way people donating because who cares why he writes 575 00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 1: to check and with what face? As long as he 576 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:45,840 Speaker 1: writes to check or she writes to check, and this 577 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 1: goes to you know, the foundation, so you know. But 578 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:51,200 Speaker 1: then I learned the business side of this whole thing, 579 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:54,760 Speaker 1: and the dirty side of some other stuff, not through childhood, 580 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:58,000 Speaker 1: but through just in general, you know, fund raises and 581 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 1: everything else. I helped old foundations and organizations. I left 582 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:07,719 Speaker 1: some because it was like, that's not the way, you know. 583 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:10,920 Speaker 1: I like this to be organized, and that's your way 584 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:12,520 Speaker 1: of doing it, and I want to be part of this. 585 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 1: When Ukraine tragedy happened and I would happened to be 586 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 1: a judge on a TV show in Ukraine, a judge 587 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:27,400 Speaker 1: on a TV show I have at that time. You know, 588 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 1: I spent like eight nine months actively working in Ukraine 589 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:36,920 Speaker 1: since last year, since twenty one, and I've started to 590 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:40,480 Speaker 1: you know, taking a lot of relationships and I created 591 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 1: a lot of new relationships, and I you know, that's 592 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:44,480 Speaker 1: why not to jump out. But for me, this war 593 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:47,640 Speaker 1: has faced his names, last names, my manager who's now 594 00:32:47,680 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 1: a refugee with our kids. I mean, this it's just 595 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:53,640 Speaker 1: a lot. We'll get that. But you know, now I 596 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:58,200 Speaker 1: was there for consistently long enough and deeply rooted enough, 597 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 1: every connected back and now that you know, I've rekindled 598 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:07,400 Speaker 1: and we've made it up with my birth mother. I 599 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 1: still love my mom because that's us. For me, that's 600 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:14,120 Speaker 1: that's my home. I'm from, you know, that's where I met. 601 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:18,120 Speaker 1: But you know, this is now a relationship I want 602 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:21,360 Speaker 1: to continue, you know, and I want to continue figuring 603 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:24,840 Speaker 1: figuring out. I was welcomed by the country, I was 604 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 1: welcomed by the people, and I had a great time. 605 00:33:27,760 --> 00:33:30,080 Speaker 1: The war starts, and so I feel like it was 606 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:34,680 Speaker 1: that moment when you know, I was for the first 607 00:33:34,680 --> 00:33:37,320 Speaker 1: time in that child health village where it just shocked me. 608 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:40,560 Speaker 1: You know, there was a moment when the little girl 609 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:43,960 Speaker 1: tagged on my leg and she couldn't have been older 610 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:47,479 Speaker 1: than nine and kind of give me a look sleft 611 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 1: me on the butt, said something sexy. I just blew 612 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: my mind. And then they took her away and the 613 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 1: gentleman was explaining to me like, yeah, she was, you know, 614 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 1: great since it was a little girl and so she's 615 00:34:02,120 --> 00:34:06,960 Speaker 1: like in rehab, and it was just like, my god, Wow, 616 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:11,640 Speaker 1: that's a crazy story. That's a crazy way of getting 617 00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:18,239 Speaker 1: into understanding why, no matter what, it is important to 618 00:34:18,320 --> 00:34:21,480 Speaker 1: raise funds for this organization, for this type of foundation, 619 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:24,879 Speaker 1: because that's what they're dealing with, that's what they're doing. 620 00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:27,279 Speaker 1: So now it made sense to me. I was in 621 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:30,840 Speaker 1: I was committed cut to and you're you're you know 622 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:34,719 Speaker 1: that's years ago and now you're connecting to Ukraine kid 623 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:42,080 Speaker 1: and I'm now professionally, you know, committed to charitable opportunities 624 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:45,799 Speaker 1: because why else, because I'm a TV personality, what do 625 00:34:45,880 --> 00:34:48,040 Speaker 1: I do for the world, you know what I'm saying, like, 626 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 1: how do I paid forward? How do I earn that karma? 627 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:54,160 Speaker 1: You know, it's not the chart because you make I 628 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:57,960 Speaker 1: made you feel good, yes, but what else? You know, 629 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:01,480 Speaker 1: it's not enough. And so I created the sort of 630 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:06,279 Speaker 1: subworld of just you know, helping and being charitable. I'm 631 00:35:06,320 --> 00:35:11,800 Speaker 1: in Ukraine, got to February and I'm shooting a TV 632 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:16,479 Speaker 1: show dance then your world of dance in Ukraine, and 633 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:20,719 Speaker 1: I wake up in this war, you know. And so 634 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:23,400 Speaker 1: then I got stuck whatever that process was. Then in 635 00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:26,319 Speaker 1: the process and now communicating with the people that I 636 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:30,160 Speaker 1: judged yesterday at dance competitions and today he's at the 637 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:33,400 Speaker 1: front line with the gun and I can't even connect 638 00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:38,480 Speaker 1: the two and I can't process it. Then the bombing started, 639 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:42,040 Speaker 1: Then Bucher started. Then you know, all of that nuns 640 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:44,160 Speaker 1: and started. By the time I got out of you, 641 00:35:44,640 --> 00:35:48,480 Speaker 1: of of Ukraine and made my way back, and I 642 00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:52,560 Speaker 1: was in war. So it was full blown. It was 643 00:35:52,600 --> 00:35:58,200 Speaker 1: a war, and it was war on the people that 644 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:02,640 Speaker 1: I now this is these are my people, you know, 645 00:36:02,719 --> 00:36:06,160 Speaker 1: and I'm proud of these people. You know. The Brooklyn 646 00:36:06,200 --> 00:36:07,960 Speaker 1: is my people that you will ask me, you know, 647 00:36:08,120 --> 00:36:10,480 Speaker 1: you know me. You love me, you love me. You 648 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:13,160 Speaker 1: love me in Kentucky, you love me. In Alabama, you 649 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:16,440 Speaker 1: love me because I've traveled this country, because I've done it. 650 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:19,440 Speaker 1: If you don't like me, I love you too. But 651 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:22,080 Speaker 1: I'm saying I've been here. This is you know, I'm 652 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 1: figuring out. I'm exploring other people and have some made 653 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:28,840 Speaker 1: this crazy connection and it happens to be where I'm from, 654 00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:31,719 Speaker 1: and we speak the same language. And they're getting bombed 655 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:37,680 Speaker 1: and then bomb shelters so quickly, the executive producers of 656 00:36:37,719 --> 00:36:40,400 Speaker 1: my project and bomb shelters. I can even call him 657 00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:42,600 Speaker 1: and be like, hey, get me out of the country 658 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:45,480 Speaker 1: because I'm like, what kind of presson? She's got kids. 659 00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:48,480 Speaker 1: You gotta deal with that first. You know, it's crazy 660 00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:50,560 Speaker 1: to right, they're the ones in charge to like help 661 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:52,920 Speaker 1: you as a talent, but in everts every person for 662 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:58,759 Speaker 1: themselves because and I try to like get myself off 663 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:02,399 Speaker 1: of anyone's response stability. You know, the rest is sort 664 00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:04,719 Speaker 1: of history now and sort of like I made my 665 00:37:04,760 --> 00:37:07,160 Speaker 1: way out to Warsaw, I look back and I'm like, 666 00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:09,680 Speaker 1: there's no way that this is the end of me. 667 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:12,360 Speaker 1: And relation to that, there's no way that I'm going 668 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:15,960 Speaker 1: to wait this out and get back to like guys, 669 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:18,359 Speaker 1: call me when the show is back on. It feel 670 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:22,200 Speaker 1: bad for you, Like, there's no way that that's my step, 671 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:27,400 Speaker 1: like regardless of what I feel and how maybe I 672 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:30,640 Speaker 1: was just too stressed and this is a crazy experience. 673 00:37:30,719 --> 00:37:34,279 Speaker 1: Trust me, will trust me for the people that are 674 00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:37,000 Speaker 1: in it. You know, we're not we're talking levels, right, 675 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:39,239 Speaker 1: But for me, it was like an entry level experience 676 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:43,000 Speaker 1: in the war. You know, thank god I didn't get shot. 677 00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:47,759 Speaker 1: We've been shot at, but it was terrifying to be 678 00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:51,080 Speaker 1: anywhere in the vicinity of that. Oh no, you gotta 679 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:55,640 Speaker 1: complete wake up call that life, and whether you're Ukrainian 680 00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:59,400 Speaker 1: or from Boklyn, it's it's just crazy that you experience that. 681 00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:02,720 Speaker 1: And then you came home and I know because we spoke, 682 00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:05,200 Speaker 1: and you just wanted to be of service, and you 683 00:38:05,200 --> 00:38:07,520 Speaker 1: wanted to go back because everybody's goal is to get 684 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:08,759 Speaker 1: the hell out of there. So you got the hell 685 00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:10,359 Speaker 1: out of there, and then you felt like, wait, now 686 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:13,440 Speaker 1: you know you shall shock post traumatic, so you go 687 00:38:13,560 --> 00:38:16,800 Speaker 1: back and I know that you've connected with my team 688 00:38:16,840 --> 00:38:19,279 Speaker 1: and other teams and we're there for how long when 689 00:38:19,280 --> 00:38:22,160 Speaker 1: you went back? So you know, before I went back, 690 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:25,760 Speaker 1: I was you know, we spoke and uh and and 691 00:38:25,760 --> 00:38:28,400 Speaker 1: and I literally just wanted to hear, what what am 692 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:30,440 Speaker 1: I doing? What is this? How do I process it? 693 00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:32,800 Speaker 1: And you are you know, kind to just explain stuff 694 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:35,440 Speaker 1: and put everything in perspective and also give me a 695 00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:37,960 Speaker 1: look into the business side of that too, because now 696 00:38:38,040 --> 00:38:41,120 Speaker 1: I'm trying to be productive in the new era, in 697 00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:44,840 Speaker 1: the new direction, taking with me everything that we have 698 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:48,239 Speaker 1: and that I've learned about, even business. You know, my 699 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:53,120 Speaker 1: dad was so successful with the fourth Leade in New Jersey, 700 00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:57,680 Speaker 1: you know um set up and then the sort of 701 00:38:57,760 --> 00:39:02,400 Speaker 1: the sale of bar and over twenty seven the organization 702 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:06,160 Speaker 1: that we started because we were able to, you know, 703 00:39:06,200 --> 00:39:09,120 Speaker 1: apply all the tools and elements of running our own 704 00:39:09,280 --> 00:39:13,439 Speaker 1: you know, multilocational corporation of them, because you're not gonna 705 00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:16,480 Speaker 1: scaling it. You scaled a small business. You're trying to 706 00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:18,480 Speaker 1: scale a small business. And that's what I was trying 707 00:39:18,520 --> 00:39:20,960 Speaker 1: to say to you that like with philanthropy, there's only 708 00:39:21,000 --> 00:39:22,440 Speaker 1: one you, and you have a voice and you have 709 00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:24,560 Speaker 1: millions of people listening to you. So you could go 710 00:39:25,239 --> 00:39:27,120 Speaker 1: do this one thing that is going to be lovely 711 00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:29,200 Speaker 1: and nice and go into one house and help one person, 712 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:31,680 Speaker 1: or you could scale this, which is what we've done. 713 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:33,600 Speaker 1: And so it takes a little while, and I had 714 00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:35,960 Speaker 1: to learn that too. You get sucked down every drain 715 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:38,000 Speaker 1: and you go and you want to help every single 716 00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:41,719 Speaker 1: puppy and every branch and every child, and you got 717 00:39:41,719 --> 00:39:44,799 Speaker 1: to pick your spots because comes a scalable business. Yeah, 718 00:39:44,800 --> 00:39:48,680 Speaker 1: because what people don't realize is in the conflict in war. 719 00:39:48,840 --> 00:39:51,239 Speaker 1: I just don't want to confuse war with conflict. But 720 00:39:51,320 --> 00:39:56,040 Speaker 1: in the situation this of this magnitude. I mean, you 721 00:39:56,080 --> 00:39:59,640 Speaker 1: know how they say every little bit helps, I don't 722 00:39:59,640 --> 00:40:02,160 Speaker 1: know about that. Like every little bit makes it a 723 00:40:02,200 --> 00:40:06,160 Speaker 1: messy situation. I'm so glad. I can't believe you just 724 00:40:06,160 --> 00:40:09,240 Speaker 1: said that. No one said that except for my partners Michael, 725 00:40:09,239 --> 00:40:12,720 Speaker 1: who you know and I people all the time, people 726 00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:15,640 Speaker 1: in the entertainment industry, very successful people. I want to 727 00:40:15,640 --> 00:40:17,880 Speaker 1: bring my son over. We have a trunk full of 728 00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:20,799 Speaker 1: clothes we want to bring. I'm like, and I don't 729 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:22,640 Speaker 1: mean to be rude, I'm like, we have a hundred 730 00:40:22,640 --> 00:40:25,319 Speaker 1: and fifty million dollar operation. If you know someone at 731 00:40:25,480 --> 00:40:27,680 Speaker 1: toys Rs. That wants to send me ten million dollars 732 00:40:27,719 --> 00:40:30,279 Speaker 1: in toys, I can distribute those, But a trunk full 733 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:32,840 Speaker 1: of clothes I can't help you with. Or people we 734 00:40:32,920 --> 00:40:34,400 Speaker 1: want to go over there. I want to bring my 735 00:40:34,480 --> 00:40:36,640 Speaker 1: child to go over there. I'm like, okay, so when 736 00:40:36,640 --> 00:40:39,000 Speaker 1: you get there, let me well, like, how do you 737 00:40:39,040 --> 00:40:41,439 Speaker 1: coordinate it? I'm like, I'm not running like a team tour. 738 00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:45,160 Speaker 1: I've got you know, so the little things sometimes and 739 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:46,920 Speaker 1: what I mean to not be negative to people who 740 00:40:46,920 --> 00:40:49,680 Speaker 1: want to help, because I was listening, Go to your 741 00:40:49,719 --> 00:40:55,040 Speaker 1: local school, church, get organized, collect everything sorted, get volunteers 742 00:40:55,080 --> 00:40:57,719 Speaker 1: for that. Then be like, we have this, we have 743 00:40:57,760 --> 00:41:00,960 Speaker 1: a hundred T shirts in this these sizes, and then 744 00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:04,360 Speaker 1: we can merchandise it. But but you are scaling a 745 00:41:04,520 --> 00:41:08,520 Speaker 1: small business. You just said that. You know, you're talking about, Hey, 746 00:41:08,520 --> 00:41:12,840 Speaker 1: why don't we organized right there? Pause? Because that's not 747 00:41:12,920 --> 00:41:16,600 Speaker 1: what she wanted to do. And to be honest with you, 748 00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:18,600 Speaker 1: you know, I'm gonna have to call out some people 749 00:41:18,719 --> 00:41:22,720 Speaker 1: because now I have that experience too. We're collecting over 750 00:41:23,320 --> 00:41:28,600 Speaker 1: two hundred fifty thousand pounds and yeah, you know, uh 751 00:41:28,760 --> 00:41:31,920 Speaker 1: with gam and be strong and Mike. It's a small 752 00:41:32,000 --> 00:41:34,560 Speaker 1: fish in a big sea. But now I'm sort of 753 00:41:34,640 --> 00:41:36,960 Speaker 1: understanding the process. I know how to funnel it the 754 00:41:37,040 --> 00:41:41,479 Speaker 1: right way. We have collected two hundred fifty pounds and 755 00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:44,719 Speaker 1: you know, I'm gonna tell you he's talking about aid. 756 00:41:44,760 --> 00:41:47,480 Speaker 1: He's collecting eight and then it's about distributing it. It's 757 00:41:47,520 --> 00:41:51,640 Speaker 1: like literally like any other businesses, marketing, sales, marketing, distribution. 758 00:41:51,719 --> 00:41:54,200 Speaker 1: He's got the aid, now he's gonna have to distribute it. 759 00:41:54,480 --> 00:41:56,200 Speaker 1: But I was gonna say that I want to call 760 00:41:56,239 --> 00:42:02,400 Speaker 1: out people who sent us stayed clothing and I'm talking 761 00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:06,359 Speaker 1: staying like peace, things like it smells you know who 762 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:13,080 Speaker 1: sent us uh past do food? You know who sent 763 00:42:13,280 --> 00:42:15,640 Speaker 1: us past do? I don't even know how you find 764 00:42:15,680 --> 00:42:19,480 Speaker 1: that hand sanitizes. You know that I like expired some 765 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:23,200 Speaker 1: crazy things that would expiration data was like years ago. 766 00:42:24,200 --> 00:42:27,120 Speaker 1: And the call out is this, like if you decided 767 00:42:27,200 --> 00:42:30,880 Speaker 1: to use this way to clean out your closet, don't 768 00:42:30,920 --> 00:42:34,600 Speaker 1: do that. You're not helping who are you helping. You're 769 00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:38,719 Speaker 1: talking about people who lived a very you know, successful 770 00:42:38,800 --> 00:42:41,880 Speaker 1: life in a in a in a in a European 771 00:42:41,960 --> 00:42:47,080 Speaker 1: country that have now fled, and you are saying, here 772 00:42:47,160 --> 00:42:51,840 Speaker 1: you go, you're welcome with with with something so degrading. 773 00:42:51,880 --> 00:42:55,680 Speaker 1: You're not helping with the process. You you're hurting the process. 774 00:42:55,800 --> 00:42:58,319 Speaker 1: You sort of like say something Max, this is the 775 00:42:58,320 --> 00:42:59,920 Speaker 1: thing that I try to tell people because they want 776 00:42:59,920 --> 00:43:02,600 Speaker 1: to help people think because they can't give money that 777 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:05,120 Speaker 1: they want to help in this way and people's voice 778 00:43:05,680 --> 00:43:10,040 Speaker 1: is more important. There are major corporations like Amazon, like Goya, 779 00:43:10,120 --> 00:43:14,600 Speaker 1: like kind Bar, like Delta that will help if you're 780 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:18,080 Speaker 1: a credible relief effort. Okay, so we have those people, 781 00:43:18,320 --> 00:43:22,800 Speaker 1: so you're we we implore you to be the voice 782 00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:26,480 Speaker 1: the communicators. The switchboard Max is one voice. I'm one voice. 783 00:43:26,600 --> 00:43:30,840 Speaker 1: If you communicate what we're doing, those big companies will listen. 784 00:43:30,840 --> 00:43:34,080 Speaker 1: So rather than dump out your trunk full of clothes, 785 00:43:34,280 --> 00:43:37,239 Speaker 1: which will have to sort and it's not helping, your 786 00:43:37,320 --> 00:43:41,440 Speaker 1: voice is worth millions of dollars because your vice voices 787 00:43:41,480 --> 00:43:43,680 Speaker 1: who these big companies are listening to, and that's when 788 00:43:43,719 --> 00:43:46,320 Speaker 1: they'll then give us millions of pounds of aid that 789 00:43:46,360 --> 00:43:49,400 Speaker 1: we can distribute. That's why people have to be educated. 790 00:43:49,400 --> 00:43:50,839 Speaker 1: Though they don't know. They just think, let me give 791 00:43:50,840 --> 00:43:53,759 Speaker 1: them anything. They're desperate and they don't know. I don't 792 00:43:53,800 --> 00:43:57,879 Speaker 1: know people, Yeah, I mean, yeah, you're right. I would 793 00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:01,359 Speaker 1: also say that, you know, if you are an organization 794 00:44:01,440 --> 00:44:04,040 Speaker 1: like us and you decided to scale and you have 795 00:44:04,280 --> 00:44:07,520 Speaker 1: this you know what they say organic attachment to the 796 00:44:07,640 --> 00:44:10,759 Speaker 1: to the to the to the process. Um, you know 797 00:44:10,800 --> 00:44:14,160 Speaker 1: we are Ukrainian. Baranova is a street and address in 798 00:44:14,200 --> 00:44:18,000 Speaker 1: Odessa that's literally getting bombed right now where I was born, 799 00:44:18,080 --> 00:44:25,440 Speaker 1: my dad was born. Baronova is the name of the street. 800 00:44:25,560 --> 00:44:28,880 Speaker 1: That's literally our address of place of birth in Ukraini. 801 00:44:29,000 --> 00:44:33,799 Speaker 1: So that's the name of our effort. Yes, So I'm saying, like, 802 00:44:34,680 --> 00:44:39,239 Speaker 1: with the experience of you know, entertainment industry that I have, 803 00:44:40,040 --> 00:44:44,759 Speaker 1: it made sense. With the experience of the business uh 804 00:44:44,960 --> 00:44:49,160 Speaker 1: set up and failures and lessons in business that we have, um, 805 00:44:49,520 --> 00:44:53,279 Speaker 1: we're able to grow this if you are just a 806 00:44:53,440 --> 00:44:57,640 Speaker 1: very very sort of philanthropic person by nature, and you 807 00:44:57,760 --> 00:45:01,560 Speaker 1: feel from a very far away I'm not facetious about this. 808 00:45:01,640 --> 00:45:03,640 Speaker 1: I'm just kind of trying to describe the most of 809 00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:06,360 Speaker 1: the people, you know. When I flew back from Warsaw 810 00:45:06,400 --> 00:45:11,399 Speaker 1: too Los Angeles, I realized how far away I am, 811 00:45:11,600 --> 00:45:13,359 Speaker 1: you know, and how far away all these people are. 812 00:45:14,040 --> 00:45:18,240 Speaker 1: So unless you're into politics and geopolitics and nervous about 813 00:45:18,480 --> 00:45:22,560 Speaker 1: you know, economic downfall and inflation and stuff like that, 814 00:45:22,640 --> 00:45:25,719 Speaker 1: you're far away. You live your life, you might not 815 00:45:25,760 --> 00:45:28,560 Speaker 1: be connected. So if you're very philanthropic in that sense, 816 00:45:28,600 --> 00:45:30,239 Speaker 1: and you saw this on the news, and you want 817 00:45:30,239 --> 00:45:33,480 Speaker 1: to help send five dollars to to just five dollars 818 00:45:34,280 --> 00:45:37,400 Speaker 1: to an organization you trust to do this, right you me, 819 00:45:37,840 --> 00:45:42,520 Speaker 1: Mike us whoever, just five bucks you help more than 820 00:45:42,600 --> 00:45:47,160 Speaker 1: if you send a lot of stuff that isn't something 821 00:45:47,200 --> 00:45:50,440 Speaker 1: that I'm gonna follow ze because now I'm in costing 822 00:45:50,480 --> 00:45:53,399 Speaker 1: me somehow some way to dispose of it if I'm 823 00:45:53,440 --> 00:45:56,520 Speaker 1: not smart enough and I have somewhat common take me right. So, 824 00:45:56,600 --> 00:45:59,759 Speaker 1: like now we're working with other organizations that unrelated to 825 00:45:59,760 --> 00:46:03,279 Speaker 1: your relief efforts, you know what maybe related to like 826 00:46:03,880 --> 00:46:06,399 Speaker 1: you know, we just literally dumb clothing we don't need 827 00:46:06,640 --> 00:46:09,319 Speaker 1: back into the now it comes a whole I get 828 00:46:09,480 --> 00:46:13,640 Speaker 1: exactly well, So you're learning that it's very much like 829 00:46:13,800 --> 00:46:16,279 Speaker 1: running a successful business. And the thing I want to 830 00:46:16,280 --> 00:46:18,880 Speaker 1: say about that before we get onto your business is 831 00:46:19,920 --> 00:46:24,120 Speaker 1: you can't trust every organization or relief effort, just the 832 00:46:24,160 --> 00:46:26,000 Speaker 1: same way that you can't trust every business. If you 833 00:46:26,040 --> 00:46:30,240 Speaker 1: think that every single business is run well and successful, great, 834 00:46:30,440 --> 00:46:32,560 Speaker 1: then that's what you think of charity. But if you 835 00:46:32,640 --> 00:46:35,719 Speaker 1: realize that every business is not run well and successful, 836 00:46:35,920 --> 00:46:39,920 Speaker 1: you will realize that every philanthropic effort is not. So 837 00:46:40,080 --> 00:46:42,640 Speaker 1: do your research. The way that you're investing your money 838 00:46:42,680 --> 00:46:46,880 Speaker 1: to invest in philanthropy and someone who's doing it themselves 839 00:46:46,920 --> 00:46:50,560 Speaker 1: like you are and passionate is a good start for sure. Um, 840 00:46:50,640 --> 00:46:53,680 Speaker 1: your business, So you went to for nine months to 841 00:46:53,760 --> 00:46:55,960 Speaker 1: Ukraine and we're on this show. You're still an entertainer. 842 00:46:55,960 --> 00:46:58,600 Speaker 1: You're still working in the entertainment industry. What is your 843 00:46:58,719 --> 00:47:02,600 Speaker 1: core business? How do you support yourself? What's your goal? 844 00:47:03,040 --> 00:47:05,640 Speaker 1: What are you building towards? What's your business now? What 845 00:47:05,680 --> 00:47:08,320 Speaker 1: do you do for a living? I mean, it's it's 846 00:47:08,360 --> 00:47:12,920 Speaker 1: it's interesting because you know, we have to also mention 847 00:47:13,000 --> 00:47:15,239 Speaker 1: that we're just coming out of craziness for a couple 848 00:47:15,239 --> 00:47:18,800 Speaker 1: of years that we've just lived through, you know, with pandemic. 849 00:47:18,840 --> 00:47:21,080 Speaker 1: Oh no, I know, and I'm changing my entire career too. 850 00:47:21,080 --> 00:47:26,359 Speaker 1: But I'm asking for something. What would they do? I'm 851 00:47:26,360 --> 00:47:28,520 Speaker 1: a dancer, I say, you know, when people ask me 852 00:47:28,680 --> 00:47:31,160 Speaker 1: like what do you do? You know I'm a professional dancer. 853 00:47:31,880 --> 00:47:35,120 Speaker 1: Oh great, Oh it's like that show. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, 854 00:47:35,160 --> 00:47:37,560 Speaker 1: oh yeah, I haven't seen you on it. And I'm like, yeah, 855 00:47:37,600 --> 00:47:39,040 Speaker 1: well I don't. I'm not on the number. What do 856 00:47:39,080 --> 00:47:42,120 Speaker 1: you do now? Okay, well now I own a chain 857 00:47:42,160 --> 00:47:46,320 Speaker 1: of dance studios. You know, we have fourteen locations high 858 00:47:46,400 --> 00:47:49,439 Speaker 1: end social dance studios that are called Dance with Me 859 00:47:50,040 --> 00:47:54,120 Speaker 1: in eight states. We're very proud of that. Weeds my brother, 860 00:47:54,640 --> 00:48:00,400 Speaker 1: my dad, and a business partner, and and the team 861 00:48:00,520 --> 00:48:05,000 Speaker 1: of people that we've worked with for a very long time. 862 00:48:05,120 --> 00:48:07,319 Speaker 1: Some of them, you know, some of whom were my 863 00:48:07,560 --> 00:48:12,439 Speaker 1: ex students who became at some point part time than 864 00:48:12,440 --> 00:48:15,000 Speaker 1: full time. Now they're like, you know, corporate directors. So 865 00:48:15,480 --> 00:48:17,960 Speaker 1: you know, we have a great company that we built 866 00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:21,400 Speaker 1: from scratch, like I said, learned a lot on um. 867 00:48:21,440 --> 00:48:24,080 Speaker 1: And again the beauty of that is it's in eight states, 868 00:48:24,080 --> 00:48:28,120 Speaker 1: and that that gives me an opportunity to experience every 869 00:48:28,200 --> 00:48:31,000 Speaker 1: kind of person in the United States, you know, and 870 00:48:31,000 --> 00:48:33,440 Speaker 1: and understand every kind of market in the United States. 871 00:48:34,080 --> 00:48:37,200 Speaker 1: And also maybe we set ourselves up for a little 872 00:48:37,200 --> 00:48:41,839 Speaker 1: bit of like economic you know, ups and downs that 873 00:48:41,880 --> 00:48:44,640 Speaker 1: we can regulate because we are not just in the 874 00:48:44,760 --> 00:48:48,200 Speaker 1: New York State where you know, for example, COVID laws 875 00:48:48,200 --> 00:48:50,600 Speaker 1: were a little different, but we also have five locations 876 00:48:50,600 --> 00:48:53,160 Speaker 1: in Texas where COVID laws were a little different and 877 00:48:53,280 --> 00:48:56,160 Speaker 1: allowed us to continue staying afloat. So we did some 878 00:48:56,200 --> 00:48:59,080 Speaker 1: things that you know, we're proud of. What well, I 879 00:48:59,080 --> 00:49:03,720 Speaker 1: guess that's good for me to um the last question, 880 00:49:03,760 --> 00:49:07,240 Speaker 1: which is your rose and your thorn of your career? 881 00:49:07,520 --> 00:49:12,719 Speaker 1: The high and the low of your career? Um, the 882 00:49:12,800 --> 00:49:15,880 Speaker 1: higher and the low. I think you know, if you 883 00:49:15,960 --> 00:49:20,560 Speaker 1: talk about career and the business and it's finance and finances, 884 00:49:20,800 --> 00:49:23,200 Speaker 1: you know it has to be financial, you know, the 885 00:49:23,280 --> 00:49:29,520 Speaker 1: highest you know I have, I'm I'm in two most expensive, 886 00:49:29,600 --> 00:49:32,880 Speaker 1: hardest to succeed cities, you know, New York City. I 887 00:49:32,920 --> 00:49:37,719 Speaker 1: have a you know mentioned and you know cars, and 888 00:49:37,760 --> 00:49:41,800 Speaker 1: I'm supporting my parents and you know, my brother in 889 00:49:42,120 --> 00:49:44,440 Speaker 1: a way. And then you know, I'm also in l A. 890 00:49:44,560 --> 00:49:49,759 Speaker 1: And I'm just like this the Bachelor on at at 891 00:49:49,840 --> 00:49:53,160 Speaker 1: some point top TV show, you know, for a period, 892 00:49:53,200 --> 00:49:55,000 Speaker 1: for short period of time, we were like the top 893 00:49:55,040 --> 00:49:58,880 Speaker 1: TV show in the country, and probably you know, probably 894 00:49:59,040 --> 00:50:05,600 Speaker 1: ran sort of like you know, the reality genre of TV, 895 00:50:07,120 --> 00:50:09,400 Speaker 1: you know, landscape at that time, right, And so I 896 00:50:09,440 --> 00:50:12,840 Speaker 1: have my life in l A and the entertainment industry. 897 00:50:12,880 --> 00:50:16,520 Speaker 1: So I'm like, I'm feeling I'm feeling that, right, and 898 00:50:16,560 --> 00:50:21,360 Speaker 1: then and then I feel the confidence and I'm like bamm, 899 00:50:21,440 --> 00:50:23,800 Speaker 1: and then the wings spread, and that's what I realized. 900 00:50:23,840 --> 00:50:26,319 Speaker 1: It wasn't the confidence the cockiness, you know, and it's 901 00:50:26,360 --> 00:50:28,680 Speaker 1: like everyone has that, and it was literally I was 902 00:50:28,719 --> 00:50:32,760 Speaker 1: watching somebody else who's super successful. Oh shock, you know, shock, 903 00:50:34,000 --> 00:50:36,680 Speaker 1: You're asked shack. He's like, he's literally just said that. 904 00:50:36,760 --> 00:50:39,080 Speaker 1: It's like, you know, you think you're perfectly not perfect, 905 00:50:39,680 --> 00:50:43,360 Speaker 1: and then he says, you know, Penny Hardaware relationship was awful, 906 00:50:43,600 --> 00:50:48,080 Speaker 1: Kobe Bryant relationship with Big Mistake. This is the guy 907 00:50:48,080 --> 00:50:50,479 Speaker 1: who at the time was pumping himself in the chest, 908 00:50:50,560 --> 00:50:53,879 Speaker 1: I'm the best that you're nothing about me. And I'm like, wow, 909 00:50:53,880 --> 00:50:57,640 Speaker 1: that's so familiar. You know, today we respect the guy 910 00:50:57,760 --> 00:51:00,960 Speaker 1: for his entire career, everything he's done right, but he's 911 00:51:00,960 --> 00:51:03,520 Speaker 1: admitting to the stuff that we were witnessing, Like, yeah, 912 00:51:03,520 --> 00:51:05,960 Speaker 1: that kind of seems wrong, Like don't you think and 913 00:51:06,600 --> 00:51:09,920 Speaker 1: you know, I have to look to drink your own 914 00:51:09,960 --> 00:51:13,879 Speaker 1: kool aid. I'm saying everyone dreams their own kool aid. 915 00:51:14,320 --> 00:51:18,520 Speaker 1: I'm saying everyone who gets into this and loses their 916 00:51:18,520 --> 00:51:23,480 Speaker 1: head with the success drinks the kool aid um. I 917 00:51:23,600 --> 00:51:30,359 Speaker 1: don't have that. I don't have the mension, I don't 918 00:51:30,360 --> 00:51:33,120 Speaker 1: have the whips on both sides. That's how you know, 919 00:51:33,800 --> 00:51:37,239 Speaker 1: I was saying in b k UM, I don't have 920 00:51:38,520 --> 00:51:41,959 Speaker 1: that part of my life right. A couple of years ago, 921 00:51:42,560 --> 00:51:47,960 Speaker 1: I was gonna say, pre pandemic, things exploded, you know, personally, 922 00:51:48,280 --> 00:51:51,920 Speaker 1: not you know personally, but like business exploded, there was 923 00:51:52,000 --> 00:51:55,279 Speaker 1: some other things just exploded, and things that I felt 924 00:51:55,360 --> 00:51:59,200 Speaker 1: secure about not and things that I felt insecure about 925 00:52:00,080 --> 00:52:04,719 Speaker 1: became the sort of the life the refts. Right, it's 926 00:52:04,719 --> 00:52:07,160 Speaker 1: all just very a little trivial, but it's all personal. 927 00:52:07,200 --> 00:52:10,400 Speaker 1: But it's again it's describing what everyone goes through. Whether 928 00:52:10,640 --> 00:52:13,879 Speaker 1: you're you know, in finance and you know you had 929 00:52:14,000 --> 00:52:16,160 Speaker 1: money in the wrong stock, you know, and and then 930 00:52:16,200 --> 00:52:19,359 Speaker 1: this happened, or whether you and you know me and 931 00:52:19,600 --> 00:52:21,680 Speaker 1: I don't know whether if you're a professional athlete and 932 00:52:21,680 --> 00:52:23,560 Speaker 1: you I don't know, God for a bit broken me, 933 00:52:24,000 --> 00:52:25,759 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying like that, That's how I 934 00:52:25,800 --> 00:52:28,880 Speaker 1: look at it, Like I had a financial career that 935 00:52:28,960 --> 00:52:32,880 Speaker 1: took a hit, you know, and I needed to and 936 00:52:32,920 --> 00:52:36,040 Speaker 1: I got depressed, and there was points and there were 937 00:52:36,160 --> 00:52:39,080 Speaker 1: law in life, and then I was just starting to 938 00:52:39,120 --> 00:52:41,840 Speaker 1: come out and then bank pandemic and again would feel like, 939 00:52:41,840 --> 00:52:43,759 Speaker 1: oh my god, the world is coming to an end. 940 00:52:43,800 --> 00:52:46,640 Speaker 1: This is very why me at this time? That's how 941 00:52:46,640 --> 00:52:52,239 Speaker 1: you by you, why the whole planet and so and 942 00:52:52,320 --> 00:52:57,160 Speaker 1: to us, it gave us an opportunity to come Okay, cool, 943 00:52:57,200 --> 00:53:00,200 Speaker 1: Well you know what this is too crazy? You and 944 00:53:00,320 --> 00:53:01,960 Speaker 1: your brother? Are you and your father? Are you in 945 00:53:02,280 --> 00:53:04,920 Speaker 1: your whole family? Just me by myself, Me and my 946 00:53:05,640 --> 00:53:07,560 Speaker 1: had to you had But this is what you've done. 947 00:53:07,600 --> 00:53:09,520 Speaker 1: You had to pull yourself up in your bootstraps and 948 00:53:09,560 --> 00:53:11,960 Speaker 1: figure the ship out. And you did like you got 949 00:53:12,120 --> 00:53:14,480 Speaker 1: you got organized, and you like did what everybody did 950 00:53:14,520 --> 00:53:16,560 Speaker 1: in the pandemic. You got your shipped together and shook 951 00:53:16,560 --> 00:53:19,040 Speaker 1: it up. Yeah. And and and I feel like I 952 00:53:20,719 --> 00:53:23,160 Speaker 1: you know, I feel I feel different. I speak different, 953 00:53:23,239 --> 00:53:25,800 Speaker 1: and my train of thoughts different, and I look forward 954 00:53:25,800 --> 00:53:29,279 Speaker 1: to different things differently, you know. And again that's and 955 00:53:29,320 --> 00:53:32,640 Speaker 1: again just bringing the soul back, and then the fam 956 00:53:32,680 --> 00:53:34,719 Speaker 1: and it's again end of the world. We're in war. 957 00:53:35,840 --> 00:53:37,520 Speaker 1: What is happening? You know what I'm saying. And then 958 00:53:37,640 --> 00:53:39,719 Speaker 1: once again and now you and I was just an 959 00:53:39,800 --> 00:53:43,960 Speaker 1: exercise of of don't lose your head, you know, no 960 00:53:44,000 --> 00:53:48,279 Speaker 1: matter what, and every down follows by up, you know, 961 00:53:48,280 --> 00:53:52,600 Speaker 1: it's just natural way of things. Um, and you know 962 00:53:53,000 --> 00:53:56,239 Speaker 1: the black stripe and white stripe. They you know, So 963 00:53:57,320 --> 00:53:59,399 Speaker 1: there's certain things you're in control of, certain things you're 964 00:53:59,400 --> 00:54:03,200 Speaker 1: not in control. I'm in control of every single reaction 965 00:54:03,680 --> 00:54:08,600 Speaker 1: that I that I make. You had, you hit multiple 966 00:54:09,000 --> 00:54:11,640 Speaker 1: back to back doses a reality, but the final dose 967 00:54:11,800 --> 00:54:13,600 Speaker 1: was the war, which made you realize that none of 968 00:54:13,600 --> 00:54:15,880 Speaker 1: the ships you were even worried about mattered, and that 969 00:54:16,000 --> 00:54:18,960 Speaker 1: life and death mattered, and that child trafficking matter, and 970 00:54:18,960 --> 00:54:21,880 Speaker 1: the family mattered, and being safe mattered. And so you 971 00:54:22,000 --> 00:54:25,279 Speaker 1: really I think that's the whole reason for you having 972 00:54:25,280 --> 00:54:28,040 Speaker 1: some PTSD, all of the things you just described, not 973 00:54:28,200 --> 00:54:33,520 Speaker 1: just the war, but personal, a personal low, financial hit, 974 00:54:35,440 --> 00:54:38,640 Speaker 1: a pandemic, a war. And now you're coming out on 975 00:54:38,680 --> 00:54:41,440 Speaker 1: the other side. Yeah. And the perspective is like, listen 976 00:54:41,480 --> 00:54:44,400 Speaker 1: to five minutes that I was negligent with, you know, 977 00:54:44,520 --> 00:54:48,799 Speaker 1: spending with my son. Oh, that just don't be negligent, 978 00:54:48,840 --> 00:54:52,719 Speaker 1: because when is that Like you're gonna look in the 979 00:54:52,840 --> 00:54:56,440 Speaker 1: bank at some point metaphorically and be like, you know, 980 00:54:56,520 --> 00:54:59,840 Speaker 1: I wish I had all those five minutes, yes to 981 00:55:00,080 --> 00:55:03,839 Speaker 1: gether right now, you know, and and had more of 982 00:55:03,880 --> 00:55:05,960 Speaker 1: that time. You're gonna feel that way at some point 983 00:55:06,440 --> 00:55:11,160 Speaker 1: not being philosophical about this something you know, you can't 984 00:55:11,760 --> 00:55:14,319 Speaker 1: you can get that the money, who cares about the money. 985 00:55:14,320 --> 00:55:15,440 Speaker 1: You can get the money, but you can't get the 986 00:55:15,480 --> 00:55:17,719 Speaker 1: time back. You cannot get the time back. And so 987 00:55:17,760 --> 00:55:20,480 Speaker 1: it's quality of time, quality of time for me at 988 00:55:20,480 --> 00:55:25,960 Speaker 1: the moment, multiplied by you know, just quality of time 989 00:55:26,200 --> 00:55:30,360 Speaker 1: with the multiplied by the right people. You know, really 990 00:55:31,000 --> 00:55:34,920 Speaker 1: because then you you know, you get something out of it. 991 00:55:35,080 --> 00:55:40,120 Speaker 1: You you give a lot and and you don't you know, yeah, 992 00:55:39,920 --> 00:55:43,279 Speaker 1: I just don't want to digress. But I think one 993 00:55:43,280 --> 00:55:45,440 Speaker 1: of the things that really helped is that is that 994 00:55:45,520 --> 00:55:48,440 Speaker 1: the circles. The circles also change, and I think it 995 00:55:48,480 --> 00:55:50,719 Speaker 1: comes with you know, now you have a kid, you're 996 00:55:50,719 --> 00:55:53,359 Speaker 1: a different person. You know, you're a different person. Will 997 00:55:53,400 --> 00:55:55,640 Speaker 1: get married, you're different person. We have a child, you're 998 00:55:55,640 --> 00:55:57,640 Speaker 1: a different person. Where you have to because now you 999 00:55:57,719 --> 00:55:59,880 Speaker 1: come back out like guys are back, you know, and 1000 00:56:00,000 --> 00:56:02,800 Speaker 1: then everybody's like, now we just now got our first 1001 00:56:02,840 --> 00:56:05,880 Speaker 1: so we only started. So you know, for me, a 1002 00:56:05,920 --> 00:56:09,480 Speaker 1: lot of that stuff is also relevant. My circle of 1003 00:56:09,560 --> 00:56:12,440 Speaker 1: people changed a little bit. People that are in my 1004 00:56:12,560 --> 00:56:14,920 Speaker 1: house every day, I'm not the same people that used 1005 00:56:14,960 --> 00:56:17,960 Speaker 1: to be you know, and so it's just this interesting. 1006 00:56:18,040 --> 00:56:21,360 Speaker 1: Life is incredible. Well, life is incredible. It's an amazing 1007 00:56:21,400 --> 00:56:24,480 Speaker 1: place to end. But it's funny because you made you. 1008 00:56:24,480 --> 00:56:27,239 Speaker 1: You expressed that your rose and thorn are one. They're 1009 00:56:27,280 --> 00:56:30,799 Speaker 1: like a circular reference, the high and the Without that, Hi, 1010 00:56:30,960 --> 00:56:33,239 Speaker 1: you wouldn't have hit that low. But that low is 1011 00:56:33,320 --> 00:56:35,719 Speaker 1: now turning into a new high because it's more like 1012 00:56:36,719 --> 00:56:39,200 Speaker 1: it's with perspective. So I think it's life is beautiful. 1013 00:56:39,200 --> 00:56:41,960 Speaker 1: It's a great place too. And I appreciate you, and 1014 00:56:42,000 --> 00:56:44,680 Speaker 1: I appreciate the discussion and now really getting to know you, 1015 00:56:44,680 --> 00:56:47,040 Speaker 1: because now I can definitely say I know you. And 1016 00:56:47,080 --> 00:56:50,480 Speaker 1: I appreciate all the awareness you've raised for Ukraine and 1017 00:56:50,560 --> 00:56:53,080 Speaker 1: being so passionate about it and finding that new side 1018 00:56:53,120 --> 00:56:56,640 Speaker 1: of your life, and your wife being my the one 1019 00:56:56,640 --> 00:56:59,359 Speaker 1: who is communicating with me, my switchboard operator to talk 1020 00:56:59,400 --> 00:57:02,560 Speaker 1: to you no and listen. I thank you so much, 1021 00:57:02,600 --> 00:57:04,800 Speaker 1: And again I just want to have to say mentioned 1022 00:57:04,800 --> 00:57:07,160 Speaker 1: thank you. Mike. Mike Caponi is a big dude, and 1023 00:57:07,200 --> 00:57:10,600 Speaker 1: it's like as a big it's a big influence. You know. 1024 00:57:10,680 --> 00:57:13,759 Speaker 1: I'm I've yet to know him as a person. You know, 1025 00:57:13,920 --> 00:57:16,440 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna lie he's talking about my partner in 1026 00:57:16,480 --> 00:57:19,439 Speaker 1: relief for who's on the ground still in Poland. Months later, 1027 00:57:19,480 --> 00:57:22,120 Speaker 1: he dedicated his life to philanthropy, had a very screwed 1028 00:57:22,160 --> 00:57:25,800 Speaker 1: up life and pulled himself out of the dumps of 1029 00:57:25,840 --> 00:57:29,240 Speaker 1: life on his own, and he's dedicated his life to 1030 00:57:29,640 --> 00:57:33,000 Speaker 1: philanthropy and he worked together and found each other. Yeah, no, 1031 00:57:33,040 --> 00:57:35,760 Speaker 1: it's incredible what what you guys have done with Jim 1032 00:57:35,800 --> 00:57:39,520 Speaker 1: be strong and then and and the lastly, you know, 1033 00:57:39,600 --> 00:57:44,800 Speaker 1: the war in Ukraine maybe overstune may not, but the 1034 00:57:45,600 --> 00:57:50,920 Speaker 1: damage is unprecedented. And unprecedented is not a word you 1035 00:57:50,960 --> 00:57:53,960 Speaker 1: can't say a lot, right when I say I'm precedented 1036 00:57:54,320 --> 00:57:57,680 Speaker 1: is yeah, but we had World War Two, Yes we did. 1037 00:57:58,440 --> 00:58:01,560 Speaker 1: We didn't use things as he has been used now, 1038 00:58:02,280 --> 00:58:06,200 Speaker 1: and the destruction was kind of different type of destruction. 1039 00:58:07,000 --> 00:58:10,560 Speaker 1: And uh, I feel like there's no comparison, and it's 1040 00:58:10,600 --> 00:58:15,680 Speaker 1: not about that. But my generation has probably never seen that, 1041 00:58:16,480 --> 00:58:20,520 Speaker 1: you know, And so I feel like, uh, the reason 1042 00:58:20,560 --> 00:58:23,040 Speaker 1: why I need to continue doing this is because for 1043 00:58:23,080 --> 00:58:26,400 Speaker 1: a very long time after the relief effort that I 1044 00:58:26,520 --> 00:58:29,200 Speaker 1: chose to be a part of, the humanitarian is going 1045 00:58:29,280 --> 00:58:32,280 Speaker 1: to have to continue. Oh no, well, we we always 1046 00:58:32,280 --> 00:58:35,640 Speaker 1: say we're there long after the headlines fade, and unlike 1047 00:58:35,760 --> 00:58:39,080 Speaker 1: a hurricane, which stops and then you're dealing with the aftermath, 1048 00:58:39,160 --> 00:58:41,280 Speaker 1: which is horrifying. And we've seen so much in Haitian 1049 00:58:41,320 --> 00:58:44,520 Speaker 1: the world. This is still ongoing. It may not be 1050 00:58:44,560 --> 00:58:46,800 Speaker 1: at the same favorite pitch, but once it stops, you're 1051 00:58:46,800 --> 00:58:49,960 Speaker 1: dealing with what you were dealing with after Hurricane Katrina, 1052 00:58:50,040 --> 00:58:53,120 Speaker 1: but you're dealing with lives and relocation and crazy stuff. 1053 00:58:53,120 --> 00:58:54,919 Speaker 1: And not everyone is interested in this all the time, 1054 00:58:54,960 --> 00:58:58,480 Speaker 1: which is why, uh, my unsolicited advice to you, Max 1055 00:58:58,640 --> 00:59:01,600 Speaker 1: is pick your time to talk about it and make 1056 00:59:01,640 --> 00:59:05,720 Speaker 1: it really compelling, because effectively, you are marketing. You have 1057 00:59:05,760 --> 00:59:08,240 Speaker 1: to get people interested in. If they hear it too much, 1058 00:59:08,320 --> 00:59:11,080 Speaker 1: they zone out because they want to hear about what 1059 00:59:11,240 --> 00:59:13,240 Speaker 1: somebody wore to the Grammys. They don't want to hear 1060 00:59:13,280 --> 00:59:16,080 Speaker 1: about People don't want to hear about death and destruction. 1061 00:59:16,120 --> 00:59:18,520 Speaker 1: It's sad, but it's true. You have to. That's that's 1062 00:59:18,560 --> 00:59:24,680 Speaker 1: my next that's my next level of understanding and compartmentalizing 1063 00:59:24,680 --> 00:59:27,479 Speaker 1: my efforts and making sure that I'm still putting out 1064 00:59:27,480 --> 00:59:30,400 Speaker 1: a lot. Yeah, Michael wants to post five times a 1065 00:59:30,480 --> 00:59:32,400 Speaker 1: day every day, because that's what he's doing and that's 1066 00:59:32,440 --> 00:59:34,240 Speaker 1: his main thing, and he is a core group that 1067 00:59:34,320 --> 00:59:36,840 Speaker 1: wants to hear that when he wants me to, I 1068 00:59:36,920 --> 00:59:39,240 Speaker 1: actually lose followers, believe or not. If I post a 1069 00:59:39,240 --> 00:59:40,840 Speaker 1: picture of myself in a bathing suit, it will do 1070 00:59:40,920 --> 00:59:42,560 Speaker 1: very well. But you post a picture yourself in a 1071 00:59:42,560 --> 00:59:44,760 Speaker 1: bathing that I promise you will do very well. You 1072 00:59:44,800 --> 00:59:47,640 Speaker 1: post a picture of Ukraine. Right now, they're full. People 1073 00:59:47,640 --> 00:59:50,360 Speaker 1: are there might be a cool thing that happens tomorrow 1074 00:59:50,440 --> 00:59:52,560 Speaker 1: where there's a fire somewhere, and that's the cool thing 1075 00:59:52,640 --> 00:59:54,640 Speaker 1: to talk about. And it's sad to discuss it this way, 1076 00:59:54,800 --> 00:59:57,320 Speaker 1: but that's the fact of the matter. So I say 1077 00:59:57,320 --> 00:59:59,880 Speaker 1: to Michael, I'm not posting right now about this because 1078 01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:02,120 Speaker 1: people don't have the bandwidth for it. Will do better 1079 01:00:02,200 --> 01:00:05,080 Speaker 1: if we wait until they're digesting it and have something 1080 01:00:05,120 --> 01:00:07,560 Speaker 1: important to say and some takeaway, and then we can 1081 01:00:07,640 --> 01:00:10,040 Speaker 1: raise money again. But you have to just remember you 1082 01:00:10,080 --> 01:00:12,360 Speaker 1: have to go with the EBB and flow. It's you 1083 01:00:12,400 --> 01:00:14,640 Speaker 1: can't change people. This is the way that it is, 1084 01:00:14,680 --> 01:00:16,880 Speaker 1: and that's why you can be successful. What you are 1085 01:00:16,960 --> 01:00:21,240 Speaker 1: successful in these efforts because you apply the marketing know how. 1086 01:00:21,280 --> 01:00:26,400 Speaker 1: The marketing steals. People are yelling at me NonStop, screaming 1087 01:00:26,480 --> 01:00:29,480 Speaker 1: at your phone. They're judging you for what you just said, Like, 1088 01:00:29,560 --> 01:00:32,360 Speaker 1: how can you say that these people are dying? Yes, 1089 01:00:32,440 --> 01:00:34,880 Speaker 1: you're right, but that's why I'm doing it this way 1090 01:00:35,120 --> 01:00:38,480 Speaker 1: because that can make bigger impact and big time exactly 1091 01:00:38,520 --> 01:00:42,000 Speaker 1: how to utilize my voice. Everybody's talking about how healthy 1092 01:00:42,040 --> 01:00:44,920 Speaker 1: avocados are. We are, well, avocado is healthy, it's a 1093 01:00:44,920 --> 01:00:47,960 Speaker 1: healthy if. Every day they're telling you about avocados, You're like, 1094 01:00:47,960 --> 01:00:50,400 Speaker 1: I don't want any avocados anymore. So you have to 1095 01:00:50,760 --> 01:00:53,400 Speaker 1: you know, it's anything. It's there are people dying in Ukraine, 1096 01:00:53,400 --> 01:00:56,000 Speaker 1: their kids going to traffic and their orphans. We've extracted 1097 01:00:56,240 --> 01:00:58,760 Speaker 1: hundred fifty million dollar effort. People don't want to hear 1098 01:00:58,760 --> 01:01:00,600 Speaker 1: about right now anymore than they want to hear about 1099 01:01:00,880 --> 01:01:03,960 Speaker 1: my business, my television career anything. So there's just a 1100 01:01:04,080 --> 01:01:06,360 Speaker 1: way to do it, and it's just it is what 1101 01:01:06,440 --> 01:01:08,800 Speaker 1: it is. So that's why I said a little bit that' 1102 01:01:08,800 --> 01:01:12,000 Speaker 1: to your wife and to you because you're passionate about it. 1103 01:01:12,040 --> 01:01:15,120 Speaker 1: But going in and out and finding your way will 1104 01:01:15,160 --> 01:01:18,760 Speaker 1: be really really amazing and you've done amazing things. Thanks 1105 01:01:19,640 --> 01:01:35,800 Speaker 1: Thanks Max, have a great day. Okay, So that was 1106 01:01:36,080 --> 01:01:39,360 Speaker 1: that was really interesting. I met Max through my superficial 1107 01:01:39,400 --> 01:01:43,680 Speaker 1: life of entertainment and reality television. We uh stayed in touch. 1108 01:01:43,760 --> 01:01:47,200 Speaker 1: When I got deeply involved in an effort in Ukraine, 1109 01:01:47,240 --> 01:01:50,280 Speaker 1: I realized that Max was there, maxim was there and 1110 01:01:50,360 --> 01:01:53,480 Speaker 1: connected with him and connected with his wife and was 1111 01:01:53,840 --> 01:01:56,160 Speaker 1: concerned about his safety and what was going on and 1112 01:01:56,200 --> 01:01:59,120 Speaker 1: how he was getting out. And then he wanted to 1113 01:01:59,120 --> 01:02:03,480 Speaker 1: get involved in philanthropy there. And we have a massive effort, 1114 01:02:03,680 --> 01:02:06,320 Speaker 1: uh more than a d fifty million dollar effort that 1115 01:02:06,360 --> 01:02:10,080 Speaker 1: will take months and months to continue with and we've 1116 01:02:10,120 --> 01:02:13,200 Speaker 1: extracted orphans and we have multiple warehouses and my partner 1117 01:02:13,240 --> 01:02:17,880 Speaker 1: Michael Capone and JEM, which is Global Empowerment Mission, are 1118 01:02:17,960 --> 01:02:21,800 Speaker 1: still on the ground uh and doing the heavy lifting, 1119 01:02:21,800 --> 01:02:25,080 Speaker 1: to be honest. And Max went and visited our warehouse 1120 01:02:25,200 --> 01:02:28,080 Speaker 1: and he became connected and we've helped him a little 1121 01:02:28,080 --> 01:02:31,480 Speaker 1: bit too to kind of give him some of our experience. 1122 01:02:31,560 --> 01:02:34,680 Speaker 1: So he's had an interesting life. I think it's nice 1123 01:02:34,680 --> 01:02:37,720 Speaker 1: how he was humble about taking a financial hit in 1124 01:02:37,760 --> 01:02:42,360 Speaker 1: his life, a career hit, uh, trying to rebuild and 1125 01:02:42,400 --> 01:02:44,440 Speaker 1: getting hit with the pandemic, trying to rebuild and getting 1126 01:02:44,480 --> 01:02:47,160 Speaker 1: hit with a war and just being honest about the struggles. 1127 01:02:47,160 --> 01:02:48,840 Speaker 1: So it was a different type of interview, a different 1128 01:02:48,880 --> 01:02:51,440 Speaker 1: type of guests, and I'm really glad for the conversation, 1129 01:02:51,480 --> 01:02:54,040 Speaker 1: appreciative and I think you'll enjoy it.