299th Floor - From Troubled Youth to Successful Entrepreneur: Carlos Velastegui's Extraordinary Voyage

Can hard work alone turn a troubled youth into a successful entrepreneur? Meet Carlos Velastegui, owner-operator of the Vintage Vault of Upland, who answered this question affirmatively and proved it with his journey. Born to parents who migrated from Ecuador and Costa Rica, Carlos was taught the value of hard work from a young age. Drawing upon his family values and life experiences, he transformed his life's challenges into stepping stones, leading him to remarkable success.

In this insightful episode, Carlos shares how to build personalized customer experiences, with a twist. He shares his unique journey, from harnessing his past experiences in different industries to developing invaluable business skills and outworking others to create a thriving venture. He treats us to a behind-the-scenes look at the inception of his vintage store, highlighting the profound influence of his parents, particularly his mother's eccentricity that he fondly carried with him.

In the concluding segment, Carlos lets us in on his dreams, goals, and personal growth. He talks about his hope to launch his own podcast and craft a book of poems, underscoring his belief in the healing power of writing from a place of hurt. He encourages listeners not to undercut their potential and gives a heartening reminder of the light that awaits on the other side of the horizon. Wrapping up, Carlos shares his excitement for the future of his business and underscores the importance of a positive mindset, even when faced with adversity. So, shall we tune in and be inspired by Carlos's extraordinary voyage to success?

Look up, and let's elevate!

Transcript

Gen: 0:13

Hey, it's Jen the Builder and Corey, and I'm so excited to be on this elevator ride. I was looking forward to this all day. I couldn't go fast enough and then I had a class and I was so bummed right, corey, like I told my instructor today, I've got to leave by a certain time.

Kory: 0:32

I have a really important thing to do and he said oh no, you don't, you're going to stay for this entire class. Yeah, he said you miss this.

Gen: 0:39

Your count is absent and you're only allowed one for the next seven weeks, and I never liked to start off that way, no, so I just want to thank you and our guests who you're going to introduce for being patient and just allowing me to stay in class for the whole time.

Kory: 0:52

Well, the funny thing about it is that it gave me an opportunity to really get to know this guest and kind of dig in a little bit and feel good about what we're about to venture into. So worked out yeah, I did, Definitely worked out. We are sitting here with a very interesting and intriguing gentleman named Carlos Velastigy, and he is the owner operator of the vintage vault of Upland, and so what you don't know right now is that we're about to dive real deep on some things that just will make your palate very satisfied.

Gen: 1:32

Yeah, welcome, carlos, it's so good to have you here.

Carlos: 1:34

Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

Kory: 1:36

So let's just jump right in, Carlos. Tell us a little bit about yourself and the vintage vault.

Carlos: 1:42

Okay, uh, let's see um. My dad's from Ecuador, my mom's from Costa Rica. They migrated here, probably in the early teens. So I'm a native tier to um, california, born and raised here in Los Angeles County and then we eventually ended up out here in San Bernardino County and a couple of different family businesses. I would love to say that we planned it that way, but it didn't happen that way. I was a troubled youth and it kind of forced some things to happen.

Carlos: 2:12

Um, you know, I would no longer could be in school. I wasn't accepted anymore as far as the school districts, and so, uh, my parents were like, you're going to work? And so I went to work with my dad's company that he worked for at the time I was probably about 15 and my dad always instilled work. Anyways, I was accustomed to it. You know, every Saturday morning I would wake up seven am. You know, dog run, pool cars. Um, I mean, even gave me a toothbrush to hit the grit on the tile on the floor.

Carlos: 2:41

You, know, that was summertime, uh vacation.

Gen: 2:44

That was military vacation.

Kory: 2:46

Simple green, I got introduced to simple, green, Wow.

Carlos: 2:49

So it wasn't so simple, but um, so yeah, and then, uh, so I went to work and then, of course, um, you know I was a knucklehead, you know, um, I had, uh, I was very stubborn and I had to learn things the hard way. So um got into a situation there with one of the employees and basically they let me go. And, uh, my father was the lead man and he had privileges to a credit card and when he tried to use that card two or three days later, uh, it was no longer available to him and so it kind of caused some issues there and my dad was like I'm done, and then we kind of venture on our own with that business and uh, being that he's hardworking too, you know himself, and um, and reliable and dependable, and we were able to start something that's now been in existence for about 25, 30 years. Wow, Really has helped the family out tremendously.

Kory: 3:41

That's pretty incredible, and I just wanted to touch base with um, jen, because have you noticed a pattern? When people have troubled backgrounds, um, but they have a strong work ethic, things just seem to blossom in a whole another direction, and usually it's a good direction, because you have that back, that background of hardworking and, and so I'm just noticing that, that mantra, with everyone that we talked to that has that, that kind of background. What do you, what do you think about that?

Gen: 4:09

Yeah, I can't wait to hear what Carlos has to say what I'm about to say. I believe that life experience, especially the tougher ones, you can either choose to make that work in your favor or against you. I've worked with people who've had backgrounds that were a little sketchy, right Like today people might judge against that. I'm all for it, cause I think it gives you that edge. It gives you, um, you learned, and what I love about what you shared, carlos, is that your dad, through thick and thin it sounds like family has always been at core, instilling values in you that he knew. I think that we're going to follow you into life and this, and thus here you are today.

Carlos: 4:56

Right, yeah, I think he's.

Carlos: 4:58

He's actually a time surprise at my work ethic, you know he's made comments before too that he had made, told me that he had mentioned to his wife if I had 10 of him, you know, wow, you know, and and has a really surprise. And he's even told me, like I don't know where you get it from me, you like, um, I just I don't know what it is, I, I don't know. I don't want to call it a sickness, but it's just a drive that, um, I just want to outwork anybody in that situation, whatever situation I'm in, and um, and one of the things that I've learned too, and and it's even hard for now. Now to you know, like Corey was saying, you know he thought I was smart and you've even mentioned that, and that's kind of hard for me to swallow sometimes because, you know, growing up and what I seen on TV and and, um, the different areas I grew up in Hispanics weren't really looked at as being smart individuals. So I never seen myself that way and I was troubled.

Carlos: 5:56

And then, here it is, at the age of 27, I went back to school and it wasn't cause. I was like, oh yeah, I, I want a degree. I didn't know what that was, I didn't know what an AA was, let alone a MA or MA and um, uh, started taking some courses suggested by my mother and next thing, you know, I had a drawing or a like, uh, I liked learning at that time and I just swallowed it up. Seven years later, you know, I'm walking away with the masters and um and and and didn't you know? And it didn't, it wasn't so hard. I mean, um, it wasn't impossible, and so I've never went into that field, but I did learn from it. My father even asked me so what did you even go to school for? And I just simply said you know what, dad, I like to read. Now, that's just how simple. I mean, that's what I learned from seven years, just learning and appreciating reading a book and where knowledge can come from.

Gen: 6:55

Yeah. So I have two questions for you. I get really excited over this stuff because I'm really drawn to your story. So what do you think happened in your life between that time where you call it your troubled time to then you flip a script, you turn over and you leave, and then here you are in school. Can you pinpoint what happened to make that transition?

Carlos: 7:21

Well, I think I've always wanted to be better than my surroundings, and that made it rough when I was younger, because I wasn't really liked by the neighborhood kids, because I think they felt that I felt that I was better than them. And it wasn't so much that, and sometimes I almost feel like it's the case now too. It's just I can't sit there like some people. For example and I'm not knocking anybody on this some people can go to an establishment and sit there for hours and have beverages and food, like for four, five, six, seven, eight hours, and do nothing.

Carlos: 7:56

I can't, my brain can't wrap, I can't do that. I can't. I mean maybe for an hour, maybe an hour and a half, okay, two hours, and then what? Like I gotta go, like. No, I got stuff to do and things I wanna do. So I think that's always been a trait that I've had, and so I just got misdirected when I was younger. There's, of course, your influences, temptation, just your surroundings. That and want. I always wanted things, and so because I wanted things, I was probably doing things to try to get those things that weren't always to my benefit.

Gen: 8:36

Yeah, yeah. So I want to paint a picture real quick of vintage vault. So we were recommended by our son-in-law to go. They live in Upland and he knows the kind of stuff that we're into. So he's like mom, cora, you've gotta check out the vintage vault. Like y'all are gonna love it.

Gen: 8:57

We went into that store and, yeah, I'm putting a major plug in because I'm all about ambiance, aesthetics and the feel of a place, the smells, how it like attaches to my senses. And this is that store. Don't be fooled by the vintage vault, like I was, like it's probably gonna be old and smelly, you know that kind of way. And it just wasn't like that. And I was intrigued the whole time Aside from your wonderful employees and I just was watching them and how they work. I was like, wow, this is a really well run business.

Gen: 9:34

And I saw you at the counter and I wasn't really looking at what you're doing.

Gen: 9:39

But you look very into what you're doing and while you're plugging things in, you were very aware of what was going on in the store. So that was my first experience and, cora, you and I got lost in that store and just absolutely fell in love with it. Right, oh yeah, and then the second time we came in and I never got to ask you this, but we purchased something and you took a picture of us and you knew all about us, which was pretty interesting, like you knew about this podcast. You knew us by name and that's why I told you you are super smart as a businessman and just as a human being, because every human wants connection. Every person wants to feel like they belong, whether they want to admit it or not, and we felt like we belonged at your store. And so please let me in on how your mind works with that, where you meet someone for the first time and then, all of a sudden, they come in again and you're just knowing stuff about them.

Carlos: 10:39

Right, it's, it's, it's.

Gen: 10:42

It makes me sound stalkerish and I don't mean to say that and I get it, it's fun.

Carlos: 10:46

And then, like, there's pros and cons to that. Like you said, it's stalkerish, right, that's the con, right. But the pro is that I did know and I've always. It's weird, like whenever I go into any setting, it's like the best way for me to describe it it's like the matrix Things just come at me and I'm not even trying to see it and I'm not even trying to notice it and it just does. And so the same thing with my business, you know.

Carlos: 11:09

And then, of course, the background that I have of the different things that I've done for work, employment and you know, on the service industry, that helped a lot. You know, on ministry work, where you know I would actually be out there ministering, I mean all these different things, that my history of that being troubled and being exposed to even places where people don't want to be right, and but you have to be because you got in trouble, you know, and fortunately it was short lived and so but all those things kind of come into play. And so one of the things is I'm not from that generation where computers right, these kids are getting fed computers at the age of four years old, five years old.

Carlos: 11:52

I didn't even see a computer when I was in high school or in school. I'd never seen one, not until college, right. And so I realized, when this business started, I started becoming acquainted with. You know all these social media, you know whether it be Facebook, instagram, and now just so extended, right. And so I realized that, hey, this is my way of getting to know things and research, right, just like when I was in school, you have to read books, so I would look at who was following the store, and it was easy to do it on a daily basis, because then you can remember the faces and the individuals. You let a couple of days go by, or a week, or a month, and forget it. You know you're not in touch anymore, and so I remember coming across your handle and then I like to do my homework.

Carlos: 12:42

And this is what's been beneficial for our business is that we and the growth of it. I've been able to run into artists, muralists, performers, you know, and we've had that during our events different bands, and one thing I notice about that I've learned is that people do want to be accepted or just notice, or even acknowledge, and so lots of times it's not even about the money. It's not about the finances. Yes, there are expenses and they can be at a minimal, but people are trying to grow and they're trying to learn about each other.

Kory: 13:23

Yeah, so I just learned some stuff and I think it's really interesting because I understand it and I believe it. I believe it to my core. You said something earlier. You said that you like to work harder than everybody else, and Jen knows that I thrive when I'm able to work harder than everybody else. I'm at my optimal when I'm able to put in more effort and more energy than the rest of the band or the rest of the guys that I'm working with, and what that does is it does make people think that you're smarter, and to some degree, it is.

Kory: 14:02

It's absolutely true, because what happens is, as we're working, we're learning the easier way to do things, we're learning the faster way to do things. We're also understanding that every job can't be done the exact same way, or someone has been told this is how you can do this, and so they're attempting to do it that way and a step is being left out. So I'm hoping that the listeners are paying attention, because here's someone that's teaching you to An easier way to navigate life, an easier way to navigate your, your personal situation, and ask just to sometimes outwork people that you're, that you're around, and the greats have done it. Michael Jordan did it, muhammad Ali did it, so many other people. You know the old timers like Fred Astaire and Frank Sinatra. They outworked everyone at singing and dancing and musicianship and so, carlos, you just crack the code for a lot of people today tonight, and I appreciate that.

Carlos: 15:04

Well, thank you.

Carlos: 15:05

And it's a lot to be said about like what you intake to right, like so, for example.

Carlos: 15:10

Don't get me wrong, I like comedy and I like different things, but you know, I'm more attracted to documentaries, I'm more even when it comes to movies, like watching, for example, social network or even Steve Jobs, you know those kind of movies, because I'm trying to learn about what fascinated them, what, what stimulated them to do these wonderful things, and you know, hence I don't look at myself in that like I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel, but at the same time, I mean I want to accomplish some things in my life. When it's all said and done, I'm not supposed to do it. I'm a colored man too, you know. I mean I'm not supposed to be smart, I'm supposed to be depicted in some movie saying what's up, homes, right, right, and baldheaded or something, and with a white shirt, you know. But I'm not that person, right, you know, and so, and I don't desire to be that person, and that's OK if you do, I mean, that's just you and I just want to be me, right, that's not you.

Kory: 16:12

So I'm going to slightly shift in, because I have a personal question that I really want to ask and I really want to get into this. So your store is catered to. Who and how did you start this? Where did that all come from? And then the most important part of that is the stuff inside of there. What, what draws you to one particular item and not another one?

Carlos: 16:36

You know it's a it's a beautiful question. First of all because I mean, it's so dynamic, right, like, first of all, just like when my father and we first started that business, it was never planned, so we never sat there and said, oh yeah, I'd like to get a store that's this big and have different curators and all these different things. Right, it just kind of developed on its own. So the reason that even started it all is because of the business that we have in LA. We come across a lot of fine furniture, antiques and custom made furniture, because we do work for interior designers. Well, when things got slow, I mean, for example, you get like one of our clients, for example Eddie Murphy and individuals as such, and they're like, hey, can you take this stuff and get rid of it? Just, you know, and so we don't throw it away. I mean, wow, this is beautiful, this nice piece of furniture here, and so we would keep it and sometimes we would resell it, but it would. Lots of it has just gathered over the years. I mean, you're talking about rugs, mirrors, household goods, antiques, and, and so when it got slow, my father got a spot in Pomona at an antique mart and he rented the space there, and so he would go on the weekend, saturday, and just kind of help up around there. And you know, my dad has done well for himself and it's impressive that this man would go work for 10, $12 an hour and sweep and clean when on the other side he's making, you know, 10 to 15 G's a month. Who knows? I don't know his person, you know, but he's doing well, right and so. But it wasn't about that right, and so he just liked to stay busy and constructive.

Carlos: 18:08

And so there happened to be a fall out there, new ownership, and him and a bunch of other dealers were like, let's find a different spot. So they found that location there in Upland, and he was supposed to have some partners. Well, when the time came, when they met with the landlord, the partners didn't show up, and but my dad carried through, very responsible, a man of his word, he carries through with the contract and he, you know, gets the place. And so about three to five months into it he realized it wasn't going to work as far as the income that was, that was being driven, and so he had to make some moves and purchase the building. And so there was a person that he had in charge, a manager that resigned after about six months.

Carlos: 18:51

Now I happened to be in the picture in a sense, where at the time I was relocating there was some space upstairs, so I moved in upstairs, so I was just helping the store out occasionally when I had time to just do some things in the store. And then, after six months, when this individual resigned, my father came to me in a family meeting and just said hey, you know, you kind of do your own thing, which is fine. But you know, would you like to be part of this, would you like to take over? And now we have some. That's a whole other subject. We have some history.

Carlos: 19:21

Father and son clashes, right, you know, I mean, that doesn't always work right. It sounds good family business, ha ha ha, right. But no, there's yeah. And so I thought about it, given it some time, and I agree to it.

Carlos: 19:35

Now I was just trying to honor what my father did the first two, three years. It wasn't working, it wasn't my passion. We got into it a few times where I just didn't feel in control and I was basically going to be done Right. And I think he's seen the seriousness of it and he just at that point just left me alone and I started making it my own and started transitioning this last three years and you know, my mom had a lot to you know an influence in a lot of ways that I am and she I'm so sad that she doesn't get the acknowledgement. You know, as a man we talk about our fathers, but I mean my mom wow, you know I'll be just I'd start bawling right here if we really got into it. But she's always very eccentric. I was always so proud to take her with me to back to school night because she was different than a lot of other mothers, and so I picked up maybe a little eccentricness from her you know if that's even a word.

Carlos: 20:40

but but yeah, and so I seen some shift changes going on in the, in the vendor world or in small business, that I knew that some changes need to be made. And it's been great the changes that have been made, and the vintage clothes and the collectibles, it all makes sense. It all makes sense in the sense that I don't want to sound dogmatic, but antiques, to me, are dead because the furniture, it's large, the custom houses nowadays they can't accommodate that. Everything's designed behind a flat screen TV, you know, and everything is so aerodynamic in a sense. The walls they cut short, they're not 12 feet long, you know they're, they don't, you can't put front. You know a hutch, I mean. No one eats at home anymore. Single family homes, divorce homes, everything's changed.

Carlos: 21:35

So, I just don't those things I don't see relevant and I don't see them being relevant again ever. You know it's the things that are attainable Memories, vintage clothes, you know, made in USA I can relate to the cure or Metallica guns and roses, those concert shirts, you know, those are things that people can they kind of. They don't know who's Norman Rockwell, right? You know, of course, betty Boo, marilyn Monroe, elvis, they're always going to hold their place. But I mean Roosevelt, you know. Abraham Lincoln, you know, unfortunately, the education says I mean no one, they don't hold any value or any nothing, you know, unfortunately.

Gen: 22:21

You know times change, yeah, yeah, it is what it is what you describe gives me that feeling in your story. It's just nostalgia. It brings back all the good times and you're right, like when I think of a Metallica t-shirt or any kind of rock shirt when you went to a concert. If I could share some stories here, me and my friends would listen to nothing but their albums, right, and you would just dope up on their music. You go to the concert, you're buying the magazine or that little. You know the portfolio they have for sale, the t-shirt and that's everything. It brings back the younger years and it really speaks to people. What I'm very intrigued and curious about is that concept about antiques and what you just explained to us. Is that something that you intuitively picked up or was it something that you had heard somewhere or talked to someone about?

Carlos: 23:20

No, that's intuitive. You know, I feel, even right now when you say I don't want to offend anyone. You know, and I tell people all the time and they're just looking at me like what are you talking about? And I don't even have to tell my dad that. You know, it's intuitive, it just makes sense.

Carlos: 23:34

You know, like I said, I don't want to come across dogmatic, but for a lot of individuals that are under 35, all they have is their car and their clothes. You know, houses are 800,000 plus. How do you I mean, how do you get a house like and then wait a minute so you're supposed to meet someone and get married by the age of 20, 25, and then have kids 28, 29, 30, and then have this big house. You know, or have a house doesn't have to be big by the time. And then the pressure no, it doesn't make sense to what I see. I mean the growth of where.

Carlos: 24:10

I don't know, I don't even know how to explain it. It just I just know that people want stuff they can relate to. So, guns and Roses I think I was in seventh, eighth grade Motley Crue, dr Feelgood I was ninth, ninth grade Ninja Turtles, voltron, gi Joe those are things I can remember, and so that's things that you're going to share with your kids If you don't, you know, relate to anything you're not going to relate to. You know stuff in the 40s and 50s and 60s, so you're not going to share that, and so all you're doing is you're sharing your history and then you're you're drawing your kids into liking that. It's hard to even try to show someone the Lakers back in the 80s showtime, right, unless you lived it. Yeah, then you would know the energy that was around in society.

Carlos: 25:00

right, how good it was to live in California with the Lakers showtime and Ronald Reagan and just the economy. Everything just seemed so great, right, right.

Kory: 25:11

Again, this man has given us a full on class on what you know is what you know, and so if you understand someone that's successful, someone that's an entrepreneur, that's doing it they're not going to tell you something, just to tell you. They're telling you so that you can learn and that you can be a better you. A lot of people like to say a better version of yourself. I don't subscribe to that school of thought, but I can better myself, and so what Carlos just did is he gave us a nice, clear picture of how to think about the future and what we can bring there and what we definitely cannot.

Gen: 25:47

Why do you think that's the importance of an idea, whether it be intuitive? You know a thought that comes to you, and it didn't come to you on accident, I think it. It's meant for you to receive it and then do something with it.

Gen: 26:02

And so, carlos, if you were to write a book, and you were going to go into, like you know, your laws of growth, like things that you've just learned throughout life, and I don't mean to put you on the spot, I'll just give you an example. Like some people will mention, the law of attraction, or the law of intention, or the law of listening to your intuition, if you were to, just right now, just talk to us and our listeners about some things that you know are solid for someone who's interested in pursuing an idea but fear is a real thing. Shame, doubt, those are all very real things that we're dealing with what Coordination or wisdom or wisdom, words of elevation would you give someone?

Carlos: 26:52

You know, when you first started kind of going down that road.

Gen: 26:55

Yeah.

Carlos: 26:57

And I would like to think of something to say that's just so, ooh, right, right. The thing that just kept in my mind is don't sell yourself short. That's all I just kept repeating in my head when you were dialoguing right now for the last 30 seconds, because I think that's what we do sometimes, I'm guilty of it, and I have wonderful people like you that I meet and that you see something in me that I don't always see, and by you sharing that, it reinforces, it embeds it in me that you are smart. People do look at you, they see what you're doing, and so that's just where I'm at in life, and I don't know if I answered that question correctly, but that's just where I'm at.

Gen: 27:49

Yeah, the law of not selling yourself short. I'm gonna ask another question, because earlier you had talked about dreams or goals, and I'm curious for someone who has your mindset, which I would totally define as a growth mindset, and just reaching your full potential, what else do you dream about in life, like, what do you wanna do?

Carlos: 28:15

Ultimately, you hear about people wanting to retire and you hear about at the age of 65, 63, 64, and you just hear people talk about it and is it a reality? And my father blesses heart, he's still working, he's 71, but he doesn't need to. But he does, and I get that too. It keeps you alive. But I would really honestly love to enjoy the later years of my life at an early well, I would think at an early age 57, 60, and not that I wouldn't be working, that I would be drawing checks or some kind of finances from different types of businesses, right, and different things. But that is a main goal. I don't wanna be a person that's just working. All this work just to what? What's the ultimate? Not my ego. What's not about that? It's about enjoying life, good company and very simple too. Nothing crazy, no Lamborghini. At the end of the day, I'm okay with the soccer mom's van. So but yeah, there's a few other things I'd like to accomplish. I've always wanted to have my own podcast. That's one thing.

Gen: 29:30

We can see that.

Carlos: 29:32

Absolutely. Yeah that's been something of mine that I've thought about for about four years. In fact, I have a page handle that I call Lose Chronicles, L-O-S-C-R. Lose, Lose underscore Chronicles, because I do like to write.

Carlos: 29:48

I see this book here that Corey wrote here, that's nice, and I've seen others that have been writing books lately, and I'd like to have maybe some short stanzas in a publication one day. Unfortunately, it just seems that the only times I write is when I'm really hurt. But I wanna learn to just write, just to write, and not necessarily when I'm hurt because I don't wanna hurt. Yeah.

Kory: 30:17

Might make you stop writing if you're always hurt, right?

Gen: 30:20

Well, it's interesting that place of you saying that you write from places of hurt and I'm not guiding or leading you anywhere, because this is for you to discover. But, as you were saying it, my intuition kicked in with this, because I read a lot of poetry and these are poets who write like let's look at Taylor Swift. Right, she writes songs about her breakups and everyone's like, oh my God, what is going on? But that's how she releases and that's how she's grown. I wonder, if you wrote that book of poems or stanzas, or quotes from a place of hurt, what kind of release that would bring you.

Carlos: 31:02

And I think I could learn how to do that. We talked about some other excursions that I'm venturing into. Here's something that, for example, I wrote. I was down at the beach. I take my dog to the dog beach, and I was there and I'm just thinking. So I wrote something like this. It says I used to run away. Now I face the day and at times have the privilege to get away. I've come to learn that light is always on the other side of any horizon, and so, of course, I'm on the beach and I was able to get away that day. And so it's a learning process and it's just something that at times comes to my heart and to my mind and so I hope to dabble more with that.

Gen: 31:45

Dabble away, that's powerful.

Kory: 31:47

Yeah, and on top of that, what you'll find as a writer or as a creator. There's always someone out there looking for what you're putting out, and that's where a lot of people get lost, because they're like who wants to read this, who wants to see this, who wants to be a part of this? You'll be so shocked. We've had people contact us from Indonesia, from India, from Japan, and tell us oh, this did this for me or this made me feel this way. And then I'm looking at the numbers and I'm looking at the places where the podcast is actually being broadcast, and it's all walks of life. So that simple stanza, that simple poetry or poem is touching somewhere, someone around the world, and that's who it's helping and it's worth it just for that one person.

Gen: 32:39

Yeah, for me, my takeaway from that is there's a light at the other side of the horizon. Is that what you said?

Carlos: 32:46

Right.

Gen: 32:47

You know how inspirational that is. So I may not see the light, but I know it's coming and that's powerful. I just met someone today, actually, whose vision for his businesses I want to be able to coach from anywhere to anywhere, and that was the one thing he held on to and it was his drive and that's what set him up to his life now, and I love those one hit stanzas that just stay with people.

Carlos: 33:15

Yeah, and it's interesting because, like that, I was able to come to mind when I took that time, to actually go to the beach.

Carlos: 33:26

Now we would all like the thought oh yeah, let's go down the beach, but then sometimes the force is to actually go down there, and by yourself, right, cause we always feel like we need to have a companion, someone. Yeah, and I did. I had my dog, and that is emotional support, right. So I cheated, but when I was there, I was able to think of that, and the benefit is, during that time, that I took for myself that I was able to see that there is light on the other side of the horizon, that sunset, and so at that moment, however, I was feeling the days before, in that time, I was able to come to that fulfillment, in a sense, in that moment, and so I shared it with myself. At that time I was able to, and so and that's what I wanna work on is my personal growth in that field, in that avenue, which sometimes I'm such a workaholic. It's hard too, but I need to. It's not even that I want to anymore, I need to.

Kory: 34:23

Right, yeah, I've learned that the hard way. Jen and I have this horrible habit of working so long and so hard that we forget to take time to smell the roses. And we just took some time a month or so ago and it went to Disneyland and stayed out there for three to three, four days and it was just earth and we went to the beach this last weekend.

Kory: 34:48

Yeah, and it was earth shaking and mind changing and it just made me feel so much more fresh and renewed. So, absolutely, and kudos to you for taking that time for yourself, whether it be with the dog which is a beautiful dog, by the way, and I don't always say this because I don't have a good relationship with dogs. I have two of my own but most people tell me, oh, my dog won't bite you. But that dog always bites me. But when I was in Carl's store, that dog sat there the whole time.

Gen: 35:18

There was a dog in there. I missed it.

Kory: 35:20

And it just was in its own world.

Carlos: 35:24

Wow, she's precious, she's calm, she's used to being around people.

Kory: 35:27

Yeah.

Carlos: 35:28

And yeah, she's a sweetheart and it's. You know, you don't know until you have your own right Right With the relationship and how you would look at it. You always hear people about their dogs like okay, okay, you know. So you know I look at her in a certain way and it'd be a sad day when she's no longer with us. But you know she's been a great emotional support.

Kory: 35:49

Yeah, and I could build a relationship with an animal that's like that. But the animal that, when you walk through the door, it just rushes you. I'm like whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you?

Carlos: 35:57

doing.

Kory: 35:57

Yeah, yeah, but before we get out of here, because I know we gotta, you know, wrap this one up, carlos, I just want you to be able to give out all your handles and where we can find you, where we can follow you, and definitely give us a little bit of insight to the store so that people can come down and check it out. I want everyone that's listening, that can make it down there, to go down there and check Carlos's store out.

Carlos: 36:18

Yeah well, we're located in a historic downtown Upland. Every day we're open, except for Mondays. Our Instagram, our main handle, is vaults of Upland, like a bank vault vaults of Upland. And then I have some different handles that I use. I use vintage vault finds. That's for whenever I'm trying to bring some attention to whether it's one of our dealers in the store or any new findings.

Carlos: 36:42

I have a vault underscore nation. That's where I share all our pictures of the guests that come through and make purchases. We have over 4,000 pictures on that. And then I also have a different company that I call VabaVoom underscore events, because we do host events at the store, and that primarily started with the vault of Upland. But then I ventured because I don't know where life's gonna take me, and so I thought I'd start an events company so that I can take those events elsewhere if needed. And so we have a Star Wars event coming up in two weeks, working with a talent agency out of the East Coast, out of this world talent agency, and so we'll be hooking up for that. Have a horror event coming up December 2nd. We'll have some actors from Nightmare on Elm Street with us then, and so you'll catch the events on the first and third Saturday of the month and I got some other things cooking, but I'm just gonna. I'm gonna hold tight to those and just be about it, so to speak, and we'll wait Some good things coming up.

Kory: 37:46

Nice, and when I hear about it cause I'll keep my ear close to the ground I, like you guys, know about it as well, jen.

Gen: 37:52

I'm sorry. I'm like going in town on my Insta trying to find all those handles. The only one I didn't catch was VavaVoom.

Carlos: 38:02

VavaVaVa underscore events. Now I give more attention to the Vault of Upland one. That's the primary one, and I try to tag the other one so I can share. But because that's the mother you know, that's the one that's given me the privilege and the outlet to really expand on, you know, things that I like and who I am, and then you'll find the different other handles that would give you a little glimpse of different sides of me.

Gen: 38:28

Nice. I want to pay special attention to the shout out to your mom. I'm not trying to end this on an emotional note. As a woman, hearing you give recognition to your mom and recognizing her gifts and her part in that. I think that's the beauty sometimes of a strength of a woman. It's silence Sometimes, especially as a mom. So God bless your mom for that and giving you the eccentricity that we see in your store and just who you are and, of course, your dad. But it just takes both parents and to recognize that is really, really heartwarming and that touches me. I'm a mom and so it's just good to hear.

Gen: 39:15

So thank you.

Carlos: 39:16

Yeah, you're welcome. Hopefully one day I can visit that more. You know, we all have our issues or whatever relationships, not even issues relationships with our parents, and it just seems that the father and son one has always been rough. It kind of reminds me of, like, the memory of that show, orange County Choppers yeah, you know Falling, yeah, yeah, and his father and a lot like that. But you know, and my mom, unfortunately, is always, and it's like a lot of women, you know, they're in the background, so to speak, but yet they're the unity. There's so many things that have been learned right, and so I know I can count on both of my parents, first of all. First and foremost, I know that they both love me, but I have this very disconnection with my mother that for some reason, I've always have distanced myself from very intimate relationships, and that's something I want to navigate too, and so I hope that Los Chronicles and stanzas and books and all that will help me eventually, when it's all said and done, come full circle.

Kory: 40:27

Absolutely. We just we're just gonna say it. Thank you so much for being a part of Take the Elevator and bringing your story to life here and helping others to elevate themselves.

Gen: 40:41

Yeah we'd love to have you back. There's a lot to you and I'm never in fear of competition with a podcast. I think any good podcast that brings light, love, energy, peace, joy to the world is something we're about. So just want you to know we're cheering you on, Carlos, Like we love everything about you, everything you stand for. So it's been an honor to have you here and I hope to have you back.

Carlos: 41:08

Thank you, thank you. I appreciate both of you Not only having me here at the podcast, but I mean welcoming me into your home. This is your safe place and here it is. I have the privilege to be here and then, of course, seeing Corey's a movie room and collection.

Gen: 41:24

It's awesome.

Carlos: 41:24

I always think, Corey, you never know what's behind closed doors and someone's home, and so I got a glimpse of more into both of you. So thank you for this opportunity.

Gen: 41:34

Absolutely. We're gonna stop by the store and hopefully bring friends and family over to see you and meet the infamous Carlos, and he will catch on to your IG and find out more about you, which is a way to connect. It's a beautiful way.

Kory: 41:49

And he's no longer infamous. He's now famous.

Carlos: 41:51

So oh, I don't know about that. I'm the maintenance man. I like to be recognized as the maintenance man.

Gen: 41:58

Well, as you can tell, it's really hard for us to end this episode because it just feels so good. I hope you felt the energy wherever you're listening, and you know us to take the elevator. We say look up and let's elevate Nice.

Kory: 42:11

Thanks, carlos, thank you, elevate, elevate Every day, elevate Every day, every day, elevate.