The Parks Way!
The Parks Way!
The Parks Way with guest Andrew Ramirez Van Buren Office Field Manager
Andrew shares his journey about becoming a high school quarterback, his inspirational grandfather, and how the sun always shines!
Good morning. Good morning. Hello everybody. This is your host of that's the park sway podcast. I'm sitting in here with the one and only Andrew Ramirez. Good morning, Andrew. Good morning. How you doing? Good, good. Well, little cooler morning coming in cool. As much humidity. Feel good. It did. It did for August. So, you know, Andrew, I think you got a pretty dynamic story. And you know, you're fairly young guy and you've been able to move up the ranks pretty good quickly here parks. You know, but kind of plateaued a little bit. We'll kind of, you know, work into that, you know, kind of seeing what your thoughts are for next level, but generally, really just want to talk about your leadership. people that listen this podcast, maybe employees Maybe people that are not in the industry to want to get into it. So yeah, that's kind of that's kind of what we talked about here. So, you know, ag tell a little bit about you tell me where you're from where you grew up brothers sisters. Well, I grew up in kannapolis, North Carolina.
Andrew Ramirez :I got one sister, kind of a small town has a big football tradition. And, you know, that city. You know, which where I played actually led the team from sophomore year junior senior as the quarterback. there so, you know, talking about the whole leadership thing. I think that's why, you know, I laid down you know, I'm leaving trying to lead this team as well here. Yeah. So to about you know, growing up Mother Father. Yeah, a little my mom and dad. You know, half Hispanic, Katherine white. My dad is from Mexico. Mom here and You know, there's just always, you know, going family, my mom, big Christian lady always put God first and made sure that I always did same. You know, I was also close to Greece also close to my grandparents. You know, it's all just one big family really always doing stuff together. Yeah. Growing up who, you know, who was your kind of your role model your idol or no doubt, it has to be my father who really is why I think that is just the way he would carry himself. You know, he really did depend on others. He made his own decisions. And, you know, he stayed bold and firm with with, you know, what he thought and what he believed in. And basically, you know, growing up he told me if he wanted something that I needed to go get it nobody's gonna hand it to me. quick story like, you know, freshman year I was I was kind of nervous to go play quarterback, but I knew I had an arm. But I wanted to go with all my other teammates, Alma buddies. So freshman year was kind of miserable. Margaret Paul was like, you know, you're sitting on the bench for nothing. And he's like, you gotta quit being afraid to go get it. As a sophomore year came, he said, What are you? What's your plans this year? And I was like, I don't know yet. And he's like, you're wasting opportunity. And so finally, one day I went to the coach, he was like, hey, I've been checking out beat these guys. And he's like, You think so? And I was like, yeah. And one day we got done, don't work out. And we went out in the field. He said, you go with the first group tomorrow. I went home told my grandpa and he was like, I've been telling you all along, is like, sometimes you just got to believe in yourself and push yourself. And, you know, for whatever, he might have never done it. And he's taught me a lot. You know, how to be mechanically inclined, like how to work on stuff. And if it weren't for him, and I don't I don't know how to ever push myself. Hmm. Well, I appreciate sharing that story. I you know, unfortunately, I remember when he passed Oh, it was at the funeral and then at that place was packed. Oh,
Wyatt Tucker :you know, preacher had a lot of good things to say. You always tell somebody how you know how dynamic they are what kind of person they were in the community in your family
Unknown Speaker :you know, not in a shallow way but as far as like you seen people at the funeral right at places packed man. Oh, and grew, you know that that speaks volume and kind of like what you're saying about your grandpa.
Unknown Speaker :So you know you growing up your grandfather your between your freshman and sophomore year, he talked about kannapolis. And I agree with all of that. I remember Nick maddix back know
Unknown Speaker :how big he was about as big as CJ leak was, Oh, yeah, back in this tells you my age A long time ago.
Unknown Speaker :He committed a four stage I
Unknown Speaker :don't know how well he did do. You know, think it
Unknown Speaker :maybe it's a little too big for him at that time. But you know,
Unknown Speaker :you know, like, That's life. So you go and you go in and you take the quarterback
Unknown Speaker :Position sophomore year.
Unknown Speaker :There's a lot of dynamics in that too, man. You know, I mean, you know, there's not only at the, you know, from your teammates, your coaches, the pressure and all that, but, you know, you gotta carry yourself off the field too. Right? You gotta be a steward in the classroom. You know, you're looking guy, I'm sure the girls were firing on you pretty good.
Unknown Speaker :You know that that kind of sidetracked you to, you know,
Unknown Speaker :anything stands out, you know, they're your sophomore, junior year. We'll talk about your senior year because I know it's a big year for you. But you know, what kind of feelings did you have? What kind of challenges were you facing? Or was it pretty much all pretty smooth two year you didn't really look at that. So sophomore year, so they started off a JV but then like the third game they called me up.
Unknown Speaker :You know, when did that actually got to play there was a new
Unknown Speaker :No senior quarterback play him but they called me up Casey ever went down because he did get hurt one time, and actually got to play as a sophomore in the Concord game and win the battle for the bed, which was pretty cool. But rolling into junior year,
Unknown Speaker :you know, there was another senior quarterback ahead of me. And so when you are juniors being clear, this was he was a rising senior. Right. Okay, so, yeah, that was kind of how the coach did things always played the, he was trying to give him opportunity to kind of and, you know, I feel like I was better now. He was more mobile than I was, but my arm was better. And, you know, kind of put me down a little bit, you know, just got moved up as a sophomore.
Unknown Speaker :So there was like the fifth game of the season. And I was standing on sideline and I was talking to some buddies and
Unknown Speaker :all of a sudden they said Ramirez was going home.
Unknown Speaker :And I look in there is limping off the field. And so like right then and there, I knew how to flip the switch. Like there was something I couldn't to this day like people ask me, there's like, how did you manage to go in there and throw two touchdowns and win the game at home and it's still your sophomore year. This is going to this is your junior year? Well, I'm like, I don't know, man. It's all about flipping a switch. And I'll never forget, because my buddies they didn't play because they were there were juniors and they was like, how did you? Like, did you hear the fans and stuff? And I was like, honestly, dude, you just cancel it all out as I went, your focus your focus. And I was like, I knew at that time, whether I was a junior and there was a bunch of other seniors in that field. It was all dependent on me. I had to lead them down the field. I had to give them the play. So that kind of shows like, I had to be a leader. And before I even went in Christmas and looked at me, I was like, there's a reason you're in this position. You're a leader. He's like, do lead them to the victory. And like there's so much stores I remember from high school, but like that's when it went in and,
Unknown Speaker :you know, one of the worst times of junior year though
Unknown Speaker :And this is where it got tough was was playing Concord at Concord. And it was like was on a goal line. And it was like two seconds left on the clock if we score who's on the two yard line, if we were to score with a one, so we fumbled and we lost and like, you know, as a junior, you let you feel like you let the seniors know. So I mean, I was asked to borrow it's a big rival game. But following that was the first playoff game of
Unknown Speaker :the season against North for size. So you had some success, right? If y'all make the playoffs? So you know, you you got it wasn't like you were like on my own 10 team or nia. sunlights last chance. Yeah. Last chance you ever get to play off never get anywhere, right like that. Wow. Well, that's pretty good. So that's pretty cool, too. It was a big business, a big tradition school like like it's 38 consecutive winning seasons. And we went to a playoff game against North four sides after that, you know, I didn't have too good of a game and get to Concord and you know,
Unknown Speaker :Kinda down, and
Unknown Speaker :but I realized that hey, next week's a new week, so we go into that game, and it was a nail biter all the way down to minutes. I'll kind of break it down quick is the best day I ever had I went to school history book for throwing over 330 yards. Wow, three touchdowns, and we come back to V dome. I can't remember what school was but it was a nail biter. We'd beat him in the last two minutes. We was down by two touchdowns in two minutes not coming back and through. So just talk about that for a second. Like what was that feeling? Like? You know, you go from the lows of the lows the week before? right to me, man it's that's probably one of the best feelings you know the game curity guys victory you know that'd be in a tradition it's just like the Friday night movie right? You know that everybody in the county or city comes out especially playoff games. Here. You You know what do you remember any feelings or
Unknown Speaker :You know, or or anything went on during that time. So I remember, I remember the last drive who was going down to try to tie it up. I think there was like a minute, 20 seconds and we was on our own 30 yard line.
Unknown Speaker :And so we're driving cars to some causes, like we're just throwing cars do some call this post route, the corner pulled off, I hit the pose, or down at like, their 45. So we start driving. Well, the whole time. We had this receiver that went to the University of Virginia, Keon Johnson. I kept putting him on i'd also fade routes on the outside of the numbers. And so we call it a last total It was like 10 seconds to go and we're on there like 25 yard line.
Unknown Speaker :We called it was called a 93 slot post. So what happened is that has played two high safeties. And the DB was playing off on Kion. We had a little guy named Dante Pinkston, he was like a track star. It's like you ran like a four fold
Unknown Speaker :For three is 40. That's insane. Yeah. Because we called it 93 posts. So what happened was I come up to the line I was going through the cadence, and I still see it to this day. I look up and there's two high safeties. What happens is one rolls when I get ready to hike the ball. As soon as it did the other safety pulled off in that post was wide open in the middle. And to this day, I don't know how I made that read. It felt like an NFL read almost like they were just trying to lock it over. But
Unknown Speaker :I hit the post and I can pull him up right now and you see the whole place just go bonkers like you see the whole satellite jump up. When he catches the ball with the cannon shoots off. The neighbor has got a big k lit up on his desk and he shoots off fireworks. Like it was just insane. That's always me chills even thinking about it still. Oh yeah, that's good, man. That's the memories that you built, you know for life, man. And, you know, I'm sure you still have some of those great relationships.
Unknown Speaker :And they still go to school good bit and help out and do those things.
Unknown Speaker :So man, that's, that's amazing. So, talk a little bit your senior year, man, you're obviously not playing NFL right now or anything like that. I'm sure you as a rising senior, you walk in and you're like, man, I don't, you know,
Unknown Speaker :only wanna play football. I want to be an HVDC, field supervisor manager for, you know, new construction right? Now you're not thinking that so walk me through your senior year, and then what happened and everything else their
Unknown Speaker :senior year was probably the roughest.
Unknown Speaker :Sophomore year I broke my tailors and had surgery. But senior year I decided to play basketball. I was never a basketball athlete. I thought I could dunk and I couldn't. So when
Unknown Speaker :I went over a duck, and I came down right on top of my ankle brace
Unknown Speaker :My uncle again, going into senior years like right going into summer workouts.
Unknown Speaker :So here I am missing the beginning of workouts and a cast. Other two other quarters still sophomore at this time, no seams, they already played your season. No, this is going into my senior season. I was right at the end of school year I broke my ankle. Oh, okay. And then when we come out, that's when we start summer lifts like workouts and stuff. So here I am in a cast of stuff. I'm here from all the coaches like we told you not to do it. You're not a basketball athlete, blah, blah, this and I got two of the quarterbacks trying to take my position. So I'm sitting there and I was like, man, like I am really down. Well, you know, the recovery went good. I come back, I bounce back quick. I was able to be back for the first scrimmage. I already knew all the plays and knew what it was. So you know, but even when I was hurt, I knew I had to be a leader to where I crushed myself to where I was in the huddle with crutches, listening to the play, figuring out what was going on.
Unknown Speaker :Like what I needed to do in that play just to get mental reps and when they would say
Unknown Speaker :come back scrimmages was good. went through the whole season. This is when we went to for a we're usually three a and, you know, we got a lot of people saying, you know ain't gonna make it for me you're gonna play Malik Creek in them and stuff. But the first four game we played was very Academy and we beat the wheels off of them and you know kind of set like,
Unknown Speaker :okay, we're we're here we're, we're for real we're serious business. And
Unknown Speaker :that was a great feeling. And then we played Vance which was the toughest for a fact that time
Unknown Speaker :for we met Malik Creek and him and Krishna Some said they, so every time you walk in there, they lock the gate. Every time they put a padlock on the stove, I get in a bind get out. Because when you go in there, they lock this gate because you mean this business. He says like locks, let them let it on leash. And when and after the best board game ever I got through flight 300
Unknown Speaker :yards, two touchdowns, and we beat them and ruins our homecoming. Wow. So it's generally most times on the schedule a homecoming game is a layup our senior it's a win right? He made it he said, You know there's a reason that picture for homecoming he goes and we went in and we ruined it, man. So that was a good feeling and then you know we got into huff we lost a damn we got Malik Creek and buddy that was a beat down. We got with humbling humbling Oh it is I mean
Unknown Speaker :I would almost say you want to go in thinking that but you obviously know like, hey, there's better athletes so you got to play to the top of your potential you know the Why do you think they've done so well they're just got a bunch of students and athletes to pick from yeah but I mean
Unknown Speaker :why you know
Unknown Speaker :i mean cuz they they're not like Abraham been around forever, you know, or like an independence or, you know, some of these other Butler you know, some of these other big Charlotte schools are, you know, West macaroon.
Unknown Speaker :You know why Malik Creek? I mean, they've they've been on power real well you know that. I can't remember his name. I think Samuels he plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yeah, he was there when I was there. He was the runningback. He would stay.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah. So I mean, they've just always been a powerhouse. But after the Crete game, we went to play West Charlotte, deer practice how to do snapped cadence on the wrong time and I'm broke my throw and pinky. So I was out for recess season. So, you know, the biggest score I got to tour was UNC Charlotte. So you were recruited? I was getting looked at you by goodwill schools. But the biggest one that was UNC Charlotte, and at the time, you know, they haven't started
Unknown Speaker :and I was like, you know,
Unknown Speaker :this is pretty cool, but kinda in your backyard not too far from the hat right? And I was like, You miss pretty cool on the cushion. So we went met coach Lambert at the time and some other watch some practice a couple times, and there's another couple schools
Unknown Speaker :Like up in West Virginia that called me and stuff and
Unknown Speaker :it's only when I really went to UNC Charlotte was the only one out I went to, but for some reason, I just felt like, I think it's time to give it up. Why?
Unknown Speaker :Well, that's not what being a leader it's not, but in a way, because I didn't know if I was gonna get a full ride, because there's other quarterbacks at UNC Charlotte and everything. And the way I looked at it, I didn't want to put my family in debt. And honestly, I didn't like schoolwork at the time. I always like working on stuff, like always, like, get my hands on stuff piddling around. And so this is where it brings to about the whole HPC industry is
Unknown Speaker :I heard somebody mention it. And I kind of did some research on it. You know, how you're always fixing a problem. You're always trying to figure out why this isn't working properly or, you know, what's wrong with it. And so, as I remember looking at that, well, we had a job fair thing. The school
Unknown Speaker :And rccc HVC guy
Unknown Speaker :who's over the whole classes at rccc come in and his name is Fred love. I met him. He said a long time ago, he came in he goes, how many I want to do hpac and I'll raise my hand and I look around and I'm the only one really. And he was funny. He was like, a little too. You know, Mr. Andrew, what this is about? I was like, Okay, well, whatever. He was, like, you want to do that? And I was like, yeah. And he was like, Well, I'm your guy. And he was like, he's like, you know, they talk about, you know, decent pay and having this and always doing this. And I was like, Yeah, I was like, I just like working on stuff. I was like, you know, like, figuring out what the problem is.
Unknown Speaker :And he was like, Well, I'm your guy. I was like, wow, I was like, well, maybe this is meant to be. So I went to rccc to do it myself. I kind of didn't like schoolwork for whatever reason. And Alright, so let's talk about there real quick.
Unknown Speaker :So you go from Turing UNCC. Right. And you get let down to end your year. Was there any specific thing? I mean, I mean, I understand, you know, dead, but there's still student loans. Right. There's, you know, I think during that time period, you know, it still is to this day everybody's pushing for your school, for your school for your school, you don't go to college, go to college, go to college,
Unknown Speaker :you know, or understand death, or anything else. Like, you know, give up your dream, man. I remember the last game I played, you know, it was competitive, playing baseball. And, you know, it was bittersweet right now, I think sometimes at that point, you're, you're kind of sick of bro. You know, to me.
Unknown Speaker :I still, you know, every spring, you know, not this year, but, you know, grass cut spring training, all that stuff. You know, I still get some blood flowing, but way too
Unknown Speaker :Fat now but you know what?
Unknown Speaker :That's a that's a big decision in your life, you know, to not pursue it doing anymore. And it was it really? I mean, I want to say you're lying to you, I'm sure it was that but, you know, going back on that What? What walk me through that, you know, that's a big decision man I may not you know, after the football season senior year there was times I would still go out in the field and throw with gas like even after the season.
Unknown Speaker :But as you know, senior went on going into the spring
Unknown Speaker :because I gave up baseball. My senior year I played all the way up to junior year. Why did you do that? Focus on football cuz I thought I was gonna, like go play but as a spring sport, right? I just, I would do football workouts in the spring all the whole year. And
Unknown Speaker :so I was just, you know, I regretted doing that. But, you know, as soon as seniors senior season was over, you know, trying to talk and figure out what the next point
Unknown Speaker :It was with Chris Newsome.
Unknown Speaker :I felt like it's kind of done out. And then but like, you know, hey, you made a good run. Here in the trophy case here. Ao brown like you. You lead on you did what she had to do like, no regrets. Like I had no regrets. Like I was finding the clique. So, okay, okay, so
Unknown Speaker :you go to RC cc right? Yep. Find out that your school's not really your thing, which is okay. For most people. I think it's either that's a
Unknown Speaker :you know, as black or white right? People either likes like, like, schoolwork or they don't and that that goes across the board. So you're going there's you know, studying for home. What are you doing for work during this time?
Unknown Speaker :Now, so when I school you know, when I came right out of school, I was an RCC, I wasn't working at the time. Cool. So you really you're still full time. Still
Unknown Speaker :In college, and how long do you last doing that? Not long, like a semester. Not even that.
Unknown Speaker :It's not even that man. I just found one for you. Yeah, I just I just had to get my hands on something like besides schoolwork. And a cousin of mine was dating a girl, her grandfather owned a heating and air company in Salisbury, North Carolina. He said, Hey, you still want to do it? And I said, Yeah, he's, like, come in for an interview. And I was I
Unknown Speaker :went up there. I started like that following Monday. How are you? How old are you this time?
Unknown Speaker :18. Okay. And young still. Yeah, yeah. So I started there at work there for about I don't know, maybe nine months. It was a small small company, so I didn't have a lot of work. Are you doing? technician learn how to do service work? Yeah. Oh, wow. So they were a service replacement company. Background? Yeah. Okay. So went there.
Unknown Speaker :You know, nine months in one city and I was with how far as you're doing that it means you understand how to brace and Oh yeah, I'm doing
Unknown Speaker :flex on replaced and stuff like that and like you know how to mostly do maintenance is what they started me off at. Were you doing? We own your own life you run in a truck? I did for a little bit. Wow. So that's gonna be pretty gratifying. I mean, you go from being sued in a class in a stupid lab? No offense. Hmm. I think being cost still great, but I couldn't stand it. Right. You know, and normally you're not working on air conditioning in an air conditioned building environment, right.
Unknown Speaker :See, quick day you go or trying to service and, you know, I've started running your own truck and maintenance is. That's pretty cool, man. I know. Yep. And the owner at the time when I went talk to him, he said you'll learn hear more in three months than you do in a whole year to college. Yeah, that's true. Which was true. I mean,
Unknown Speaker :First one of the first things that got me all was how to read gauges, the pressure, you know what the saturation temperature and all that should be? Was saturation saturation stood for and everything. You boil your textbook and look it
Unknown Speaker :didn't I had there's a guy that where he came from Florida and I was Patrick. And he kind of trained me up on it and got me, you know, baby steps really but I mean he kind of walked me into it how it was but
Unknown Speaker :they, like I said it was a small company and you know,
Unknown Speaker :so you're in you're talking to the owner about what raised you change jobs future What? No, he was just talking about the interview about you. At the time he was just like, you'll learn this and so I started working and it got slow got to a point where he got slow and slow because like I said it was a small company and made me small, we mean like five people 10 people. Gotcha. Okay. And, you know, he was on New Year's Day.
Unknown Speaker :He calls me goes, Hey, I meant to let you go. And I was like,
Unknown Speaker :wow, yeah, I didn't know that. So I was like, whatever. So at the time,
Unknown Speaker :you're doing this for nine months. I'm learning and doing all that, but I still living at home. That's 899 years old picked you. In New Year's Day this guy calls you and says, I gotta let you go. Andrew. He recently said it wouldn't work. Hmm.
Unknown Speaker :Interesting. So I was just sitting in I was like, Alright, I mean, I couldn't argue about it. Like I get it. I understand. And
Unknown Speaker :so about that time I got off the phone, I was at home, we're gonna click off clear my mind. So we went to play golf. And, you know, I didn't really worry about I want to beat myself up. I mean, I had no reason to. It's just one of the things and you know, then, lo and behold, here comes parks fans and welcome to parks. Yeah, you know,
Unknown Speaker :a former major I think y'all were your friends or knew each other.
Unknown Speaker :He got you in here. But you weren't doing service work, right? So you're different, a whole different ballgame. So you come in and learn trying to punch, right? Yep.
Unknown Speaker :So that's a whole different animal not to walk walk me through that a little bit.
Unknown Speaker :So I remember coming up here, do an application. And I didn't know what to put down. So I've put service tech on the paper, because I didn't know what I was going to get myself into. And then, you know, yeah, we're big on communication, right?
Unknown Speaker :So, I come over here, and
Unknown Speaker :like you said, learning that whole punk stuff like, you know, going back behind the guys to make sure everything was ready to go.
Unknown Speaker :You know, I paid attention.
Unknown Speaker :did what I had to do. And then before I know what, three months into the company, I was running my own truck
Unknown Speaker :was like, sink or swim, baby. That's it. That's the whole dynamic. Thank you.
Unknown Speaker :Get it. So
Unknown Speaker :well, I remember our remember a little bit talking about that.
Unknown Speaker :But I do remember all the field managers talking about you and how well you were, and how good you did. And you know, and that is quickly within three months, especially back then the dynamics of the whole department then, you know, allowing you to have that much control at such a young age that quick.
Unknown Speaker :You earned that, right.
Unknown Speaker :And he started, you know, some of the other green guys, you run in them. And, you know, I didn't really see you much who was around you that much. Just, you know, I think he's got in and got out, got going. Mm hmm. Got hustler.
Unknown Speaker :So you did that for what?
Unknown Speaker :What the whole puts? Yeah. See, I was 19 when I started doing that. And then
Unknown Speaker :think I moved to management when I was 20. Yeah. And he's still he's still there.
Unknown Speaker :You're not the youngest, you either want to have the youngest manager so, you know, not being cliche. Everything's kind of that whole dynamic right of the other guys getting injured. You know, the other quarterbacks and you step in in basic. You know, we were going through some management changes at that time there was some uncertainty there, but you were, you know, a leader and I remember you stepping up and sign up for it. I'll never forget that, you know, you've done a fantastic job.
Unknown Speaker :So what what do you think that is Andrew like getting a little deeper, getting a little, you know, taking a pause and the whole timeline thing. Like why every time when you get backed up in a, you know, tough situation or challenge in your life.
Unknown Speaker :You know, you rise up right. You know, how do you what what do you think that is, you know, what, what makes you do that versus just laying down right? You could have let that whole college you know, not planned
Unknown Speaker :feed you.
Unknown Speaker :I've been around some guys that, you know, they're well in our 30s or 40s. And still all they talk about, right is how good they were in high school. But they don't they really don't make anything of their life after that.
Unknown Speaker :You know, what, what have you done different so that, you know, that didn't happen or what do you think it is that has caused you to rise up like that? Just like people get too comfortable? I'm never comfortable. I'm never satisfied for where I am. Hmm.
Unknown Speaker :You know, you talked about being backed up into a corner. You know, not laying down all they're gonna do is fight. I mean, you know, Tom's are gonna be tough, and you have to understand that but there's no reason to lay down his life is gonna beat you to your knees. You just got to keep fighting. And
Unknown Speaker :you know what i got no to do is there's a saying I learned in high school and Mike and Ron and give me a fit for always saying it, but it's my favorite thing that ever stuck with me.
Unknown Speaker :says, It's by Eric Thomas. If you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe in, you'll be successful. I've never forgot that. You know, they think it's crazy when I say it, but that hits home for me because, you know, 24 years old right now. I'm blessed to be in the situation I am, but it wasn't handed to me. No. Wasn't handed to me. You know, I had to learn if I didn't have drive. I think that's what you know, some young kids now they just want everything handed to him. You got to have drive, you got to go get it. And that's a big thing on my grip. I'll tell me he's like, you know, Michael, I hand it to you. Yeah. And
Unknown Speaker :you know, I just think that's it, man. I just see like, it's like a tunnel vision really, like I'm just, you know, there might be an obstacle here down the road that might be an obstacle here. But you know, when it always rains, the sun always shines after like, you got to get through it either way you look at it, right? So, you know, being a leader is just, you know, when times get tough.
Unknown Speaker :No matter what, whether you gotta crawl out of the situation, you got to be the one that leads him out. Sure. And, uh, so I'm gonna see you, man, you just can't lay down. Yeah. Well, man, that's powerful. Right, there is your that's,
Unknown Speaker :you know, there's not too many people that have that same characteristic or that quality in you, you know, especially at your age, and I think you're right. You know, I think a lot of young people still live at home, even some that get out of college, you know, they don't get that good job or in the debt and you sit on mom's couch, really know how to interact with people. Kind of the, you know, kind of dark place for, you know, probably a good bit of some of the millennials out there now, especially since COVID came and all the unemployment.
Unknown Speaker :You know, I think they're,
Unknown Speaker :you know, there's there's many people that were in your shoes like you were that day of the New Year's Day when you get that phone call.
Unknown Speaker :And they let you go.
Unknown Speaker :You know, so I think that this wisdom that you're sharing is good. I mean, you didn't, you'd have a two year degree from rccc. Right? You dropped out, you know, basically, basically. And, you know, you've kind of just moved up through your hard work, and, you know, overcoming obstacles. And,
Unknown Speaker :you know, remember when all that went down, there was some uncertainty in the department, and you believed in you, you did the best you could and you've come out of it great. I mean, even as of this last week, you get a PowerPoint together and going above and beyond even when no one's watching, like our core values, say, building reputation makes grandma proud. I think you carry the company very well that way, you know, like I said, this past week, you just taken on that whole trim thing with the service Titan.
Unknown Speaker :It wouldn't ever gotten done. If you didn't do it, you know. And that, that's
Unknown Speaker :Big dude. Like, that's huge. I think that, especially at your age, man, he has such a bright future with you, you get it? You know? And it explains a lot of seeing that based off this. You know what you've shared this morning,
Unknown Speaker :man, that's good. Good job, dude. I mean, I think that's, that's really impressive.
Unknown Speaker :So yeah, walk me through a little bit now, right like your Andrew.
Unknown Speaker :What do you where you see yourself in three years?
Unknown Speaker :Or what do you want? I mean, I know you're supposed to get married in May, you know was was in Yeah, you caught a lot of flack about that defense, Haley if you listen to this, but she'll be listened to but uh, you know, y'all, y'all had to sit back there. And you stayed together, you know. And so friends that were supposed to get married, and then you know, this was kind of a blessing in disguise.
Unknown Speaker :For either one of them that they got postponed because it COVID
Unknown Speaker :you know, where you see yourself in a couple years? Yeah, obviously
Unknown Speaker :to be married, you know,
Unknown Speaker :start a life like that. But you know, just
Unknown Speaker :I really don't know, man I got you know, I just keep moving up, I guess,
Unknown Speaker :to whatever needs to be done.
Unknown Speaker :You know, I just, there's a bunch of goals that I kind of have for myself that probably won't be reached in three years.
Unknown Speaker :They should Well, it's just like, you know, I want to build my own house and have my own ranch.
Unknown Speaker :So, you know, that's gonna take time. You know, obviously, I'm a big fisherman, so I just kind of want to have my own boat.
Unknown Speaker :So I mean, there's some goals in life but you know, the biggest one is probably the you know, get married, you know, build my own house like the way I want it and have my own Ranch, you know, with my own cattle.
Unknown Speaker :horses, whatever, but not so strong for right now the view is just gonna take some time. Yeah, well, I think I think you'll get there. Oh, yeah.
Unknown Speaker :You know, and
Unknown Speaker :it's powerful in what you're saying about you still have goals. You may not get them in three years, but you're gonna get them. And I think you've set that throughout your life, man. And, you know, from what I've learned or taken from this morning, you know, your grandfather was a was kind of a go getter. Right? And
Unknown Speaker :he kind of told you what you needed to hear what you wanted to hear, sometimes he challenged you to, and I see that in your work, you know, and, you know, you've, again, risen to any opportunity or anything that was thrown at you and done a fantastic job with that. So, you know, I think in summary this morning, as we wind up this podcast, you
Unknown Speaker :I always try to ask everybody it's on here. If anybody's listening that maybe struggling, you know, or maybe the person on the couch, right, or they've interviewed or heck even could be an employee, you know, or even a customer,
Unknown Speaker :what would you tell them about the trades? What would you tell them about, you know, possibly, you know, doing the doing it your way, you know, right. They didn't go to school, they just showed up and need a chance and make the most of it. So what was you? Maybe you'd like to share with him on that or anything like that, you know, as we wind down with a final thought, you know, like, so, you know, if somebody is listening and, you know, just probably a dark place right now, you know, like I said, basically, the sun always shines like, you just got to motivate yourself, you know. I mean, I didn't go to college
Unknown Speaker :and I'm a 5050 on
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, college is good, but you don't have to go to college to my ass to make a living and bassist jerks. So,
Unknown Speaker :you know,
Unknown Speaker :I just with the whole, you know, the trade and everything if you like, you know, fixing problems and you know,
Unknown Speaker :meeting customers and you know, like I said, just dealing with problems. I mean, this is this is a great trade to get into, right.
Unknown Speaker :But we are central and yeah, I mean, you're going nowhere, right? And I, you know, there's a bunch of companies but you know, they're gonna need heat and they're sure a lot of them come and go. You don't know. But you know.
Unknown Speaker :It's just, it's been worth it for me man has been man, I'm blessed. Like I said, I really am. Yeah. And I think it's good and people should understand if you ever have a setback. It's not about you know, they don't write movies about the person just being on top, you know, they ride on about that journey. And, you know, I think that that tells a lot about your kids.
Unknown Speaker :character and how you've adapted to, you know,
Unknown Speaker :it's a well done, man. I appreciate doing this more I learned a lot about you. I didn't, I knew you're a good football player, but I didn't know too much of the specifics versus right. And I knew I knew a lot about your, you know, what you shared about your grandfather and I remember being at the funeral and obviously here and, you know, kind of those movie his own movie trailer and will help people talk about him. And, you know, that meant a lot a lot to me, and I appreciate you invite me to that. And I bet your fiance knew, right? I hope I can play golf with her sometime later, kick my butt, but
Unknown Speaker :that's good. That's good. And I you know, being a young guy and being a young manager,
Unknown Speaker :you know, you've you've brought enough to your table to, you know, earn the respect of people much older than you.
Unknown Speaker :So, you know, man, again, I appreciate sharing support. That's, that's good stuff. That's a good start. I can do it.
Unknown Speaker :Well, with that we're going to wrap up this podcast again, we're here with the Andrew Ramirez, new construction supervisor from our
Unknown Speaker :Van Buren office and anybody out there listening, just
Unknown Speaker :go get it right. Go work. Go work hard. Thanks for major combat. Yep, there you go. So thank you, Andrew. appreciate this morning and we're gonna sign out Transcribed by https://otter.ai