The Easiest Way To CHANGE YOUR LIFE: The Power of A Good Haircut | The MJ38 Show Episode #62 | Chris

On this Episode of The MJ38 Show (Podcast):

Matthew and Justin talk with Chris Ortiz, the owner of Gentlemen’s Grooming 101 in Kyle, Texas

Chris has been Matthew’s personal barber for over 7 years and been in the industry for over 16 years.

Today we talk about The Origins of Chris’ Career, Passion, and Entrepreneurship

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Transcript

0:11

Do I ask questions too? Are y'all a million questions? Yeah, well. We're talking. Whatever, whatever. Whatever comes across your mind. I like to think, that it's kind of like we're all at a bar. You know what I'm saying? So if you, like, know you have something. Is this a recording right now, though, like. Yeah. Oh. It is. Oh. So we're actually, like, going. We're in it because this is real life. We can start the wherever, you know. Oh, really? Yeah. I'm about to step up a little bit. Yeah. Welcome in Los Angeles area show, episode 62. First mobile pod. We're, at the gentlemen's grooming barbershop down in Kyle, Texas, right now. Shout out the owner with us right now. Mister Chris, I don't know his last name. I'm sorry. Chris or or I could have guessed that. Damn it. What's the. Wi-Fi password? Oh. Okay. Yeah. Oh, I get one. You know. He was tipped off. Yes, yes. The other man. You missed the ghost walking out the door, and I forgot my last name stuff. That's a no, no, no. He was doing, quintessential work. You didn't know that was your task, though. So I wasn't ready. I think I'm ready for the ghost. I think if we would have told you, like. Hey, bro, guard this shit. You. I'm pretty sure I. Would have been on it. Yeah, that. Mofo going to slip by. Even if it was supernatural, you would have felt the temperature change or something like that. It's like something's off here. That motherfucker just walked by the. Holy shit. Yeah, we had a dude walk into the barbershop, and then he's like, can I use the restroom? And then. Crazy, right? No one saw him. I didn't see him come back out. I didn't see him legitimately. He's one child who claimed to have seen him. Yeah, I don't believe that. But maybe you know what? Maybe because they say kids have, like, a sixth sense or some kind of shit like, hey. Maybe they're like, you. Ever seen that movie? Yeah, that's a good movie. Creepy. Once up, once a year, I watch Sixth Sense and, The Fifth Element. Oh, yeah. I just stacked those together. The number of movies with Bruce Willis? Yeah, the fifth and sixth. Speaking of Bruce Willis, he's. He's not doing too good right now. I heard. Not. What do you mean, like. Like, his. Health of illness. He's got a he's got an illness where his eyes can't register like stuff, but he's not blind. But he can't read scripts anymore. I don't think. Right and blurry or. I think he can't. And I think he can't see faces, is what it is. He's crazy. Faces in particular are blurry, like visual distortion. Yeah. What the hell? Yeah. We could, just just so we clarify for everybody right here. Yeah, here we go, here we go. Hey, what is going on with Bruce Willis and stuff? Oh, what's up guys? I had I had Tom Hanks picture in my mind. Okay. Now Bruce Willis I think Bruce Willis is health. Die hard. Die hard six. It's okay for him okay. Well, that's not good. Nope. Couldn't I had a doctor present. Thoughts though. Thoughts and prayers. Thoughts and prayers and peace all day. Sadly enough, I'm not on the Wi-Fi. If you're talking about something. Though, you got you got the Wi-Fi password. I don't have it. But then also, Siri didn't quite pick up what I was saying. I was. Gonna say, don't you got to say Siri first. Dude, for the most part, what I do is I hold my hold button and then I just say, whatever. How old is Andy Dalton? You know what's wrong with Bruce Willis? And it's just like, poo poo poo poo. And it just answers my question right away. Okay, I guess I update. Like, no Google. I don't have to Siri anymore. Anything. I'm just like, hold the hold button and then ask him my question. Yeah, I think that's the future. Future, man. So y'all said this is your 60 60s. This is number 62. This is 6262 deep. Let's go to 61. We had Nick Anderson and now our second guest of all time. Yeah. Tell us a little bit about where we're at. So right now we are in the barbershop. Yeah I like you says gentleman's grooming 101 here in downtown Kyle, Texas. And, Yeah, man, this is my second home. You know, it's your baby. This is my baby for sure. Yeah. We're not just at a barbershop. Not. We're not a random barbershop. Yeah, this is his barbershop. Yes, it is barbershop as well. It's his mom is both our barber shop, but. Yes. Yeah, this is my business. Is my barber shop. This is my baby. How long has it been, man? How long has it? Has it? We've been here. Yeah. We've been in this location now for almost nine years. Nine years in this spot, but it's been longer, I guess. Yeah. So I'm, 33. I when I opened my business, I was 22, about to be 23. So yeah, that was in 2013. We just had 11 years. Yeah I graduated high school 2013. My man that's a good year. That's a good. Ten years. Ago. Yeah. Started started the business when I was really young early 20s. And it was it was crazy. It has been a journey. Right. Journey. A lot of trial and error, man. So you were cutting hair before that? I'm sure. Right. I was cutting hair. I started cutting hair at 16. Started in my mom's bathroom. And I'm like, your brother's, like, your homies are way on. Well, the first the first cut I did was on one of my cousins, Anthony. Shout out to my my cousin Anthony. We had, the story, the backstory behind that is, we had fucking went to, I don't know if y'all remember, place back in the day. I don't know if they have. I think they have a couple more open still, but they were called Fast Freddy's. Y'all ever? Yeah. Yeah, like a. Fast food spot. No, no, no, it was a haircut spot. Oh. Call fast Freddy's. Yeah. What about that? And, it was typically like a bunch of Spanish women that worked there. Sometimes I'd have, like, some Asian cats, you know what I'm saying? Okay. And, anyways, we, I went we had went to fast Freddy's and back in the day, the style was like, you get like a 1 or 2 on top with, like, a high fade, you know, not too much detail like in today's styles. Now is like, you know, longer hair on top, you know, whether you're doing a slicked back or there's a crop top look or even like, you know, styles where it's just long, flowy hair all around, like, not even a fade. Yeah. The long, flowy hair is really in style right now. But back then it was like one, two, maybe three on top where it was high skin fades, right? Yeah. This was like in 2006 or some kind of shit like that. Yeah. Anyways, so we went. To on Tops number two, scissor cut on top. That was a move for me. So that's number two on the side. Yeah. And scissor okay. Well yes. Back then I was like yeah two on top. Super super short on track. Super short on like t like a t fade or something like that. You know what I'm saying? Okay. So we, I went to we, I went to Fast Freddy's and, I had got with, the girl who had always cut my hair, she was cutting my hair, and my cousin was being impatient that day. And he went to this, to this new barber that they had our stylist. Because I don't even think it was barbers that worked there. It was this. It was this Asian cat. I can't remember his fucking name. I don't remember his name, but, I was getting my cut, and he's sitting, like, across from me, and I'm watching him get his cut, and, man, his fade just kept going higher and higher and higher. And I'm looking at this motherfucker. And I was like, damn, you are getting fucked. You're getting chopped up. And, you're like 16. Bro. Yeah, I was like 16. Demolished over there. He he was probably like a little younger. Now he's older than me, bro. So right now, right now he just turned I think he's I think he's 40, I think he's. 40 like 6 or 7 years old. So yeah, he's a he's a little older than me and so yeah I remember him getting down with his cut, bro. And he showed in the mirror and he fucking paid and took off straight to the straight to the car, bro. No, I remember I remember getting into the truck to his truck, and he was just, like, pissed. And, Yeah. So we got home, and, I had my grandfather, rest in peace to my grandfather, man. You know, he, he had some some fucking con air clippers and, Yeah, I was fucking trying to fix this shit, you know? And, I made it. I did a decent job, you know what I'm saying? What you had. Yeah, I did a decent job. You know, at that time, I was already interested in cutting hair. I was, I would watch my barber, Irvin. His name was Irvin, and, I would watch him on Saturdays. When I get my cut, I would just sit while I was waiting for my haircut. Back then, you didn't do no appointments. There was no appointments back then. So you had to go in and you had to fucking wait. You know what I'm saying? Everybody and my guy, bro, he was, he was super dope, you know? But it was in a small town in Lockhart. I don't know if y'all know. That's it. Yeah. There's a, like, our airport. It's like an hour away, right? Lockhart with barbecue. The barbecue van. Yeah. Yeah, I'm saying so there. For, my fiance's family reunion. Okay, well, so he had a barber shop in Lockhart, and, of course, he was the best barber shop in in small town. So he was always. He was always jam-packed. And Saturdays I'd get dropped off and I'd be there most of my Saturday, you know, from like 6 to 7. And so, you know, 2 or 3 in the afternoon he would close and, that's where I would, that's where I would watch. I would watch him cut. I probably watched him cut hair, probably 2 or 3 years before I even started to experiment myself. So how long were you getting your haircut? Every Saturday yourself. Every. Every Saturday or every Saturday or every other Saturday. Okay, get in my cut. Nice. That's far. That's fine. I take notes, and at that time, that's five haircuts were like 12 bucks back then, bro. Oh, yeah. You know what you're saying? It's extremely cheap. It was. Well, I was a different. Back then, but of course before inflation went crazy. Yeah. You know that 12 bucks. You know that was that was you know. That's a great. Price right. It's a great price. And but back in that market that was kind of you know it was kind of steep a little bit. Right. But maybe. Like $20 now. But I started working at like the age of 15. So at that time I was already paying for my cuts. So that's why I was going every week, every two weeks. Nice. So you're working at this time? Yeah, I started I started working at 15 is when I started. Well, what did someone tell you you needed to get a job or, you know. Man, I just man, bro, I always I wanted to be fresh in school, you know what I'm saying? I want, I want a nice I wanted a nice fit. This. I was a big shoe fanatic. I, you know, let me some shoes, bro. Back. Damn, bro is, I rocked a lot of air forces like the exclusive air forces. Oh, not just like you're a white or black air force is like, you know, the exclusive colorway. Line. To get, the different materials. Some forces came in like crazy materials, you know? But anyways, back to my haircut story. So yeah, I would watch my, my barber almost every Saturday, every other Saturday for half of the day and yeah, man. So on that day when my cousin got fucked up, that was the first time I actually, you know. Put it like putting on someone's. Hair. You used what I was watching on someone's head, you know, and, you know, like I say, it wasn't much to fade already because he was. His shit was already short, you know? So, it was it was a cool first experience, you know, but, Yeah, that's how it started. Was for my cousin. And then, then I started doing it on some homies at the, at the, at my high school and eventually started, you know, getting other random kids from the school. Yeah. Yeah. One of one of the things that I used to have to do because, you know, a lot of cats didn't trust me in the beginning, you know, and, at that time, I mean, still to this day, I still play basketball. But at that time, basketball was like my first love, you know, like, that was, that was my dream. You know, my head. I'm like, I'm. I'm going to be an NBA player. You know? That was my you know, that was my fucking goal. That's it. You know, even though it was I fucking stopped growing at like I don't know five eight or whatever but ain't. But you know I love I love basketball, you know what I'm saying? I refuse to believe that that matters. So like it. So, you know, I, I was I was pretty good back then, you know, and, I'm I'm all right still, you know what I'm saying? Don't get him mistaken. But, you know, back then, that's all I did was was whoop whoop whoop whoop. So what I had to with, thing that I started doing to gain clients is, I would challenge, I would challenge kids in the school, and I'd be like, look, we'll play one on one. If I lose, I'll, you know, I'll pay you whatever, you know, ten, 20 bucks or whatever. But if I win. Yeah, you have to let me, you know, experiment on your head. You know, you have to let me give you a haircut and nine times, nine times out of ten, of course I'd win, bro. You know? And, that was a cool little, you know, a cool little thing I had to do back into, you know. Branding. You know? Yeah, man. Like, I just had to think outside the fucking box, you know? And, that was fun, bro. You know, I'll get I'll get to, you know, hoop on a kid, ball on a kid, and at the same time gain a client, you know? So yeah, that was dope, man. You know? But this part of the journey, you know, just part of the journey, man. Yes, it is hell, bro. It's like, it's I whenever you do a haircut, it's like people at the are people wear that. You know, I'm saying around their school, around the town. Yeah. So it's like advertising as well for sure. And every time. For sure, man. Oh, shit. The secret to my success with the haircut has been Chris all along. The people ask me not. I say people ask me all the time, especially the day I get a haircut. People are like, yo, what's going on here? I don't well, what where are you getting this at? Yeah. And I've had I've invited out so many people like, man, my barber is like an hour away. So if you want to go to Kyle, though, he'll get you right for sure. Yeah, he's out there, but I probably had over 100 people ask me who my barber is, man. And, Appreciate that, bro. I mean, do you feel good? You're the guy for real? Yeah. I appreciate it, man, I appreciate it. I'm sure I'm sure that's when you start getting the Travis Kelce, all of the, like, compliment. I saw all season, I went bananas. I wish I had a graph of like there was like 2 or 3 months like the middle of football season when they were going viral all the time. Yeah. Or like ten people a night would be like, you know, Travis Kelce. His style is a little different now. So I got the handlebars. He got. The handlebars. The hair on top too right. Yeah yeah. I think I think the Swifty well it's got to. I think that she told him to change your haircut. Yeah. Don't you. Know. Oh yeah. 100%. Hey. Because before before. He was dating her, he was dating sisters, right? If I'm not mistaken. Who? Kelsey. Who was, like, what were like his girlfriends before that? Their their. Firm that. But his personality seems like that. Could be I want to say like two girlfriends before her. Both of them were black, I think. So I don't know if that, like. Siri would know. I just. He got with Taylor Swift, bro. And now he looks like more fucking like farmer from like the targeted. Yeah. So that's good. Yeah, but to play for the courthouse. Hey bro. You know my my lady got that much money. I guess I'll switch up my style. Whatever she wants me to switch. It's no way you look so. Well because I feel like. A billionaire. She's a billionaire already, right? I think so, I'm pretty sure she's got to be. I mean, if you had a billionaire girlfriend and she told you. Hey, I think you should get this doll instead. Maybe if she didn't even, like, make you do it. But just, like, heavily hinted, like, I like this as, like, I'll do that for you. I'll do that for me. Like, I don't. Think it's even like that. I think even if your fiancé right now is like, I just. And I really like this look, and I love what you're doing. You know, you've done it for a long time. I like just for me. Would you mind? Just try. But what if you hated me? But what if you hated the look that she wanted you to go for? That's the thing is, I'd be willing to try. Unless I hated it. Right? You know, but if she had.$1 billion, though. It'd be horrible. Yeah, you're going to like. It'd be really hard to find things I hate at that price point, for sure. Yeah, that's. You got to get yourself to like it. Yeah. That's it. Make it have it. I'll make it work. Start digging. Start looking at the positives and shit in a way. There's another one that I was playing. Like shit to, Brown is like is he's like a total of ten points. But that's kind of started last year though a little bit. Right. He kind of. Yeah. The first 2 or 3 games. Titans are weird like that because sometimes they're not involved in the game plan. Mark Andrus ain't doing shit. Laporta ain't doing shit. Bro. I don't know who I picked this year. I had to I had, the first pick in our in our draft in 1.1 and I picked CMC. My mom did, 60% of drafts probably went that way. You know what I'm saying? Boy, CMC. I can't wait to pick him. Up. I'm I'm a niner fan, so, like, Double effect. Yes, bro. But I picked up. I ended up picking up, Mason, George. Mason. And he's been hitting for me pretty good, except for last. The example yesterday. He didn't do too hot. Yesterday. He didn't do shit for two days or last two weeks. Baby said that he's a good ball hambone. He's been balling. But yeah. So yeah man. But but what's up with y'all man. Like how how is everything going for y'all. You know I know the. It's crazy. Man. I've been I've been cutting. Am I done with this introduction. You want to I think. You I think you were you did you. Introduce kind of. I'm just thinking. You're just the man, bro. I don't know, I just I want to get that across the page. I've never had a barber that first of all know, like, you were talking about the popular haircuts that are in style right now, but I don't really I don't know that, you know what I'm saying? For me, I think, and most people, you find a picture of somebody they think like, you know, has a haircut that's not even just someone that looks good, right? Because but, like, if Travis Kelce right now, if you saw that haircut and you're like oh you know what. Like I kind of want to do something like that. You know just take that picture, bring it to you. It's crazy because the cut that Kelsey has right now. Yeah. Even though like we're joking about it and shit that Luke is in right now, it is what I'm saying. Yeah, the the mustache is in right now. And I think I think he's rocking like some type of form of a mullet, almost like. Really. Yeah. Like a, like a subtle kind of short mullet. Not like a Joe dirt mullet. Yeah. You know, I'm saying. But look. What. Modern mullet is. What we call stylish modern. We call a modern mullet. In in my industry, in the hair industry, I'm actually I actually am rocking a modern mullet right now, but mine is more like of a flow back, you know? Yeah, but people here mullet say anything like automatically like Joe Dirt. Yeah. I'm saying like, you know, those type of mullet. But bro, that that's really not a lot. Of advice. Nowadays. Brought it back into more modernized. Yeah. Yeah. More refined. Refurbished. Furbies. You know, you can rock that shit in the office and not look crazy, but you know, you can go, you know, truck into a bar. When you headbang, bro. Yeah, you're fucking headbang. That's like a a plus to all the long hairstyles. You could fucking headbang for sure. For sure. If you don't have long hair, you headbanging, you're still your neck. I know what you mean. The other day I saw. Here's a fucking. I imagined I had hair the other day and I was headbanging with the imagined hair in my head, right? And I was like, wow, I never do this. And with my normal haircut. I'm not making these other acts. It's a different level, bro. It's like level 12 because. Your head's in rhythm, but your hair is on a different rhythm. Yeah. It's two different beats. It's your head in your hair. Right? Boom. Whoa. Oh, yeah. That's a whole different kind of. That's how that's headbanging, baby. That's how I, you know, didn't. Know daddy yet. And here we are. Thousand a day later. Oh, shit. Bro. Yes that's a that's it man. That's crazy. Yeah. So yeah, I guess 11 years. No, 11 years in business. Nine years here. Yeah. That's fucking tight. And cutting hair. That's the shit, bro. Since I was like 16. Yeah, 16. Super knowledgeable bro. So I feel like every time I've come in you definitely have been talking to me. My haircut right now. One day you were just like, yeah, man, this is like a really in style. I think that it would also look good on you. Just like I'm look on Instagram and this style is really popular. And then it's going to hit on you like, let's just go for it. And I'm just like no hesitate. I mean a little hesitation, but I would normally I would say, nah, I'm not. Let's not get crazy here. But I trust you. You know what I'm saying? Really good. Made me look the best I've ever looked in my life. It's crazy, a haircut to change your life, bro. Like, I just believe that, like, that's something I'll stand on. Yeah. For sure. I think with the haircut, it changes your your confidence. You know what I'm saying? You could go be more successful at your job. You know, maybe have a little more confidence to ask someone out or to go for a promotion or something like that. Legitimately change your life just because a haircut makes you feel different. It's crazy for. Sure. A man, you want to lock that door, bro, just in case a client or someone tries to come in here. I might be live for the podcast now I'm just like you. Gotcha. Yeah, sometimes that shouldn't happen like that. Like a couple weeks ago, we were shooting like, a little mini documentary type of thing here. And client walked in. I'm like, bro, we're shooting right now. There were live people will be walking in, bro, like, we close already, don't you? Don't you see the. Don't you see? The sign is does it say open or does it say closed? The action actually says open. But oh of our ours are closer. To see the. Yeah yeah we've been to Google. So I says open. This hole. I saw it as a sign the open in I drive because the signs that open and then no one's there. I'm like oh for sure. Yeah a little bit. I was like, not for sure. What the. Fuck? I'd be upset to know. You say you're shooting like a documentary or like a some sort of yeah series. Yeah. We're. I'm trying to put because I'm eventually want to put together my own YouTube page, you know, and, yeah, we, Oh, just in the nick of time, I think, Oh, no, this guy works. This guy works next door. He's a management. He's he's that kind of an asshole, though, sometimes. Oh, no. We're talking about you, bro. I have on the. Internet be an asshole that's coming back to get you. I ain't going to say. What's the test for the. I mean, we're alive, but I can't get on the Wi-Fi, isn't it? Or Ortiz? Yeah. Lowercase. Okay. Oh. Caps underscore 0909. I was 107, so I guess they'll they'll. Right. Yeah. So. Okay. Well, real quick science. Steve. Yeah. That is, that's why Allen. Yeah, I got it from a client had actually brought it to me. He said, hey, he bought it off of this woman at a garage sale. And I think her, I don't know, she had just got a divorce with her husband. Or the owner. Or he passed away. I can't remember the story. So one of the two. Yeah, but he. But he ended up, buying it from her, and he, he ended up giving it to me, so. That's pretty dope. Yeah, it's tied to house. Pretty cool, man. That's lit. But. Yeah. No. So. Yeah. How's things been for y'all, man? Like, I know you're starting to the podcast, and y'all do. Y'all been doing music too before that. You know, like. Yeah, it's it's a lot it's a lot going on. But it's all going on. I think it's just like, I don't know, it's crazy because yeah, we were doing the music for a long time. That's like 2017, 2018, maybe when I started up, and been doing it beforehand for sure. Like just freestyling stuff with the homies and kind of coming up with that and like kind of that was like our free time, you know, if like part of our hobbies that we would do when we would hang out because we freestyling did. That's why I needed my first haircut that I ever found before was because we were going to do a show. Really? Yeah. And I was like, I think maybe we're just writing hip hop. And the idea of us doing a show was in my mind, and I was like, yo, I got to like, you know, style it a little bit. Yeah. I remember when you were like, first, like starting, you know, like. Yeah, you were. You were still in college then. Yeah for sure. Right. Yeah. It's 23. You're 23. Yeah. That's still in college. You're 30 now. Yeah. That's what I'm saying. And, time flies boys. I'm thinking I've told you about every release that we've done. Yeah. Just because barber talk, you know what I'm saying? Oh, is what's up? What's up man? We're releasing some music. Know for sure, man. You're the reason we released clean versions of our music so we can play it in the barber shop, you know? There you. Go. I'm always like, no, we need to clean more for. Chris, I appreciate it. Real. Just want to be like, now we need to clean one for Chris. I'm like, you're right, you're right. Yeah, yeah. No that's dope man. I was cool to see. It's cool to see yours. You know your story, man. It's great. Yeah, it's crazy good. The progress. You know, the the the different, you know, steps that you have been taking and been through and, you know, like. Yeah, I don't know you as much as I do. You know my boy here. But you know, I feel like I know you a lot just because, you know, man, he always fills me in on what's going on. And. You know, a thousand, bro. You know, the same thing, you know, saying, saying the same thing. Oh for sure, man. And it's it's cool to see y'all grow, man. You know. Yeah. It was really dope, bro. And you know, it's crazy to have y'all here doing a podcast. And I mean, we have been talking about it for a minute now for I guess as long as y'all been doing the podcast thing, you know? Yeah. So it's funny, I mean, I thought I was eventually going to go to your but you say, fuck it. We coming to you Chris. Yeah, yeah. The moment you bring it to you. That's dope bro. It's cool. Cool. That's how it started out. Or it's like we started with the music and that was its own adventure, its own series and things of books. And then that's kind of led us to the idea of like what we need. We need some sort of media or some sort of outlet for content for an artist. You know what I'm saying? We need something to post consistently. Can't just be like posting the same songs over and over and over again. I mean, I'm sure it's a struggle that all artists are dealing with. You know, I'm saying everyone's dealing with that struggle. Yeah. Social media, I mean, you need something to put out. So then like the podcast idea came into play, I was like, oh, we could do a podcast and that'd be fucking that'd be easy. Content to post all the time. Yeah. And then that's what of just like took on its own identity and its own form. And now it's like a fucking beast. It's like it's back. It's a little baby thought podcast. But yeah, it's it's better as bro like now. Yeah. Like I was talking to Matt last night, and, I was just telling him how I'm trying to put. I want to eventually put together, my own podcast for the barbershop, for sure. Because I see, I see barbers like, that, you know, that I follow that, of course, you know, influenced me. And, one of the main things that helps them is, is the podcast, you know, and, and no one around this area is doing that, like, no one and not even like an Austin, you know, I don't even think in San Antonio really. Like, I don't see I haven't, I haven't seen no barbers and I'm in the barber world like, yeah. I'm sure you. Would know. Yeah, man. Like, you know, no one's doing podcasting, you know. So it's like to me, man, it's just another way to grow your brand 100%, you know, have have, you know, the people connect with you, you know, through a different way, you know what I'm saying? And, man, I'm I'm excited to I'm excited to do this, but I'm also excited to, you know, dive deeper into it and, yeah, you know. You know, we connected early on, especially because we both had the need to make content, I think. So we would talk about like how do we what kind of stuff would we post? How often you post, like the importance of trying to be like a social media influencer, to like, help the brand or help the craft so that we could, like, make more money. You know what I'm saying for sure. And it's still a struggle. But yeah, I. Think that podcasting is definitely an answer that can. Turn into the left, and then I should be able to move it up and down and in and out it is. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. It's cool. So that that idea of just podcasting is dope and could help with the branding business. Justin, when he described the story to me of the kind of the idea behind doing a full on podcast studio, it really is like this idea that got its own heartbeat. And I just was like, dude, I think this is just a good idea. I want to make a business plan. I'm looking at the business plan and it's like, for me, I learned in that moment some businesses, some business plans just make sense. Like, you read it and you're like, oh yeah, that's going to work. That's going to make money, you know what I'm saying? Right. And it was relatively low risk in the sense where a lot of it was based on our own performance. So it's almost like a commission job, but it's being an entrepreneur, you know what I'm saying. So as long as we stay down and we grind and we make sure we meet our numbers and our quotas and stuff like that, which are reasonable quotas for now, we're not asking too much, you know what I'm saying? Then? Like, it's going to work out. It's going to keep working out. And so far it's been nothing but everything I could ask for. Like, it's it feels like every green light keeps hitting. We keep, we keep saying go and we keep going. Man. And I know that's a great feeling, man. Yeah it's. Awesome I know that's a great. Feeling. Especially taking a risk to feel like it's validated with all of your experience. Like everything's just going so well. You're like okay. Yeah. So maybe I made a good choice. You got to take risks, man. You got to I was I say you're in the similar boat or whatever. Yeah. What made you decide. So when you started cutting hair, you started cutting hair. But then when did the plant come to where it was like, okay, I want to open up my own shop or I want to do my own thing. Well, so like I said, I started cutting in my mom's, bathroom first, and, eventually, you know, I built up a pretty good clientele from from the cats in school and, and eventually just started trickling to people, you know, from Kyle, you know, Sam Marcus. We couldn't, like, in people's houses. Or did you have a spot? You know, they'd come to me, okay? They'd come to me, bro. So eventually what happened was I started getting too many motherfuckers in the house, right? Yeah, right. I was, I say to them, my. Mom was like. Hey, why do 30 people who need to figure out. Yeah, you need to figure something out because you're it's like you have all these random people in the house, in the living room, waiting in the bathroom. And mind you, she had just got her her bathroom, like, remodeled. No. Yeah. So she had just, like, finally, like, got it. Badass how she wanted it. She did. She did, like, a custom shower and fucking repainted the whole thing. Did the floor, is it, you know, fix it up, bro. And I ended, and then that's when I started cutting hair. So I, like, took over it, you know? And, Yeah, that looks pretty nice on your mom. Yeah, that's pretty good. Yeah. Great work. Eventually she was like, you need you need to figure something out because. Yeah. This is this is getting crazy. So what I ended up doing, was, I started saving, saving some money, you know, that I would make for cutting hair. And I ended up investing in, like, one of those little sheds, a little shed, storage. Type outdoor thing. Yeah. And I converted that into, like, a little mini barber shop, you know? And, Yeah, I had, at that time, I had clients that, some some guys did, installed mirrors. So I had them come install the mirrors for me. I had a client that did electricity, so he came in, did, like, all electric work. Yeah, bro, like, I had, like, my little connects that I kind of made already, and. That's business, baby. Yeah, man. You know, it was, it worked out for me, you know? And then me and my me and my girlfriend, you know, at the time was my girlfriend. Now is my my wife or whatever. And, so she, we ended up finding out that she was pregnant, so that, like, kicked me in the ass and was like, all right, I really need to take this shit serious, you know? And, that's what I wrote into Barbara school, and, Yeah, man. Started going to barber school and that, like I said, barbering, cutting hair. That was the only thing that I was passionate about. You know, like, I worked, I worked other jobs. Besides the MBA. Besides the MBA. Come all baby. Besides the MBA, I had a I had worked at the jobs, you know, fast food joints, retail spots, and, I knew I didn't, you know, I wasn't I didn't want to do that job. Yeah, yeah. And then, the, the whole basketball thing that honestly took, stopped, you know, that that, like, came to a sudden halt. I actually had gotten to a car wreck. I think it was my junior year in high school, and I fucked up some vertebrae in my lower back. And that when that happened, that's when I was like, all right, I'm gonna have to figure something. But at the time, I was already, interested in cutting hair, you know, cause that's when I was already going to the barber shop, and that was always like my plan B, you know what I'm saying? Like, I knew that was the other thing that I love doing, you know, or at least, like, I enjoy that. Exactly. So that's what I did. You know, I fell back on that and, you know, the rest of the history, bro. So. Yeah, man, things really, took a turn and I guess got serious for me when I found out that I was going to be having a a kid on the way, you know? So. Yeah, man, I just followed that passion and took it more serious and started school. And that's that's how I really, you know, took it to that next. The next level. Yeah, bro. Because yeah, it's it's a, it's a risk that like entrepreneurs all like share to a degree. You know, so it's like I got to fucking make this thing that's like in my head I gotta make it. And it's, you know, it's big money. People gotta pay money for this thing that's in my head. What's crazy, bro? Like, in the very beginning, when I, when I was, getting more serious about cutting hair, I was still like, I was cutting hair, but I was still working, right. And I had at, one point I was working at, KFC. I was working at KFC, and, it's funny, bro, this fucking manager, she was she was she was kind of a bitch, you know what I'm saying? Happens. It was it was one busy, I think it was Saturday night. Friday night, I can't remember. And, she was like, Chris, I need you to drop this. She gave me a number of wings to drop, so I dropped them, and, she came back and she was like, did you drop, did you drop the, the wings? I told you I was like, yeah. And then she tried to say that she told me to drop like, another batch. And I was like, you only told me this batch, you know, because I think she had got bitched at by, like, a higher managers in her. So she tried to use me as a scapegoat, you know, and I was like, that's a it's a funny story, bro, because I remember, like, taking off my apron and throwing it, like, in the chicken batter. And I was like, man, I'm at this bitch. And I, like, walked out. You know what I'm saying? And when I left, I remember I was like, man, I was fucking stupid. And I remember getting home and I told, I told my mom what I had did because I was cutting hair already, right? Earlier. And, she was like, you got a fucking baby on the way, and you did that dumb ass shit. And I'm like, I'm about to start cutting hair. And, you know, it was crazy because, it worked out, man. You know? And it worked out because. But it's just one of the moments, bro. It's like sometimes, you know, you got to fucking just jump in, bro. You know, sometimes, like, you know, sometimes people like, you know, they got one foot in, one foot out type shit. You know, especially in the barbarian world, you know, like the, the we'll get people who come into the, into the industry and they're like, you know, yeah, they're doing barbering, bro. But they're still working part time at this job or, you know, whatever it may be. And it's like, bro, you just need to like, if you're going to pursue whatever you going to pursue, you just need to fucking jump in it, bro. You know what I'm saying? That's the best way to get in it. Because when you do that and you and you cut that bridge off and you have no, no point of going back that that's that's when you really fucking find out, bro. Know what kind of person you are, how bad you want it, how bad you want it. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. And when I did that. For the stand up. When that, when I did that, bro. No. For real, when I did that, man, I was like, all right, bro, this is it. Chris. You got to make it happen, you know? And and yeah, man, fucking 15, 16 years later, you know, I'm still still making it happen. Fucking time, bro. That's it. But that's really, that's really when it, when it really like got real for me bro. And I was like, this is what I'm going to do. Because at that point I couldn't turn back because I just threw my fucking. Apron in the chicken batter. I just fried my apron. I told Kathy, fuck yourself. I can't go back there. I can't go back. Bro, you know? So, So yeah, man, it was it's pretty. It's pretty dope, bro. But it's a funny story I like to tell because it. Yeah. Did you cuss anybody out or would. You're just like, when I'm not this because I fucking, I like. I said the exact words, bro, and I threw my shit in the chicken batter. I'm out. This. Year. And and I remember like, you know, the, the my homies that I worked with, they looked at me like I was crazy, you know, like, you know, whatever. I think I might stick a cookie on the way. Out or something. Yeah, yeah. We're interesting. I had no, no, buddy. It was dope, bro. It was funny. Yeah. I feel like you got to have one good quick story. Yeah. That's fire. You gotta quit somewhere aggressively. Yeah. But that was the last place that I worked at, you know, other than, you know, cutting hair and stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Nice. Yeah. Nah, I never went out with a bang anywhere. Yeah. No you don't. Yeah. You you don't have to. I just was being a dramatic. When you grow. A story, it's a great story. Dealing with chicken all fucking day bro. Kicking it can you know. I can't. Imagine that. Hey, bro, that job sounds terrible. Yeah, it it sucked bro. Look at that KFC. Yeah, but. Service industry, baby service industry. Making people happy. There's always something good about that. I think all industries are service industry. You know nowadays we we talked to talked about this before like hospitality. Yeah. You know so especially like in the barbershop for sure. It's like I mean y'all worked in the restaurant business. Yeah. Big time. Yeah. For like I. Still y'all. Still are right now. So yeah, I guess yeah we're we're doing like, some of the media production for a restaurant. Okay. But not actually, like, fucking. I worked in the game. Yeah, not. Nothing out. Of there. Yeah. We jumped there, baby. We jumped in that fish, bro. Amen. That's what you got to do, bro. That's what you gotta do. Especially when you're entrepreneur. Yeah. Yes. Part of the game. Yeah. How long? Because I remember telling myself, like, here's my story. I want to talk about college. I'm like, well, I went to for finance. And then I wasn't doing great in finance, aka I was failing all my classes. And. Then, you know, so it's I wasn't doing so great at finance. I was doing great at accounting. Okay, I got a B instead of all the F's. I was like one class. I did kind of good in, so I, I switched to an accounting major and I really liked accounting. I never took like second layer of courses. I took like the first one and I think I failed the second accounting class, and it was I was good at it. But then I end up saying, but I want it to be an entrepreneur anyways. And it's like, you can't really go to business school to be an entrepreneur. So, I mean, I could go back and finish accounting, but I'm just like, let me just start my own business. But like I said that for like the last 3 or 4 years, you know what I'm saying? And I never was like, starting my own business. And then I feel like I'm so thankful that we did this when I turned 30, because it's such a nice, like benchmark. I'm like, yeah, there was this time I spent in my 20s, like, I could have started doing something like this when I was 21, you know what I'm saying? There's people that like, how old were you when you were quit KFC? When I quit KFC, I want to say I was 20, right? 19 or 20. So when you were full cutting full time, cutting hair your entire 20s? Yeah. That's not a lot of people are entrepreneurs for that for that decade in their life. Yeah. Let's go on him. But I couldn't let another decade go by. That's the thing. Had to get in there, bro. Yeah. Like you just got to get in there, bro. You know what I'm saying? Hey, man. And you know what? I think definitely a pro, you know, starting when you're 30 is like when I started in my 20s, bro, like, I was still developing mentally, you know, like, I mean, I know I wasn't as mature as, I should have been or I would like to or I would like to be, you know, or like to been back then. But now once I once I hit my 30s, dude, I just feel like mentally, I just started thinking, you know, differently, you know, started thinking more, you know, calculated. You know what I'm saying, man? Like, so I think starting in your, in your 30s is, is definitely, you know, a plus because mentally, you know, y'all y'all y'all know y'all know y'all can see clearer which y'all which are doing you know y'all are more mature mentally. I mean because men don't mando mature until, you know. I know what you mean. I'm not. Fully, fully mature mentally until I mean, I feel like we even got. Depends on the man. Yeah, bro. You know, like, I feel like women mature way more quicker, bro, man, you know? But now that's that's dope that you are starting it. Now you know what I'm saying? So y'all y'all don't fucking hit as many bumps in the road and have as many hiccups as you would in your 20s. 100% sure, because that man made a lot of mistakes in my 20s, man. You know, especially trying to be a business owner and I'm sure, you know, entrepreneur and yeah, a parent at that to, you know, it was it was tough, bro. You know, can't. Imagine. I'm I'm blessed to to be in the position to make it. I made it through I'm blessed to make it through bro. You know so sometimes God just finds a way bro. You know for sure, man. Yeah. I'm happy the way it played out, honestly, because I feel really well equipped, like working in the service industry for one. But then also having worked in like, very high end hospitality and just being around, like when you're trying to provide a luxury service to someone, like the mindset and the verbiage and like what that looks like when because it's hard to imagine, you know, billing someone for 10 or $20,000. It's like, what makes that worth that? How how could I make it worth that? It's a weird thing to understand, but when you see the people, I mean, like, even just I can imagine selling Ferraris or like, Lamborghini is just that upper end service, the kind of things they offer and what that experience is like for someone. We were around it enough for me to understand, not fully. I don't know everything, but I have a relationship with it. I can I understand what people expect when they come into a nice place, and I feel like I don't have any problem charging like a price point because I know, like what it's like to offer a service and what it's like for someone to appreciate that service and purchase it, you know? Right, right. But just to when I was just like, oh man, what am I going to do for my entrepreneurship and college and shit like that? I didn't know no experience, you know what I'm saying? It would have felt weird. I'm sure you just jump in and you figure it out, right? But I feel really prepared because of how we spent that time, you know? That's good. Like Justin said, it all go somewhere, you know what I'm saying? Like, I think everything's kind of working for you, and there's like, a god or whatever it is, is going to come through and have like a perfect plan for you in that moment where it's like, okay, everything's good. Like it worked out. Yeah. I mean, sometimes, you know, you jump in is, is actually you given given giving him the wheel, you know what I'm saying? And. Yeah. Yeah. For real. And, whatever is supposed to happen for you, you let it happen. You know, you let it, you know, you let it naturally start to go in that direction. I feel like a lot of times people will they try to, you know, they try to go against it, you know? And sometimes, man, like I tell people, man, you just like like my barbers that come in, you know, sometimes you just gotta, you know, trust it, trust the process, you know, and, I think that's a big thing, man. You know, I think that's a really big thing. Yeah. Especially like, it's I guess it's it's hard to have someone trust the process if it's like, especially for something that they're not passionate about, you know, saying it's why you need to be passionate. Yeah. You need to have some sort of enjoyment that you get out of the pursuit of the actual doing of the thing. So, like, you need to have some sort of joy and like positive emotion to that because it's, the process is bit sometimes the. Passion and the passion that that's, that's the fuel. That's the fuel that drives you. That's a fuel that that gives you, you know, that that you know what you need, you know, to keep going, man. If you have no passion, it's like a car, you know, you got no gasoline in that tank. That shit that day ain't going nowhere unless it's electric. But if you have, you won't charge it if you don't get a charging dock. The beach. I go work neither, you know. So all the drive in the world is still. The passion is the fuel, bro. That drives. That drives you. When without that shit, bro is, It ain't going to work out. Yeah. What do you think that comes from? You know what I'm saying? Say are like because you were. I guess maybe it's like your surroundings a little bit. Or like, maybe it's somewhat the genetic or the passion. Yeah. Because I guess sometimes I guess, like your passion specific specifically your mind, like, drawn to like this, like service ability or like this. So art when the moment I knew bro that I really, really, I guess knew I wanted to to be to do barbering was, I was in the eighth grade and, it was the first time I went to my barber Irvin. One in Lockhart, before that, man, you know, to get haircuts and stuff. But it was never it was never, I never felt, like, super confident after these cuts, you know, as basic as haircuts, you know? So, like, great Clips. I didn't fucking know. Like, what a dope cut, actually was, you know? And, the first time, I remember I went to his shop. I had actually, found him through a cousin of mine who had went to to him and my cousin at the time. He went to school in Lockhart, and I went to school here in Kyle, and he one of those distant cousins, you know, I didn't really see him all the time. But one time, we had some sort of family event going on, and I saw him, and I saw his face, and I was like, damn, that's a dope ass cut. You know, I just remember, like, super crispy line up, like fresh as bling. You know? And I was like, man, it was different, you know? Yeah. And I remember I asked him and he told me about this barber in Lockhart. Well, I had went to him and, sat down in his chair and he, you know, he he tightened me up, bro. Gave me the cut. And I remember looking at it when he was done, and I was like, damn, this motherfucker is fresh, bro, you know? And and I just remember the feeling that it gave me the confidence that it the instant confidence that it gave me, bro. Yeah. And, at that point, man, that's when I was like, damn. Like, I don't know, maybe, maybe this might be something that I might be interested in, you know. That's valuable or like, you ever like. And and yeah, that was the moment when I, when I knew I was like, man, I could see myself doing this because I wanted to make people feel the way I felt. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Yes. And, I mean, bro, you can't put a value on giving someone else some confidence. How you. Feel? Yeah. You know, because I mean, fuck, bro, like, who knows what the fuck you're going to do with that confidence, you know, who knows? Like, I know I'm gonna turn up, you know, like, oh, turn up with it. You know, whether you. Know, well, that's. A homie, you know, young college kid going out, you know, trying to pick up some girls or whether it's whether it's a guy trying to, you know, impress their job, their boss bro. My interview. Yeah. Job interview. The in-laws. Yeah. Your wedding bro. Wedding, bro. Go to your fucking wedding. Faded to death. Oh, how are you? Not going to go to your wedding? Faded to death. How to say I remember I tell you, I went to a wedding this weekend. It was actually one of my buddy's, weddings. I went, I went to, and, man, he had the most ugliest haircut, bro. And I'm like. And I remember after the ceremony, shit. I went up to him. I'm like, bro, what did you do? Like, no, yo, that close, you get that haircut, bro. Like, you fucking look like a coneheads. You know? Because my boy, man, you know, he got his. His head's a little pointy, you know what I'm saying? I'm like. I'm like, bro, like, you literally fucking look like a fucking thumb, you know what I'm saying? Like. I look like, bro. I was like, bro. I was like, oh, why would you do that shit, bro? Like I'm offended. Yeah. But you know. I'm saying, bro, like, it's, Congratulations. God dang it. Like the, Yeah. Haircuts, evicting bro. You know, thing, bro. Big is super. Especially in today's society right now, bro. Like moreso now than ever. It's is is crazy. Yeah. Presentation is killer. I mean, yeah, I'm telling you, dude, there's a while where I was just crushing at my job because my presentation myself was so nice. It was really just like, steaming my suit and then having a nice shirt, and then. You got the beard thing going on, you know, like, that's another like. That's another aspect of it, bro. Like, now the beards like are fucking in, bro. And like there's different variations of the beers now. Like there's like the grizzly beards. You know what I'm saying, bro? There's the. Fucking, like the thin line on the. Line. You got the the fades in the beard. Like, I mean. Fade from the side. Like if a guy has a weak chin, you know what I'm saying? You can enhance that shit with leaving the middle part full and, like. I mean, I'm just saying, bro, I guess is endless, you know what I'm saying? Like, which, you know, even more. Fuck is that a bald like, if you baldheaded, but you got, like, a nice beard. Said bro. Andrew. Hey, bro. That shit can like. That's a little. I'm saying you hit it with that now they got the skull. It's, you know, have you all heard of the skull? It's a. No no that is. Similar from here down. That's like we're like, if I'm going bald, you know, up top now barbers are like, starting to, like, just cut the top but like, leave the back but like, fade it. I mean, and like, if you do it right, bro, some of those motherfuckers look clean, bro, with the beard. But you got to have a beard, though, with the if you don't got a beard, you can't do to Scotland. So we've got backup options. It's one it's one piece. The beard included in the skull. Kind of like a Shasta. Almost kind of. But but I mean, if it's done right. Yeah, it's pretty clean dog. Oh, yeah. Bro. So making it fucking happen, bro. For sure. For sure. Have you ever done. Okay. So I'm sure you do men's hair of course. But have you done like, female female hairs? I guess you also do like kids as well. We do, I do kids, but no, not really like female styles. No. Not really. More. More just, you know, the shorter, shorter. I've seen you do one female. It's a different. Well, I have female clients, but they don't. But not like female styles. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Not like long hair style. Yeah, yeah. Like. You know, like cosmetology, you know, or your beauticians is different. Like my sister. It's a different. Animal. It's different for sure, bro. For sure. But, yeah. No. Like, like right now into the in in our, in the barber world, the cosmetology in barber world is kind of starting to, like, integrate a little bit now. And like, the mid-length styles are starting to be more, more in style, like the modern mullet or like, even just like the nice, like, flowback type of type of cuts. You know, with the nice, you know, little crispy taper on the side. And yeah, I did have to I did go, and I went to I traveled to Portland, Oregon last year and worked with some guys, who are based out of the UK. And I went and no, did a workshop with them, like a four day workshop to learn to learn more of those techniques because of, just of how much they're playing a big pivotal role in, in today's, style and especially in the barber world. You know, like, I get people who would come in barber shop who were looking for those kind of looks, and I didn't know how to do them, you know? So I'd be like, petrified, you know, like, I see them. I fucking walk into the, the shop with like, longer hair and like, bro, like it would be like, don't. You know, and sure enough, it'd be, it'd be like, oh, I'm with Chris. I'm like, fuck, bro. Like, you know, and like, deep down I'm scared as fuck, you know what I'm saying? But of course, I gotta be like, yeah, yeah, I got you. Okay, but I hate I. Hated doing that shit, you know what I'm saying? So that's why I went and learned and, you know, and, I do online courses now to men like, like, I'm constantly trying to trying to learn, you know what I'm saying? Let's try trying to better myself. You know, because, I mean, once you stop learning, especially in the barber industry, once you stop learning, you kind of put a cap on yourself, man, you know? And, Yeah, it's always changing. I'm not trying to, you know, I'm not trying to be dead in the water, you know what I'm saying? Where I want to. I want to keep growing, keep driving. And and especially now that I got this team of, you know, barbers behind me, I want to be able to help coach them and help develop them, you know, and yeah, I mean, I think it's just important very important. For sure, because you're in a place right now where you're kind of on top of the meta, like, you know, what's going on. You can do the biggest cuts that are in style. I think gear fades are better than anybody I see on a normal basis. You know, it's like you're really tapped into being excellent at your craft from this place. I don't think it's that difficult. As long as you stay updated to continue to dominate in your field. Whereas if you were to fall out of like the no. Then you want to all of a sudden turn up and be good at what you do, or maybe try to like win some awards around here or, you know, take clientele from people. Be really tough. If you're just like, have to catch up a bunch, you know what I'm saying. For. Sure. But if you can stay on top and then just like to progress while you're in that place, I feel like that's the key. That's the move, right? Yeah, man. I mean, when I got a barber school, I honestly thought that I would never use, like, shears or scissors. Like I always thought I was just going to be doing, like, you know, the typical, you know, short on top type, fade on the side, taper, fade, you know, and like I said, mentorship, changed dramatically, you know, and that's when I had to, you know, go in, get out outsourced knowledge, you know, and actually information. Yeah, man. You know, so. Yeah, it's like it's a different in every industry. You know what I'm saying? I think it's definitely it's always changing something or whatever the meta is. Whatever the landscape, it's always shifting, changing. New things are coming in and all things are bring back, bring brought back with a different spin on it. And that's why I love man, being able to talk to other entrepreneurs and business owners because yeah, I mean fucking, doing hair. This guy, maybe you know, fucking brewing beer yard doing yours, podcasting. But we all can relate on just how business is, you know. And yeah, I mean, it's the same shit, you know, like same shit. We're all trying to learn. We're all trying to get better and we can't get we can't get too comfortable. You know? That's that's my big thing, bro. Like, I don't ever want to get too comfortable because I think once you get too comfortable, that's when you know, man. Like you don't you don't grow. You own evolve. You know, there's always a guy next to you, bro trying to trying to, you know, outdo you or, you know, I mean, someone's always trying to knock you off, you know? Yeah. So evolution is happening whether or not you're a part of it. Yeah. The game is going to change. The game is going to change. Needs to change. And you gotta keep up with it. You know, you gotta keep up with. The yeah, it doesn't seem like it or it's like it's it didn't seem like it in the day to day. Sometimes it does is like the big revolutionary thing kind of happens overnight. You're like, oh shit, things are different now. But for the most part, it's the same day to day with until you scope out six, seven, ten years later, you're like, oh shit, things are a lot different now. Like, thank goodness I've been like keeping up with how things are slowly changing over time instead of like, if you don't look up after five years of like doing the same thing, you'll be, oh yeah, where's everybody else? You've got a different, different landscape, you know. Different definitely. Different. But ChatGPT and YouTube for the most part. I mean, did you learn anything in the world? You learn a lot for sure. Yeah, know for sure. Man has a lot more resources now out here that it's insane that, you know, like, even like in the barber world, man. Like there's so many young guys that are super, super advanced in way more advanced than what I was when I was, you know, 17, 18 years old. But is it because, like you said, man, it's just so many, so much resources out there, man. So much different avenues that these guys can learn and, you know, I mean, it's endless almost damn near now. So yeah. It's super. Dope. Everything's just a couple a couple searches away on a couple of different websites and it's like boom. Yeah. You have that information now. Yeah. It's awesome. Yeah. How long? So y'all went to college together, right? Yeah. What? Where did you go for it? Just, went for my degree was in, concrete industry management and then a minor in business. Okay, there's a couple of business things, like business management and like, some, like, basic accounting and finance and stuff. But then, yeah, the bulk majority was for kind of like construction materials. Like construction science materials was another major that was like kind of almost hand in hand with ours. We had like a lot of the same classes, but ours was more specifically about like the concrete material itself in the construction industry. I'm saying. So yeah, those guys were more studying to be like general contractors. Yeah. But and then our study was more to be like a concrete either like ready to mix producers or like a some sort of aggregate people manufacturers or cement manufacturers. Okay. Say a concrete cement or rocks more or less. Yeah. I'm saying that's. Crazy. I don't know, they had a whole I don't know these. Many of them. You go to college, they go figure I think. Yeah Texas they there's only two colleges I think Texas State and then like middle Tennessee. Why did you why did you choose that for. Strictly strictly because I was sitting in on the like, lectures or like new student orientation. You kind of get after new student orientation, you can get broken into groups, and then those groups come back in together to be the one big group again, and then y'all split up again, this time based on your, the degree that you like claimed or signed up for. And at that point I was undecided as well as my roommate at the time, one of the best homies from high school. He was also undecided. So then we both just ended up going to the College of Science and Engineering. And then he went to like the chemistry. He ended up being a chemistry major and I was a chemistry teacher principal I think actually. So I don't even know he's he's in the school game now. But he went that route and then I went into the engineering more so side not the scientific side and found this sort of construction. Peeples and then listened to a couple of the, I guess they were kind of like pitching us their, their brand or like you know, sound like their major. And then through his, his pitch of the major in the concrete industry program, he was saying that I forget exactly. Is this kind of a limited program? Only a couple people have it in the, in the, in the country. And the big takeaway was that 80% of the graduates get jobs at a college. And I was like, okay, that's like why I'm here, more or less like what I'm trying to do. So I'm gonna go ahead and sign in for that. And that was it. Do you feel like you were you were passionate about it? Yeah. So you know about rocks? No. Just absolutely absolutely not. And also the the whole reason I even went to college was just because it's like the where the fucking school, other school of fish were going, you know, so we're just like, this is what we do. Like this is what the 17 and 18 year olds do. You go to college. So if you could which would you like? Would you not go to college if you could like take it back or are you glad you went though? Like. If I had to have gone, I guess I had to go to get where we're at. You know what I'm saying? Okay. It's all perfect. It's like I had to go to like that, I college, I had to pick that degree to get that I but my, one of my professors during my senior year got me an internship into where we started working in San Antonio, and then we got work in that job for a while, and we ended up leaving that job and then just found jobs on the like, the Riverwalk and everything, because kind of the whole story blew, like blossomed out of every decision, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, it's all perfect looking back. So I it worked out. Yeah. It worked out. Yeah. But like if I, if I were to do it again like like my, my child like whenever she's in that 1817 year old range it's like it's like you don't have to go to college. That's that's what I'm preaching. Okay. Definitely. I have to go to college to get what do you want to get done? Right? Right. What I'm saying. Right. It's kind of luck into that thing. And maybe if you want to learn about something specific, you know what you want to do for sure. Okay. Yeah. Of course. Go learn about that shit. So. So you. When you graduated high school, you didn't really know what you wanted to do. No idea at all. Okay, zero. Okay. Hoop dreams. We all had. Zero. Zero to walk on somewhere. For sure. Yeah. No. No clue at all, bro. I just knew that eventually I knew that I was going to work for myself and I was going to be successful. Like, no matter what I was doing, right, I was going to go for myself eventually, some fast be my own boss. Hum. Right. And then, yeah, now God is just sort of like, slowly been showing me what is supposed to be, you know what I'm saying? Because I just been so like like not lost, but just not found for sure. Right? I was like, oh, dude, dude. So I'm just trying to find what's, what's going on. And then it was like, yeah, oh shit, oh shit, I'll go this way. And I was like, the music. And then like, then the music led to another like, okay, now. Like like you do a. Podcast. You was working, but you were still trying to figure out what the fuck exactly you needed to turn type shit. Yeah. Is it rerouting? Yeah. It's routing. No faster routes been available. Yeah. Like, oh, it's my dreams now. Yeah. That's cool. And you met like, when you got out of high school. Brought it. Dude, I want how did you feel? I want it to maybe be like a I want to be professional. You know what I'm saying? I got good grades. I graduated high in my class. And so, like, being having a college degree to do, like, a professional job definitely seemed like something that could happen for me, you know what I'm saying? So, like, part of me, you know, I thought about, like, wanting to be a lawyer, but that's like a lot of extra school. You know what you're saying? That, like, a long time ago. Yeah. And our friendship. That always appealed to me as, like, a dream job. You know, a doctor. I feel like that. I thought about that in the same category of professional jobs, but I didn't really think that would be for me, you know, because I didn't like to study very much. I did like to talk, and I like to talk about, like, justice or like fairness or truth like these. This is some bullshit, Your Honor. Yeah. Okay. Well, okay. Check me out. So when I when my parents split up, my dad remarried, and, I had two stepsisters. Right. Okay. And my sister was living with my mom at the time. So it was me and my dad and my step mom and my two stepsisters. Right. And this blended family. And I'm in middle school, and they're just getting into high school, and, you know, I really had to fucking advocate for myself and a lot of conversations because one, both of our parents were kind of strict at that time, my dad and their stepmom. So like, the judgment would get handed down, like, okay, well, today they're doing this or, you know, but you have to sit in the back seat or whatever the fuck it might have been. Yeah. But it felt like if I didn't sit up and be like, hey, I've been in the backseat for like a month, you know what I'm saying? What the hell is it going to take? Okay, what do we say? 30 more days? How about after 30 more days, then I'm. Then I'm good to sit up there at least once a week. How about that? Yeah. Like I really had to start. Bargaining. Saying some fair share. Some verbal arguments. Yeah, yeah. And then at that point in time they kind of the girls kind of like locked in. They were like, okay, well you will. Fucking and they're older. Yeah okay. Okay. And so there would be times where I knew what was happening was unfair. Like, as a kid, I'm just like, this is bullshit. Like, I know it's bullshit. I'm not just feel I'm not biased, just objective bullshit happening. And if I could, like, stop for a second and thoroughly explain it and kind of predict some of their counter arguments and already kind of just be like covering the whole situation and then afterwards be like. Oh, yeah, like. It would stop the world like my dad, I'm gonna. Say this, and then they're going to say this in response, so I can say this, and then I go, okay, okay, okay. So the point to okay, they're going to say this out. And I would kind of go off. And then sometimes it would be just like they'd be like, all right, you know what? Actually Matthew gets the front seat this time. And then my dad would be like proud of me too. You know what I'm saying? For, like, working my way through the bullshit and, like, identifying what was happening and I'd be like. And they know they know this, too, you know what I'm saying? They're laughing in the back right now because they see me calling them out. You know what I'm saying? And I think that's why my dad was like you could be a lawyer one day. Like legitimately. That's it right there. Like if you can just articulate why this justice is not happening or fairness isn't happening, then like you could really do that. So I kind of thought about doing that. And then the other thing that really appealed to me was entrepreneurship. Like being your own boss or the idea, I guess, of selling something and then making the money. But like, you're in charge of the whole enterprise, like you're not a boss in that necessarily. You're not the worker necessarily. It's like you're designing the concept that's making money, right? That idea really appealed to me once I found out that was like a possibility. You know. And I think that if you can make money, this is a thought I had as a kid is if you can make your own money through a business that's like the American dream to to go and turn a profit, and you're in the green and it's your own fucking thing, and you're the guy behind it. You got the investment or whatever it is like to me and my own mind. I thought, like, if I never can do that, I don't know if I'll think that. I'm like, you know, a badass or whatever. Like to earn my own self-respect. I think I have to do that someday. And that always kind of sat in the back of my mind. And then I knew that's what I'm saying. Like, I always wanted to be an entrepreneur. That's kind of the thing I'm talking about, is I always wanted to go and try to turn my own profit so I could say, like, I'm a successful businessman one day, you know? Right. So that kind of bled out. Well, not like you said. All the shit just kind of happens. Like, I kind of failed out of school. Then Justin got me a job working in concrete, and, dude, that job really taught me that I did not want to fucking. You were concrete. It wasn't quite concrete, but my job specifically was quality control. Okay, so I would go out to these cement plants that had piles of aggregate rock everywhere all over their site, and I'd go on a company truck, and then I'd pull up to the side and I'd pull my shovel and pail out, and I dig out rocks and bring them all back, like 20 samples of rocks driving all these different cities. You know, I was out in the sun, but I wasn't doing, like, the hard labor. Yeah, I see the dudes that were working on the planet outside in the fuckin lifts and shit, and they all were like, here's this little bitch, and it's a truck, you know. A scam, motherfucker. Remember I tried to work, construction for like, one week, and, Yeah, I was like, nine. Yeah, the same for me. What were you doing? I was like, just a helper. So I was literally just like, they fucking needed a fucking shovel. Or if they needed the tooling, that's what I would do, you know, because I had to start from the bottom, you know? But the bottom is where I stayed. And this year, bro, because I was like, after that first week, I'm like, nah, this thing for me, man, I retire. This is not for. Where did, Where did you start? How much money? Where are you making this? My question. Like, I don't even remember really. So I was there for a fucking week, bro. I don't yeah, like literally a week, dawg. Like my step was my step dad's company, bro. And and, he he had a job site in San Antonio, and, it was like downtown San Antonio, too. And. Yeah. And then I don't speak Spanish at all. I'm like a fucking coconut, bro. I'm brown on the outside, but I'm white on the white on the inside, you know, and, I know, you know, a. Little bit. A little bit like, a little bit. But, you know, I was working with cats from straight from Mexico, you know, and so, like, these cats was a. Lot blowing glass. Yeah, bro. Yeah, yeah. And like, I remember working with them and, it was just, it was some hard ass work, bro. Like mad respect to them cats. You know, my respect, because I couldn't work this man, you know, work like that, bro. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Know some guys? Yeah. We used to work with some guys at, the one of our previous restaurants. They would work their construction job in the morning and then change, and then come and work the night shift over there. I was like, fucking savages. There's a different kind of. You know, different, bro. I think literally, the boy was bro. A boy was going in, bro. You got to respect him. He was a beast. They were beasts. Two they were like going hard. They were like taking it easy in the night shift. They were going nuts. Who we talking about? The guy, the guys from, oh. This spot. Yeah. Yeah, him. And before that. Okay. Okay. Yeah, yeah. For sure. I was trying to place one, I don't know, one. He was, I guess I'm not sure you were. You were there when he was working there. Maybe he was already gone by that point. Right. But he was part of that. That clique was those those people, regardless of who. Yeah, I think they're like family cousins. Something related. Something for real, bro? I think they're cousins. They they all go fucking nuts that go hands that. Are racially charged statements. True. So yeah you you know, it was you know. It's funny bro. So our new Barbara Bella, she's our she's our newest member. And, she fucking came in one day, and she had just graduated Barbara school, and she was looking for a job, and, she came in and she introduced herself and my cousin. It's actually. She's a receptionist. Heather. You know, Heather. We're related. That's my first cousin. And, what is anyway? Yeah. Shout out Heather, man. She's fucking a big, pivotal role. How this motherfucking shit outbreak. Let's go. Yeah, she keeps everything together. But anyway, so Bella came in and, she's like, my name is Bella Ortiz. And we're like, oh, shit, she got our same last name, but she's from, like, North Austin. So to come and. Listen, I'm like, man, we might be related just fucking around, right? Bro? We did some research. No, our grandfathers are related, so we actually I think we're like third or fourth cousins and, related somewhat. Yeah. That's actually just like a manipulation tactic that she did. No no no no no no no no to get the job and get it. No it's not bro. We actually did the research for grandpa. Yeah. No Facebook research. No. So like we are related because my grandfather in I want to say her grandfather are like first cousins or some shit like that. And they're actually from Minneapolis and I knew we had a lot of, relatives from on top of this. It's really it's a. Yeah. No one on top of this is that right now it's in Austin. It's like south East Austin, I think. Okay. And, her family, they're into building swimming pools like underground swimming pools. And, that's how we actually found out that we are related. Because I went, I went and, talk to my mom, and she was like, yeah, her her dad is this and that. And her uncle was so and so and sure enough, bro, like, yeah, it's like, oh shit, we really are related. So. And it was so funny, bro. I was like, that's such a Mexican thing. Like. You know. Was it bro? But you know, it was it was pretty dope though. So yeah, that's like our third or fourth cousin. That sounds like divine. So crazy man. Guidance. Dude. Her GPS brought her. Yeah. Oh, she's dope bro. She's super dope, man. You know, like, let's just go, like I've known her forever, you know what I'm saying? So that's. That's hilarious. Yeah, but it is such a Mexican thing, bro. That's so. Oh, there's one thing I want to bring up because you were talking about it earlier. I think I saw some stuff on the walls, but were there some, awards y'all had won for this? We we won a best barbershop, of Hayes to two years in a row. So. Yeah, they're actually doing that voting thing again. So, you know, we're going to try to make it, you know, third. Year in. A row, you got to rub some elbows or what goes into the process. Of oh, man. Yeah. Do they if somebody come in here and get a cut like an undercover cut. So. Well, so honestly, what it is, bro, is like voting. Yeah. Like, okay. Yeah. You got to get voted. Who gets. A vote? The community votes. Like businesses or. Yeah, I'm the community. Can I vote like. Yeah, I mean for some like online yeah. Yeah yeah for sure. Yeah yeah like online. Oh. So we just got to get people to run up your link. Pretty much bro. Okay. Yeah. Okay. So yeah, like when our clients come in here, it's going on right now. We get all them to vote. I, I don't know if it started. I don't know if it started already or if it's about to start next the beginning of next month. I know, I know, we had to vote for to to get the nominations going. Yeah, but I'm not I don't I don't think the actual like voting voting has started for like the winner, you know what I'm saying. So I want to say it starts next month. But when I find out I'll definitely. Yeah. Let's go. Yeah. So we can. Do plug it up bro. Come on. Another dub for my guy. Who's there. Yeah, but no that's cool man. But yeah we got that. And then what else has we got bro. We've gotten like, reward awards from the community for, like, doing, like, you know, our community work that we do, like, we do the, cuts for kids event, you know, and, we also do like, stuff for, like, you know, first responders. We could we usually do a 911 event, too. So it's just stuff like that, bro. As much as we can to give back to the community, you know? So so yeah, man. I don't remember. I think I've ever seen something about the customer kids. What is a, what is a van? It's just an event that we put together. Where. Back to when? Back to school cones, man. We try, we do, free cuts and, school supplies as well, you know, backpacks, school supplies and, yeah, man, it's just a super dope event that started I started with, started doing it with the backpack drive, you know, so with a little backpack drive. And then that turned into, you know, this free cuts for kids and just grew and grew, man. And, yeah, it was, it was, it was crazy how that turned into, you know, a whole big as a community event, you know? Yeah. So for sure it's awesome. Yeah, man. It's pretty cool, bro. Look at your hand, bro. It's title. It's awesome. Aside, bro, I aspire to to give back to my community the same kind of way. It's cool to do it through your business. Yeah. No, it's it's a good feeling, bro. It's a good feeling, man. So I think it's important, you know, when you can give back. When you when you can give back. You know, I mean, not everyone's in that position to do that, you know. But I mean, sometimes, sometimes, you know, it's, you think that, you know, you need to have all this money and this and that. But honestly, bro, sometimes you don't even take that, you know, it just takes off. You know, if you offering something, you know? And for us, it was free haircuts, you know. Yeah. So that was that was pretty dope, man. You know, helping kids, helping families, you know, especially like the first week of school. I mean, yeah, look, in your best, you know, is, I think is important to most kids, you know, feeling that, you know, you know, that first week of school, you want to look fresh. Well, I got to set the impression, bro. Exactly. Like there's no. Oh, my kids wouldn't have gotten the cut. They would've been looking just by me the first week of school because their parents can't afford one and didn't didn't have time or whatever. And you, you know, you gave them a different experience for their life. You know, it's fucking awesome. Oh it's pretty it's pretty dope, bro. Pretty dope man. That's that shit, bro. That's nice. Man. That's. Well, I tell you, when I was working concrete, that was when I realized real quick, I don't want to fucking do this shit. I wanna do something that feels like that having dirty fingernails. And how long do you do that for? Dude, I don't know, like a year, maybe a year and a half, 18 months, maybe. I think I did a summer internship, and then I left for a while, and then I. Go, you came back? Then I came in there for a couple months, maybe like three months, and then. Yeah, then you're gone for a bit and then you came back later on. How old were you when you were doing it? 20. 20? Oh yeah man. Yeah. I came back like when I was 21, I think. So, but yeah, just dude. Yeah. Sometimes doing something you really, really just, like, makes you realize how badly you want to do something. You're like, you know what I'm saying? For sure, for sure. Yeah, bro. It's scary, bro. It's scary stuff like that. But also, I feel like it was perfect. Like perfect that I worked with perfect. And we would there was I remember this one memory is super vivid all the time where we did a show and then we stayed up all night and then came back to work like, you know, we did the show on a Tuesday night and just stayed up till 6 a.m. on Wednesday and came in work, but it was kind of a flexible schedule so we could come in early and leave early if we wanted. And like, the same way you were talking about, you know, Bella and up in your shop. I just feel like that sometimes, like where you're at is just, like the perfect place for you to be. It's not like you really had, like, we think you have choice and you could choose anything. But I also like, with my free will choice, I chose you to be my barber. But I also feel like that was kind of meant to be, you know what I'm saying? So it's just like, I don't know. That's crazy thing like that, you know. It is now. It really is, man. I think it comes through. It really is more about just being who you're supposed to be or being who you're not supposed to be, and you're going to be in the same places in the same chapters with the same relationships to some degree. But you're either going to be more of who you're supposed to be, or less of who you're supposed to be. And maybe like, you know, sometimes you can miss an opportunity. And if you were who you're supposed to be, you get that opportunity. And that's like a direct fork in your experience, maybe for what could be and what is. But it seems to me that like things are not predetermined, but like more determined. I don't know, like it's written, but I don't want to say we don't have free will because we obviously don't write everything. But I don't know it just like it's hard to ignore the fact that I feel like I'm supposed to be in these places where I'm supposed to be, and then, like, I wouldn't have gone to school. Justin was like, the perfect thing in the world. I'm so happy I didn't go to college anywhere else. You know? So, like, did you almost go to any other, like, different colleges? Like, making that choice? Like what? Like what other college were you, like, kind of leaning towards other than Texas State? There was you had one. I mean, I. Mean, there's a college in Abilene called McMurry that I know you did two times. And, I wanted to play basketball for that one. Really? Yeah, yeah, there were a small school. It was something like 80% of the students were student athletes there. So it was really like a school you went to to go play sports. Yeah. And it was I think it was a methodist school. Yeah. And my dad's a methodist pastor, so there was kind of like a automatic connection. And, I applied for this program and I did this interview, and it's for like a scholarship, and I get all the way to the end of the interview, and I think I'm, like, doing good, you know what I'm saying? I don't know. And then at the end, I'm like, you know, I'm crushing. I think, yeah. And I'm just like, as they say something about, you know, that they're real competitive or something like that. And I'm like, yeah, me too. Like, I don't really want any Baptist, any Baptist professors this year. Something like that was there. Like, we get real competitive around here. We don't like Abilene Christian. You know, if they're trying to interested in you, you know, don't don't give them too much of your time or too much your attention. You know, we want you right here. I was like, I'm real competitive too, man. Just, not like no Baptist professors. Professors. You know what I'm talking about. I can't. Even say it now because I cringe so hard so. Many times about saying that, because it was a methodist school and I was just fucking around. I thought it was funny. And then it was just like someone hit like a off. No, on a piano like bar. And everyone just like, what the fuck did he just say? So I was just like, I was just. I was just kidding. I was like. You should just, you know. Like, all right, Mr. Mullet, I have a great day. I think we're done here. I think we we brought it up. So that was it different enough? Well, they didn't offer me the scholarship, that's for sure. Like blockers. So I thought about going there, though, just because I was confident I could play basketball there. Yeah, especially working my ass off. You know, I'm saying singularly focused on that. Yeah. But, there was just a voice in my head that was like hanging out with Justin. I was always having the best time of my life, and I always thought about maybe us working together one day or doing the entrepreneurship shit thing with Justin or something. And I, I don't know, bro. I was just like, the idea of going to college with Justin was just felt like in that moment of like, what do I actually want to do here? I was like, I think I want to actually do that. Like, Justin's there. We've never actually been going to the same school together since elementary school. Like we'll be able to hang out, like experience this thing together, figure out if we can make content or be. I don't even have the idea fully developed, you know what I'm saying? Right? But just something I figured I figured out. And said, Marcus, I'm sure is a lot more fun than fucking dabbling. Yeah, dude, you're right. I was going to, San Marcus because Justin was there a year before me, two years before me. So I was going down there to hang out with them a lot and fell in love with it, bro. Like, it was amazing. Especially a little bit younger. Like, as an older person, I don't have the same kind of like love for it as when I was 18, right? Right. Playing spike ball on the animal football field and just fucking. Yeah, going back and slamming a beer. I was just like, this is insane. Yeah, go into the rec center going to get some fucking food. Yeah. The river's right there to River. Of course. The experience was just I was just like, oh, more of that. That's that's life right there. So that's fire for sure. Say that feeling process. You know what I'm saying? Just kind of always kind of going where I want to go to some degree, you know? Sounds selfish, but I like I'm happy I do it, you know? Not for sure, man. So sometimes you got to be a little selfish. Well, it's my life, right? Like, yeah, yeah. There's got to be some self-involved. Yeah, yeah. That's self-love. That's self-care. That's self-respect. Yeah. Some discipline. Doing what you want to do matters. Sure, man. Yeah. You know, enjoy this shit, bro. You only get one. Yeah, you only get one. You know what else? Experience and what you're experiencing? No, no, I mean you. It's all uniquely you. It's all you. Yeah. It was it was tight. You were asking earlier where does passion come from? Do you think the same thing for like that something that you want to do is in there somewhere. It's coming from somewhere. Does everyone have something that they could tap into and lock into that and be actualized through the pursuit of that? I mean. I think everyone does. It's just I think so. Let's see. I don't get unlock it. You I'm. Saying learn yourself no. Self. I want to say yes. Like that's like a fundamental belief of what's happening in life. I think that's right, I think so I like to believe that at least in my, in my own matrix. Yeah. And maybe my belief of that is what makes it true to my matrix. It's not sure if it's objectively true for everybody. It's like, you know, I'm sure y'all know people to like, who are doing something that they obviously don't want to do. And you know what they're good at because, you know, you might know this person or, you know, you might seen them or whatever. Like, I know a few people who are like, bro, you're fucking working at this job or you're doing this, this profession that I know you're not happy at doing. But, you know, I'm like, bro, you were a dope as fucking, you know, I don't know motherfucking DJ, you know, or Baker super dope like, you know, fucking building shit or whatever, you know, and it's like, I can see that was your passion, but they obviously didn't follow it, you know what I'm saying? And I think it's up to that person to go and actually follow it, pursue it, and really, you know, bring it to life, you know, and use it. Dude, I. Got I think everybody has it, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. I think so too. It's just up to them. Like do they want to use it. They they want to follow it, you know. But I mean, I think maybe it's like. It's like just quit being a bitch and come on. You know, the thing. I'm trying to say, I. Do it, do it. I get I got blasted on super mega multivitamin, which is like how we say on the podcast that we took some like, like mushrooms, like. Mario Toadstool. Mario Party toadstools. Tripping off them toadstools. And dude, I was like, oh, out there, right? And I remember just like, so clearly thinking that, like, that is what we're here to do is to go for that thing that we're actually dumb. We're so dumb for doing anything else, for working a job they are miserable at for ten years. Why? Because you feel safe? Because it pays the bills. Like, I guess you can't just, like, quit and then start paying your bills with no, like, right action involved. You know what I'm saying? Right? But you gotta you gotta go for that thing. Everything else is kind of a lie to, like, enslave you almost to working for someone else's profit. And like, you can live that life if you want. Enslaved is a really harsh word. But if you're going to like do that for your whole life and never really like pursue that thing inside of you. Like what did you do with your life? You know what I'm saying? Right, right. Know for sure. And I maybe that's like, some people don't think that way. Right. We really don't think that way. Right. But and my most clear, you know, psychotic state or whatever you call a psychedelic state, I'm not sure when that moment of like pure thinking, I was just like, this is an obvious like, you cannot waste. No one should waste their life like that, you know. Because then the bring, you're not happy like my thing, bro, is like I to make it simple is do what makes you fucking happy. You know what I'm saying, bro? Like, whatever. Whatever you're happy doing. I think that's what you should be fucking doing, you know? Because then at the end of day, you wake up in the morning and an in and it don't feel like work. You know, you're not, you're not dreading like to go like I don't dread to come cut hair. Like I love to cut hair that. Dread the worst things in life. Like like yeah. There's some days when like, especially like a cop. Like my 20s, when I wasn't, like, healthy. There'd be days when, like, my body didn't, you know, like I wasn't feeling good or whatever, you know, I wasn't feeling my best, but never like, damn, I don't want to cut hair. And you know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, never. I've never. Felt like that, bro, because I loved I love to do. It, you know? I love to do what I do every day, you know? Yeah, bro. Yeah, yeah, that's not shit, bro. I think there's a, I think I've seen it on Instagram. That's like a Japanese saying ikigai. I don't know, it's one of those. I've seen a whole bunch different ones. I think that phrase in Japanese is like just trying to find what you're like, what you're like, the thing we're trying to talk about, trying to articulate whatever your passion is, whatever that thing is that you should be doing here. It's like it's a combination of like something that you're good at, something that you enjoy to do, something that could benefit others, and then you get paid for it. Yeah. If you can like, find something that fits all four of those things. So I think that that's here, that's that's what you're here to do. You know what I'm saying? I think so that's what we're talking about. But that hits it right on. Right on the head bro. Yeah. I think it's like, because I guess we're talking about it. So in some sense it is kind of like predetermined. But in the, in the same sense, it's not predetermined. Right. Because we have free will. Right? Right. But it is kind of like we're suggesting that there might be something predetermined about our nature of like just our existence, like you're predetermined, like supposed to be a fucking certain, like you're just supposed to, like you're just you have to do everything about you, and your genetic coding is pointing you towards being a surgeon. Yeah. Or whatever, you know, so it just kind of predetermined in that nature. Or like, you're supposed to be a barber. We're supposed to be whatever the fuck must be right now. This person, producers, whatever the fuck. Production producer. Music's entrepreneurs. Yeah. So maybe there is some sort of like, fixed, predetermined aspect to it, but we have the option to fuck it up, you know what I'm saying? Now we're in the option to veer away from that path and do our own thing, right? Based on whatever the fuck is going on in our minds. I mean, and I think what's super dope too, is like, I feel like once, once you, you know, follow what you're supposed to do. I think that's when like that, more doors open up to different avenues that that are connected with that. Yeah. You know what I'm saying, bro? Like, like you all, for instance, you know, y'all started the music thing, you know, and now y'all are trickling into the content creating and podcasting, you know, and it y'all are still using your voice. Y'all are still using y'all create y'all's creativity to still, you know, do what y'all do. You know what I'm saying. And I think, I think it's I think that's one of the, the most like, special things, bro, about being an entrepreneur and following, you know, your paths and following your passion that when you when you do that, bro, like, this shit starts to open up for you, you know. And, it's like a white rabbit effect once you start following that white rabbit. Yeah, bro. It's not the path necessarily. You thought you were going down, but you're going down the path. Different things will open up. The music leads to the podcast, and the podcast leads to the content production. The content production leads to marketing. Like, there's no way to tell how to get down this avenue, except for following that little intuition and going and taking that next step, you know? Yeah, I think that that's important no matter what it looks like. It might look stupid right now, for sure, but it's not. It's your gut. It's your heart. It's your it's that. You follow it. GPS. You know, you. Gotta follow it, bro. Yeah. Yeah, sure, man. There's something there. There's something there. I think Joe Rogan has a guest. I think we talked about it. Here's a guest. Neil's on Joe Rogan. Yes, but I haven't listened to him recently. Okay. But yeah. No. Yeah. That happens. Yeah, yeah. Fall in and out of love from Joe. Joe love me some Joe. Right? Right. For sure, for sure. But bro, he's like the podcast fucking. He's the pod father, right? Yeah bro. Like know for sure through. And through, bro. You you fucking open the lane for everybody. Definitely did bro. But he. And now he's down the road fucking bro. Come on bro. Bro I say it's. We can run into him. What accident. He did a special in San Antonio. And it's crazy man. That's crazy sick bro. Right down the fucking street. Central Texas. Honestly, it was great marketing for my our business because Joe Rogan just represents people. Listen to podcasts. Oh yeah. Podcasts are millions of people. Do listen to him. So it's cool to think about like, I think he's a great representation of why you should do a podcast or why anybody could do a podcast. It's like, that guy has a whole empire. He's a multimillionaire because of his podcast, you know what I'm saying? So it's really cool because if he was still in California, it wouldn't be as like relevant to when I point to Joe Rogan now, it's like he's super on everybody's mind, you know? Yeah, it's cool. It feels like one of those things that's just perfect timing, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah. And now Austin's like fucking booming. You know I'm saying bro like crazy crazy. Now Austin's. Crazy. All this central Texas is you know what I'm saying? Because post-Covid, Austin in particular is nuts right now. Yeah. People coming from California, people coming from New York. I mean even here in Kyle bro. Like we get we get new clients every day bro. And it's like I'm amazed. Like what these motherfuckers moved from you know. Really. Yeah is nuts bro. Like California New York, Florida you know, fucking Montana. You know, I mean all kinds of different states, bro, and like. And it's all because it's it's like close to Austin, you know, like Central Texas is crazy, bro. You know, it's insane. Yeah, Texas is tight. I fucking love Texas. But central Texas, like, in specific is like just boom in bro. You know? It really is, man. So it's it's good for business, you know. Absolutely. It's good for business. And the Mecca, this is another Mecca like a city now. Yeah. One of the most popular or like largest growing for sure. Fastest growing for sure. Most definitely. Just poppin. Yeah, yeah. I just had a guest on he was talking I think I forget what his. I think maybe he runs some sort of homeless shelters in Austin. I forget the guest's name and what the company organization that he was working with is, but I'm pretty sure that's who it was. And they were just talking about what they do. And, the guest was talking specifically about, you know, people's like, childhood and like, I guess he drew the analogy to it to be like, like embers in a fire. You know, I'm saying, like we all have in the stemmed from, like, your childhood. So I guess it kind of ties in what we're talking about, about like, it might be kind of like predetermined or like kind of innately in you, like what you're supposed to be doing, the fullest expression of you. Whatever your thing is, it's in you already. And like you saying that you could find it in childhood, like whatever you did as a kid and you were like enjoying and destroying your time doing it. Like whenever you're playing pretend or whatever, you were just enjoying your life as a child. Like it really. It could have stemmed from their place. Like if you want to like, reconnect with that and rekindle that flame, then maybe look to your childhood and see what things you were doing. What interests you when you caught your attention. Yeah. That makes. Sense. You can fan that shit and you just bring it back into the fold. Who? So we're doing here what I'm doing here. And so you are just. It was a younger version of you expressing yourself back then, but also probably more true and more honest. So I don't think that goes away. You know. Yeah. Right. No. It's you. I was grown kids. Yeah. We're always remembering our dreams. Like there's always a part of me that still wants to be a professional athlete or thinks about doing it in another life or whatever it is. And I take those things and I try to apply it to myself every day, you know, like the kind of consistency or discipline or dedication it takes to be like, I don't, I don't want to. I never want to tell myself that I, I couldn't do that, like, I wasn't good enough or I didn't have the discipline for it, that like other people, sure they have it. But me, it was never going to happen for me. Right? Like just based on my stats of personal whatever the hell I have going on here in my mind. So that's why, like now, I'm still trying to, like, I want to run into a professional athlete and not feel like he's a superhero and I'm a normal person, you know what I'm saying? Right? Right. So like that kind of. But that's because of that dream that I had when I was a kid. But it still plays out in my life now. You know what I'm saying, right? And I think that's a good thing. I think that that's integrating yourself fully. Whereas I guess maybe some people could say like, yeah, you got to move on and and like old stuff and yeah, reshape yourself and stuff like that. Be realistic. Be realistic. Yeah. Right. But like, fuck you. Yeah, right. I mean. I don't think anybody's grandpa doesn't have a dream that they think about sometimes, you know what I'm saying? Or a passion they wish they pursued a little bit more. I think that's probably like natural with age. You wish you would have done a little more of this and a little more of that, you know. And you just leaving that on the table if you're not pursuing it when you have time you know. Yeah. No for sure man. Man. If you had one tip for a an entrepreneur who's not an entrepreneur yet someone with the idea, with the passion, with the drive and they they're ready to they hear you say, jump into the pool and they're down. It's like, what's an actionable step for them? Well, one is just just doing it right. But I think like a big thing that I would tell people, bro, that, I feel like, sometimes I didn't follow myself was don't let outside distractions or like exterior, you know, voices, you know, other people tell you that you can't or that you shouldn't, you know, because, man, there's there's been times, bro, when I had an idea in my head, you know, and I expressed it to somebody who, who wasn't in, in that kind of like, mindset or entrepreneurial mindset or whatever. Yeah. And they told me like, no, I don't think you should, you know, and then like, fucking a month or two later, like, I see this other guy or this other person with the same idea that I had, you know, brought it to life. And I'm like, why the fuck did I listen to you? You know what I'm saying? Like, so like, if if it's one thing I could tell someone, you know, that starting is, man, just don't listen to no, no other people's opinions or voices, bro. Because at the end of the day, they're not you. You know, I'm saying that they're not. They're not in your head, you know, they don't have the same vision as you, you know, so and I think to just, you know, dealing with being in business and dealing with other partners and people you know, that don't have the same vision as you is like, and it's it can fuck you up, you know, it can definitely fuck you up. So I definitely would just, yeah, try to silence all the critics, all the, all the all the outside noise, you know, and that people's opinions, you know, don't pay no mind to it, you know, and try to block it out as much as you can, you know, because honestly bro, it actually can it can really put a stamp on your growth, you know, and and again, it can really it can really do some damage. You know, there's. A fine line between being confident and being hardheaded. Right. You know what. How do you tell that line. I think with that bro is like being confident is believing in yourself, right? You know, believing in yourself and knowing that you can do whatever you're trying to do. But being hardheaded is like, you know, not listening to people that either are know what the fuck they're talking about or in the position that you want to get to. You know, I feel like motherfuckers who don't want to like, listen to to, you know, people who can obviously help them. Yeah, I think that I think that's when it's like, all right, bro, like, what are you fucking doing? You know what I'm saying? Like, why are you being a dumb ass? You know, like, I think you need you need those those, you know, role models or, you know, the, mentors, your mentors. You know, I think it's important to have to definitely have, some mentors in your life, bro, especially, you know, if it's some if it's someone in a position that you're trying to get to, you know, I think, you know, that's that's like like when I told you I traveled to another state to go work with, you know, with some guys who obviously know more knowledge about me, you know, and more knowledge than me. And, I think it's important for you to find people that, that you can, outsource that knowledge and, you know, listen to them, you know? So, yeah, man, I think I think that's when that that line is, you know. Yeah. So there's advice that you should be taking that you're not taking. Yeah. And, and you probably know deep in your heart that it's advice you should hear and you're not doing it because you've got your own mental stuff going on. Maybe, whereas, you know, when people tell you what you shouldn't be doing and you know that in your heart that they're wrong and you know that you have this passion and this vision, that that's confidence, that's that's where you tune out the outside noise when you lock in. Right? When bullying is something that you do hear that you know that you know, this does carry some type of value, some type of way. You know, that's when you need to. Don't be hardheaded in like, you know and listen, you know, and implement whatever they're trying to help you is, you know. Yeah it's beautiful. So that's a fine line. It's fine line. Yeah. You know, choose what to let in to your matrix. You know what I'm saying. What to accept because yeah. If you're, if, if you let in and you know, like in your first example of talking about silence, silencing the voice and like the critics, you know, because like, yeah, those voices could kill your dream, you know what I'm saying? You can, bro, because you're you are the I forget where I've heard this or I've seen this. I'm gonna say I think maybe, maybe Matthew McConaughey. But, like, you are the only person who can kill your dream. You know what I'm saying? Like, you're the only one who could really let it die, right? Like others can try to help you kill it, but, like, ultimately, it comes down to you. Yeah. To decide. Yeah. I'm not going to do that. Or like, I am going to do this. Fuck you. Yeah, yeah. I'm. I'm saying. Yeah, like like when I started my business, bro. When I started, when I opened up my first location, man, I remember I, I had a few family members who were like, dude, you shouldn't do that. Like, you should not do it, like, I think I think it's pretty foolish for you to go and start your business so young, you know? And yeah, maybe it was, but that was them talking from their fear. You know what. I'm saying, bro? Yeah. For their own story. Like, you can't you can't project your fear onto me because I'm not you. You know, you ain't me. You know, you don't. You don't have the passion that I have for for what I got going on. And maybe you did, but you didn't pursue that. You know what I'm saying, right? And, man, you know that shit. That shit fucked me up. You know what I'm saying? Like, even to this day, when you know that family member, it was someone who I was really close with and who I really looked up to, you know, and it was like, Mina, you know, I'm there. I haven't felt the same about that person ever since. Dude, I know what you're talking about it when someone says something like that and it's because really, deep down, I am that dreamer. Like, that's that's me at my most fundamental. We all. Are as human beings and we all are. Bro. Someone tells you that they don't believe in you or they can't see your vision coming to life. And it's just. Especially someone close to. You. Yeah, you know. That shit changes. It changes something in you because it's like, almost like you have to prove them wrong now, you know? And that sucks because, like, you don't want that for someone you love, you know? Right. But I think it is speaking out of fear more than anything. That's what it is. That's what it is. If anybody tells me fucking anything that they're interested in any kind of passion, all I do is say, that's awesome, man. Like, keep going. Don't stop, keep going. Yeah. How fucking hard is that? You know what I'm saying? Yeah. It's for someone you love. You know what I'm saying? To look at them and say, no, I don't believe in you. Yeah, maybe other people, I guess. Yeah, I guess they're doing it. They must have something you don't have, you know what I'm saying? Like, bro, what are you talking about? You know. Sure, man. That's clearly the voice of fear speaking out. Not not irrational loving. You know, any human just has that impulse to love and just uplift, you know? Yeah. If you're coming in, like, if you're if you're a parent and your child comes up to you with like an idea, you need to, like, handle it gently, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Or like, oh, like give encouragement and fuel to the fire. But if it's a bad idea, you can nip it in the bud. Right? Right. Oh, you can try to make it better. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. It's trying to like, let's let's fucking get some EMS here, kid. Come on. Yeah, well. It is. It's tough, though, because, like, with our idea, you know, taking out an investment yourself. So you have, like, financial liability and stuff like that. You know, someone might if they didn't believe in your business idea, that might be good advice to not do that yet. You know, that's why it's that hard headed and confidence line is so is so thin. Am I am I being dumb by not taking your advice? Or is your advice bad advice. You know. Right. Right. But I feel like you know that's the thing. You know you always know deep down. Oh bro. Dude I want to just put it on a t shirt like. You know you. Know motherfucker. That's the answer to a lot of questions is like yeah. But like you know deep down you know you. Know the answer is, you know, you fucking know what, dude? Yeah. Intuition, bro. And I believe in, like, being conservative and having patience. And I know that I'm quick to pull the trigger on a lot of stuff. I'll just be like, I'll do it, let's do it. Let's go for it. Like, that's kind of my natural predisposition. But I feel like we were really conservative and really patient, took a lot of time, played out every option, you know, really, really invested a lot of ourselves into a lot of potential realities. And it was just like, it's this, it's this. And the timing is right now, and I've spent enough time being patient and conservative and responsible and like, you know, hedging my bets to know that this is when we should go all in, you know, and I think that that also helps. It helped me to not feel like I was making a mistake. It helped me to feel like this is a good decision because I was patient with it, you know. And, you know, sometimes, bro, you just got to do shit, bro. You just got to do it, man, like I was. I was, like, I listened to, a book by 50 cent. It's an, and I with this book, I like to listen to the audio version, like when I'm walking out or I'm jogging or I'm doing something. Does he read it? Yeah, he narrates it. It's it's his book. It's called, Powers. No no no no no no no. Hustle smarter not harder I believe is and title of it. He has one called power. It's called a 50 the 50th Law of Power. I was just listening to that this morning, actually, on my walk. Really? But, like, bro, that's why I like 50 cent a lot. Broke his low key down. He's a fucking, like, just business savvy, like he that more focused, smart bro. You know what I'm saying? That that thought across my matrix whenever he declared bankruptcy, a while back, I'm like, maybe. And it was like it was a financial move. He was, you know, I'm I'm saying low key, very smart. He's a smart business, you know, not low key. But I mean, he he's a he's he's a smart business. If you think of him as a rapper actor, you don't always think about him as like that. I don't look at him. I look at my. Business mogul, you know, because I actually read his books, listen to his, but, you know, all that shit. So anyways, and that book, he there's a chapter where he's talking about, he's talking about he's telling the story and he's talking about Jamie Foxx's. And, Jamie Foxx is, talking to one of his guys, and, he's telling he's talking about 50 cent. How 50 cent the the reason why 50 cent is, you know, where his success is successful and where he's at is because he just does shit. You know what I'm saying, bro? Like, he's just constantly, always trying to have his hands in something, you know what I'm saying, bro? And I think a lot of times, bro and I even revert back to myself, bro. Like like there's times, bro, when you're entrepreneur, man, when you're going up, you know what I'm saying? And then there's times when you're, you're just kind of like, you know, at a standstill. And then there's times when you're dropping, you know what I'm saying, bro? And like when I look back on things in my career and my business, like the I feel like when I was going up the most is when I was just constantly doing shit, bro. Whether it was stuff with the community, whether it was making skits, you know what I'm saying, bro? Whether it was going to barber schools and doing classes and demos for up and coming barbers, like when I was doing my best and I was filling like my at my most is when I was just constantly doing shit, bro, you know? And there's times, bro, when I hit when I hit these plateaus, man. And and you know, it's it's it's the times when I'm not when I'm not doing what I'm supposed to be doing. You know what I'm saying, bro? And I'm just kind of like laying low, you know, at times you need that, you know, I'm, I'm saying there's times when you need, like, just to kind of like, relax, relax, bro. And like, kind of like, you know, tend to yourself or do whatever you need to. Do, even. Out. But bro, like if you just stay in that type of like mindset or mode, it it's, it's going to kill you. You know I'm saying bro. So man sometimes you just need to do shit, bro. You know what I'm saying bro? So I fucking. You know I y'all y'all I recommend you OG listen to it to his book bro. I read it or whatever it is for entrepreneurs. I have that book on my bookshelf. I got it from target. I remember buying it, but yeah, I have already. Yeah, you need to read it, bro. Or like I said, this is the audio version. You know, I'm saying bro, like, this is dope listening to audio because because it's dope. Listening to it is voice telling the story, you know. And that's how I, I love that. Show, you know. But yeah bro, definitely I'll send it to you. And I got it. I sent it to you. But yeah man. Hell yeah. That's something that I remember. And I think that, Yeah, I like to I like to look at it back when my, when my story and, and my career and, you. Know, jumping in that pool really changed everything. Yeah, man. It's going. For bro. It's like, yeah, it's such a life is such a series of like, paradoxes and things that are like one way and the other way and like opposites, we need to, like, do them at the same time. Or it's like you need to be, because I've also heard that you need to be, like, stubborn about your goals. You know, to a degree, you need to be able to be stubborn about your goals, but open enough to let the the positive and the like genuinely uplifting, like information like come to you. Yeah. So it's like I need to be open and close at the same time. Yeah. It's like, fuck the bullshit. But I do have anything good for me. You know the fucking bullshit. Yeah, you got to have that filter. You gotta have that filter, bro. You got, you got, you got to know what you need to let come in and what you need to let stay stuck on that filter, bro. And that come in, you know. So you know it's and I think working out being healthy. You know what I'm saying bro. Like that's a big you know pivotal role in it too bro. Bro. Yeah man. Because I feel like if you're not if you ain't healthy, you know what I'm saying. You're not taking care of yourself physically. Mentally it's going to fuck with you. You know what I'm saying, bro? And I feel like mentally once once you once once you like mentally is not working right is fucked. Yeah. You know. Yeah. That's you're trying especially trying to be. A business owner. Well, I'm smart enough. The choices are hard enough, decisions you gotta make. So you need that mental sharp and clear because it's already difficult. You don't need to. And again, physically you need to be need to be right. You know. Yeah I think it's all connected. You know what I'm saying. It's all connected. Yeah. Yeah I believe in that too bro. Mental spiritual, emotional, physical it's all connected somehow. You know, I'm saying. I'm interested to know where you draw the connection between taking care of yourself and being successful businesses. Like. Like how it correlates together. Yeah. Because I assume you say it's a tip for young entrepreneurs just to stay on top of your health of fitness as well? Well, yeah. I mean, I think it starts with that. You know, I think it starts with your with your health. I mean, I think the data is all we got, you know what I'm saying. And our health, our body, that's our that's the machine, you know. Yeah. And if we're not taking care of that like we can't like and I say that's why you need to be selfish. Because, like, if you ain't selfish for yourself at first, you can't offer nothing to others. You can't offer nothing to you, to your spouse or your kids or your team and business, you know, like, yeah, if you're not taking care of yourself and and you know, you ain't, you know, fucking, you know, working how you need to be working, bro. You you can't you you can't function. You know, your business can't function. You your family can't function. You know, like especially us men. You know, being the being the leaders, you know, naturally. And, I think it starts which starts with your self, starts with your health. You know, I think it's very important, bro. Like, in my 20s, I was unhealthy than a motherfucker, you know what I'm saying? Like, I would work up here all day. I wouldn't eat when I get home, bro. I'd fucking binge eat. You know, I'm saying, on top of that, I was just eating shit, you know, sugars, fat, you know? And bro, all my 20s, I felt like shit, bro, you know? And, I think, I don't I don't think I know my business suffered, my family suffered, I suffered from it, you know, and, once I hit my late 20s, it really started like, you know, being conscious of, like, my health and being mindful of it. I think that's when everything changed for me, bro, you know? All right, I know that's when everything changed for me. Don't turn around. You know, man, what do you do or like what are some of your routine that you would. Well when Covid here's when I really took a serious bro. You know once Covid hit because I was in like I bro I was scared as fuck, you know what I'm saying? I'm like, man, if I catch Covid, I'm already overweight. You saying bro like I'm unhealthy. That risk. Yeah. Like, you know, so like what I started doing was walking. That was like my that was my main thing, bro. Shit. I started to walk in, you know, me and me and my wife would go to, like, the track, at this, middle school down here called Wallace. And, we would just walk on the track, bro. We do like, two miles. Started off like a mile and a half. Went to two and three. And then now, you know, I'm in the gym, bro. 4 to 5 times out the week. Let's go. I kind of slacked off last week. You know what I'm saying? I slacked off last week a little bit, bro, but, yeah, like, I've been going to a. Wedding cuz I. Sweat and, you know. Life happens. Yeah. And when actually, we, we actually to, we were in corpus for a few days because my wife's trying to get, daycare going, so she has some classes she had to go to up there. So we were. Their own daycare. Yeah, she was. So she started off at the house. In-Home daycare. Yeah. And then eventually, you know, start with the facility. That's money bro. Yeah, man, we trying to make things happen, bro, you know. But so that that definitely threw my schedule off and then, Yeah man. But for like the past year, year and a half, two years, bro, I've been in the gym, you know, started focusing better on my eating, you know, started eating more a lot more healthier now, you know, chicken turkey, you know, that's beef. You know what I'm saying, bro? Trying to stay, stay away from sugars as much as I can. Yeah. You know, so. Yeah, man. Yeah, but, yeah, I try to get a walk in in the morning, bro. I live by the river so that that's, that's something cool that I like to take advantage of, bro. Walking by the river. Just as a big morning. In the mornings when no one. When no one's at the river. You know what I'm saying? Like it's man. It's the river in San Marcus is nice, bro. When no one's there. Like when no one's there, it's bro. It's peaceful as fuck, you know what I'm saying, bro? And, you know, I like to. I like to do that, take take a little ball with me, you know? Hey, you know, get a couple hits at the ball. You know what I'm saying? Chilly. Yeah. Chillin. You know, chillin by the river, little man. Right? You know what I'm saying? So, yeah. And then, and in the evenings, I like to go to the gym, but I'm trying to. I'm trying to start going in the morning just so I can have more time, you know, to do other stuff, you know? Yeah. I love that shit, bro. Get it done in the morning. Yeah, early in the day. Just let the rest of your days yours. I was like, yeah. Yeah I was, we were going, I my homie Lois, we were going, during our lunch to the gym. That was cool, you know what I'm saying? But it gets a little hectic sometimes, you know what I'm saying? Especially, like cutting hair, like, some cuts may take longer than others, so, like, it starts cutting into the, like, the gym time and then you want. I want to be back in time for my next cut, you know. So of course we kind of stopped doing that. But I'm trying this. I'm trying to go in the mornings, more now for sure. Yeah. So getting the, endocrine system just dramatically changed the, the workout at the start of the day changes the whole day. Definitely. It's nice, dude. And then I started hooping again more, you know. So that's fun bro. You know, go to because I go workout that goes okay. So like you know we play with a lot of college students and shit and it's fun playing with them bro. Because like poppin yeah yeah. No it's cool. But then sometimes like they look at us like we're oh you know what I'm saying. So we get on the court, you know, and, you know, it's fun to bust ass. And then and then, you know, the next game, they're like, I bet you know, this guy can play. So now when we go to the gym now, these motherfuckers are like, hey, you going to play? Hey what's up? You know, it's it's cool. You know what I'm saying? It's a good feeling, bro. The community vibes for sure. So it's dope bro. But yeah I'm sorry to hooping again man on and that's that's man I love to hoop bro. Like I still love to hoop. You know what it's like. Yeah usually yeah I'm a facilitator bro. So like yeah I'm the more fucking that like a bro. You might not think I see you, but like, I see you from my peripheral. I'm. I'm a hit you. You know what I'm saying? So I, I love to, I love to, yeah I love to get, you know, the plays going, bro. And finding motherfuckers open and shit like that. But I'm also a shooter too. So watch out. You know, do it all. Knock down. Yeah. So yeah, I mean growing up, bro, growing up, that was me. I was, I was, you know, I had a good handle. That was, that was my that was my game, bro. I was quick I had a good handle. I was a big and one fan back in the day, bro. So I love that shit. Bro. I've just always been good with handling the ball, you know what I'm saying, bro? Like, but I was, like, watching this shit when his VHS, so I'll, like, record the shit, you know what I'm saying? Like, you know, like growing up in a, like, Hispanic Mexican culture, like my grandparents. Y'all know what a novella is? Yeah. Right. Okay. So, like, they would, like, record their novellas, bro. Right. So I'd had to, like, pick that. I would have to, like, steal their tapes. From the old one. Yeah. And, like, rerecord that shit. And then, of course, I'd get in trouble for it later, but, like, yeah, I would record the whole record to episode. Like, what the fuck is this? Yeah, bro. Like, you know. Yeah, exactly. Brutally. Yeah, bro, I used, but yeah, I was, I was a professor. I go, you know. Record was record episodes, go back and watch a movie and put it in slow motion to learn it and study it. Yeah, bro. Like it was. And that's all I did was, was whoop, bro. Like when I said that's all I did. That's all I did, bro. I tell you from morning, you know what I'm saying. Go to school. I would like fucking skipped like lunch to go like jump in like my homies PE class and then, you know what I'm saying? And then of course after like, man, it was just a it was my life, bro. Ball was life at the time. Like that's when ball was. Life was real. Like motherfuckers actually had to be good to get on. Ball is life nowadays, you know, you just got to pay, you know, somebody put you on there. That's crazy. Back then, that's when like, ball was actually. Like, that ball is not life at all. Right now bro, you had you had to be really good back in the day. That was like O.J. Mayo, you know, and O.J. Mayo, Brandon Jennings like them. Yeah, bro. Like those those high school, like high school tapes. Those motherfuckers were good, bro, you know? But, you know. Hey, man, the game changes, bro. And another. Life. Another day. I still played a lot of basketball as an adult, too. Yeah, it's fun bro. It's fun bro. Some of the best cardio you can to me. Oh, for sure, for sure. But some. Of the most fun I have all week to just. Have fun. Yeah, bro. I'm generally fun to. Compete and to lock in like I played such good defense as an adult. I'm just like pride myself. And I feel like I play better defense now than what I did when I was. Yeah, for sure. That's crazy. I didn't really know you just on a as a kid. I was so nervous of being embarrassed and I was kind of slow. I hadn't quite figured out the footwork. So you just like. It's a terrible experience. But now I know when I step up that, like, I'm going to play good defense. I'm not scared. One thing I learned is to attack on defense, to, like, step into their space until the attacking their dribble with my like, you know, coach Carter's like this dance where the passing lane the sense for the crossover. Yeah yeah yeah I. Never like use that hand for the crossover. But when I that that really changed defense for me. What put pressure on people bro. Like oh don't don't put the ball right there boy. Taking that shit right there. Yeah. And and rebounding too I love blocking out. Going to. Boxing out. Yeah. Then you know I it's stuff you appreciate as a kid. But now as an adult I'm like that's the fucking game is rebounding. I to use that shit actually now you got. A mental block other I. Have to block someone out. Yeah. Because you ain't in school. I mean I know I'm not as quick as I was when I was younger, so that's crazy. I as soon as someone shoots, I'm boxing out, bro. You ain't getting by that. You know. I do think I'm in the best shape of my life. Probably. If not, I could be in six months. And I'm like, right there, you know? Yeah. So I'm playing better basketball than I've ever played in my life, which also makes it enjoyable. You know, like the game is still opening up to me and I'm still finding new ways to use the same shit that I've been doing forever. Senior stuff. I don't know. It's a weird thing though, to be an adult that plays. I'm like on the LA Fitness All Pro team, you know, I like I got like honors for the LA Fitness League. But that's such a cliche. You know, they made fun of those guys on Twitter for a really long time. Hey well hey fitness guy, they got some ballers though. I'm one of them, you know. Now they get whoop whoop bro. So there's two different early fitness. There's like five or probably like eight. LA fitness is in San Antonio. That's crazy right? San Antonio is fucking huge. Huge on you is huge. It's it's so large. But it's also so small at the same time. Everybody fucking knows everybody, bro. Yeah. It's so weird, It's crazy. Sure. I mean, it's a lot bigger than Austin. Yeah. And it's way bigger. Way bigger. It's like pi almost double almost twice the size. But it's just so much. But it's just so different. It's just so which I like bro. You know I love that. So. Yeah man I'm simple though I'm sure I love pretty much anywhere I live. As long as it has a gym. Gym and some good restaurants. We'll go to the to the to Early Fitness. And one of them has like a game where there's high school kids that want to play in college, some kids that just went to college and they're like, you know, they're young. Yeah. And then there's a game where there's like 30 year olds, like 30, 30 year old show up for this game. And, it's Monday, Tuesday, Thursdays from 4 to 8 at this other LA fitness. And I once I found that gym, I was like, bro, is it this is it. Yeah. The days and the times. Yeah. Seriously? Yeah. It's like a Facebook group is it. They do, they do. I'm not invited to that. I wish I could now. But yeah, I've been. Going there for like 18 months. I've been playing with that group of people. You know that's. Cool though because now you know they mesh it and yeah. You know they have them up and stuff. Yeah. Last time there was one day like two months ago where I got a kite and then I went to go play basketball like afterwards. And I showed up and everybody's just like, what's up? My dog? Like everybody. I was like, okay, but they fucking know me. This is cool. Yeah. And I was like, wait a minute, yo. I'm like, oh, it's the dap. They're like, hey man, you want to run? I'm like, yes, this is time to wait for a game or nothing, bro. It's crazy. Saying, give us the cut. Of the cut because wonders dude, it's the doors open up. It's insane. But commercial. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now we got five. Like, get a haircut, go get a haircut. Come back like bro team captain. So let's just squad. I don't know what you. Yeah, that's a. That's a skit, bro. That's a good skit, bro. Can I know what? You don't get it, bro. Yeah, that's a good one. No, but it's real because it's like, you know, when you're new to a gym, sometimes it's hard to get picked up. And I'm like, good in basketball, but it's still hard on a brother. Okay? It's like when. It's like a mini combine. Yeah, exactly. Like when you're new to the gym. Like, you know how you warm it up shooting and shit. Yeah. You gotta make sure you're hitting rookies. What fuck is it looking, bro? Everybody's looking down cuz I know I like when I. See someone shooting on the other side I'll be, you know I'll be playing, but I'll be like kind of like, you know. Didn't make it, you know, he's. Pretty good. Right? Is it like. Two in a row already, you know. Yeah. You know, and if. My focus is breaking. Yeah. He'll look like he's too good. You know. I'm passing him the ball. You know what I'm saying? You go pick you, then. You ain't gonna get picked up. Oh, bro. For real. So I'm doing a little warm up shot. It's like a combine, you know, it's. Important. But you're all fucking pressured and shit. Dude, I walk in and I'm just fucking like. Do a big high knees jumping up, squat down. Just a leg sling. Yeah. They're like, we ain't picking this up. But it is. It's good. No sweat mode dude. I ball I ball off real. But I'll get some of the best thing that ever happened. Me was not getting picked because I come into the next game and I'm just like you. You are the person that you. Yeah, bro. Like, yo, you're not scoring anything, bro. Yeah, sorry about it. And then that's earned me respect for sure. In the long run. Was every time someone slighted me, I just shut them the fuck down. Got turned negative into some positive. Yeah. And now those people, they know two, they're like, hey, you better pick them dogs. Me a problem. Yeah yeah yeah. Yeah. Or like, are like of, the one thing was like with, you know, you get picked last. That's also like a good little motivator. You know, I'm saying you're like, all right, bitch, I'm about to break party this motherfucking. Yeah, yeah, I'm in the next game. Like. All right. Yeah, we got that guy. That's a steal. Yeah. So now that's cool, man. That's funny. Roads are like, the same similar kind of stories. Pick up basketball culture. Yeah. Oh it is. It is. I feel weird as an adult because it's like, you know what? What are we doing? You know what I'm saying? Like. Nah, fuck, that shit is serious business. Oh, there's the leagues. Well, yeah. Well, so many leagues it is. Oh, man, I think I need it as a person, man. We need a whoop one day, man. And dude. On. No need to do it, bro. Be awesome. Yeah, we'll find out the time. Maybe we can podcast and then whoop after the podcast or something. Something, bro. Something. Get some content of that. Where do. You go? You go to Gold's. You see I go to go to Gold's. And then, yesterday I went and played at, at a school out here in Buda, Johnson High. One of my friends had, he just started a coaching over there. So he gets the gym open, Sundays ten, 10 to 12. And, yeah, it's like dirty old go up there a couple, like a couple like mid 2020 year old cats go there too. But yeah, it was we played yesterday. I lost the first run and then the last four run we went, we won. So like there it was. It was a good day. I said hell. Yeah it's a good day. Bro. It's a good day bro. It's a good day bro. Honestly it changes your brain chemistry bro. If you win a bunch. Yeah well. Winner, Well. Most of you go out there and get your ass kicked. The four in a row, like, oh, I fucking sorry, bro. Why do I do this? My feet hurt, bro. What the fuck? I got blisters and shit. It's like a drug, but like downward, you know what I'm saying. Yeah. Fuck that. I hate that feeling bro. I don't know the start sitting start sitting the different spots. You to sit with this guy because they've been losing out. Dude I know it can't be too friendly. They picked you up. You weren't with us right. Dude I'll switch teams fast for if it's a faster game. It's like some duration. And, Yeah, man, we're three games out and then the guys like you want to run next with us. I'm like, signed, sealed, delivered. Can we play. Basketball? Then let's go see what else the South Beach. That's for you, bro. But it's real, though. Yeah, for a guy. I'm trying to play, bro. I'm just. Trying. Yeah, yeah. Wait an hour. You can say 40 minutes before you get on the beach. Yeah. No, I try to do abs and shit. If I'm sitting Geelong. And some. Planks, some crunches. I usually I'll shoot around, bro. If I'm not playing, I'm shooting. Dribbling. Just to keep myself, you know, warm and. In the rhythm. Yeah. And the rhythm, bro. Because then that's when I start to like get off a rhythm, you know. Yeah. Come on and hold em. Hold tight I got shit sat down for too long. Yo, sumbitch. Yo. You been in basketball since as a kid, but, And we are probably probably getting towards the end of our footage right about there. Yeah, we're about there. But one one last question for you. Basketball. You loved it as a kid. First passion, first love. Are still pursuing it, still finding, you know, something valuable as an adult. But is there something that you picked up as an adult that you find a lot of value in, that you didn't pick up as a kid? Something kind of. Reading. Really reading, bro? Yeah. And I know it's such a fundamental thing, you know, to most human beings, but I didn't really read like, growing up, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. And, but yeah, that's, that is definitely something that I picked up as an adult that, of course, has, you know, opened up my mind tremendously. Yeah. So, yeah. Reading, bro, give. Me like, do you have a top five books? Not as an entrepreneur, but just. As a person. Man, my my main book that I like to read a lot, and I like to read over and over because one, it's short, bro, but it holds so much value to me is called, the seven spiritual. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's the one where I read that I that's like four for a minute, bro. I was reading that bitch like fucking maybe six, seven, 5 or 6 days out the week, bro. You know, it's a short book. So what I'm saying. But it just has so much, so much value and so much, like, in, like, it's deep as deep, bro. You know, I'm saying. And, Yeah, bro, that's probably my favorite. That, that and, Rich dad, poor dad. Okay. Yeah yeah yeah. Yeah, man. What do you like about rich dad? Poor dad. So, That one, bro, I think as a business owner, you know, as an entrepreneur, it's just, it and and just finances as well. All that ties into that book, you know? So, I really like to read that one just because sometimes, like, I'll read it, I'll read that book one time and I'll miss something. So I read it the second time and I'll pick something else up on it. Yeah. You know, so I think it's just extremely valuable for cats like us, you know, I'm saying that are in that that are in that world, you know, that entrepreneur world, you know, hearing the stories of how he was when he was young, how, you know, he started, you know, with his own little business, him and his partner and, you know, his, his perspectives from his dad and his friends. His friends dad, you know, I think that's super dope, you know, you know, his dad is like, super, like, college and school oriented. And his friend's dad, who is, you know, dropped out, dropped out of fucking, I think middle school or some kind of shit like that. Who became, like, super successful, you know, entrepreneur or. Yeah, you know, finance, financially free. You know, it's cool to, to, you know, hear both spectrums from that guy from Robert, you know. Yeah, yeah. I never read that one, but I think I listen to it on audiobook. Okay. And it was super tight. Yeah, it's super tight. It's dope bro. So. Yeah. Have you, have you, have you read it? I've heard about it. People talk about it all the time. Haven't read it. Though. Read it bro. Yeah it's tight man I think that that's the that's the book that really got me into reading. That was that book, bro. I read it when I was like the first time I read it was, oh no, I think I was like 21, 26, 27. Yeah. Every time I'm reading, like a book and I'm into the book, I'm like, dude, why do I ever not read. Yeah. You know and then, but like right now I'm not currently reading anything and it's just like. And you know it happens bro. You know I'm saying like like when I was doing that 75 heart challenge, that's when I was really, really reading. So that's part of the challenge. Just part of the challenge. Yeah, yeah. You got to, you got to read ten pages of, of a book. You know, every day it has to be like, has to not has to be, a book of, something that's going to give you value. You can't be like, no, you know, comic nonfiction book or anything like, no, no Harry Potter book or some shit like that. Yeah, that. Is valuable shit in there. And I'm sure. There's is true. Some of it has to be a self-development. Yeah, yeah. I'm with you, bro. So yeah. No. That's cool. Me? Nah, I'm into that. Reading, reading, reading. I love to read before I go to bed. If I miss the best time instead of watching TV, if I just like shower, lay down with the book, and then I'm just going to read until I fall asleep. I sleep so much better. Yeah. That's crazy. Yeah. And, And I would kill books, bro. I read Tim Tebow's. I think he has two books. I think I read both of them in, like, less than a month just because I was like, you read ten pages and I'd be like, nah, we're like, still going, let me do another chapter or something. You know what I'm saying? Because I think that was one thing I said too, was like, just do ten pages a night just because I want to read, you know what I'm saying? And that's like a real easy way to make sure I do it almost like a workout. And it's never ten pages, bro. Yeah, it's always more. It's always more. Yeah, but even if it's just ten pages, bro, that's more than most people. Oh, I can just. Yeah, I have it over time too. Yeah, it's a lot. It adds up. It really. Does. It really does. But yeah. Oh yeah man there's a Chris. You going to plug where where where people can find you at man. Socials. This place anything. Everything. Well, we're downtown Kyle. Right. Right at old, old downtown Kyle. My Instagram is Chris Clipper is, that's my personal Instagram. Our barbershop Instagram is Gentleman's Grooming 101. And our website is Jen's groom one on 1.com. Yeah, man. I mean. What do you call in the description? What do you got going on in the next six months? Anything new and exciting? Man, just honestly, bro, I'm trying to, you know, put together, our own, fucking educational, system that I'm trying to put together here as far as, like a hair cutting system, to to help these, to help my barbers and help other barbers in the industry. I want to start, like, an online like an online course type deal. So I'm trying to work on that, bro. And then just just the, the brand, you know, we're doing our rebranding. You know, you're wearing our new logo and I haven't really like. Yeah, we haven't put it out there yet, but that's something that I'm working on. The podcast, you know, I want to start I definitely want to start our own podcast, for sure. Yeah. And just, just the content, man. You know, the skits, the educational skits, the funny skits, putting together a little mini mini documentary. You. I guess we want to call it, you know, of myself in the business, and I got a lot of shit I'm working on, bro. You know, for the next my life. Let's go. Baby, that's six months. You know, it's just my whole, you know, bro, it's. A it's. This is it, though, is all I know. You know what I'm saying? Like when people ask me, you know, when they ask me like, man, you know, what do you, what do you do or what what have you been doing? Like, hey, cutting hair is all I know, bro. Like, I've been doing that since I was 16 years old, you know? And, I mean, this is it, bro. Yeah. You've been doing it longer than even not doing it. Exactly, exactly. So. Yeah, man. Yeah. Got a lot of stuff. Yeah, a lot of got a lot of projects going. On, bro. I can't wait to see all. I love your posts. I love everything you do. I'm big fan, I appreciate it. Like you're destined for greatness. Dude. I appreciate you, bro. What? You. Hey y'all too man. Y'all too. Man, I think it's super dope. Which are doing. You know, I love seeing it. You know what I'm saying, bro? Try to support Charles as much as I can, you know? And, I'm glad that, you know, I'm able to be here on this podcast and, you know, it's, it's it's special. You know? It really is, bro. Thank you, bro. And I'm happy that I'm happy that we're able to, you know, be in each other's circles, man. Yeah. I love that shit. So. But I appreciate you. All right. And, ladies and gents, another episode 62. Tune in for more. Everything's coming up. More life, more love. Catch on the flip. Peace.