The Entrepreneurship & Innovation Studio

Got It All Insurance: Johnny Garcia's Entrepreneurial Journey

• Stanislaus State • Season 1 • Episode 5

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On this episode of E&I Studio, we welcome guest Johnny Garcia, a man who perfectly embodies the essence of entrepreneurship. Owner of Got IT All Insurance in Modesto and CEO of the Stanislaus Latino Chamber of Commerce, Garcia discusses the importance of striking a crucial balance between personal and professional life, placing equal precedence on both.

Listen as Garcia sheds light on his journey, stresses the importance of community engagement, and reveals the foundation for his continued success. 

Co-produced by the Warrior Entrepreneurship and Innovation program and the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing at Stanislaus State. The E&I Studio is edited and recorded in the KCSS studios on the campus of Stanislaus State.
The views expressed by guests on this podcast are not necessarily those of the University.

Welcome to the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Studio, where we explore the passion and the purpose behind some of the amazing people in our community and, above all, their stories. I'm Dr. Pablo Paredes Romero and all my career, I've been fascinated by entrepreneurship and innovation from the moment an idea scribbled on a napkin, drawn on a tablet whiteboard and spoken out loud in the shower or in the car on the way to someone's 9 to 5. It's all about the work and the art behind the venture. Johnny Garcia is the consummate servant leader. You see it in his humility, which he wears squarely on his sleeve and his clarity when he discusses his faith, family and entrepreneurship. It's a central programing. He's easy to engage in conversation and most of the time we spend together. I get the comforting feeling that all the things I say about Central Valley small business owners hold up collaboration and kindness for their conscience and community are there. What you see is definitely what you get, and you always know where you stand with Johnny. Welcome back to the podcast with our guest, Johnny Garcia, the CEO of the Stanislaus Latino Chamber of Commerce and CEO of Got It All insurance agency in Modesto, California. How are you doing, Johnny? I'm doing great. Happy Happy Friday. We're almost there now. Thank you for being here with us. I want to go to the subject of community. Tell me about the community in which you grew up. So growing up, I really didn't have a community, so I grew up without getting into the whole weeds and stuff. I moved around a lot when I was born. Born in Modesto, my father was in the military, my biological father. And I'll tell you why said that later. But he was in the army, so he got he got stationed Italy. So we actually moved and we moved to Italy for about four or five years. So then when I came back, we moved around a couple of different places because he was in the military and then came out. And then when my mom left him, I lived out up in Sonora and then I was up there and then moved over here when I was about fourth, fifth grade and moved around a few different times. And so never really had one area that I could call that was a community. Probably the first time that I think that I had somewhat of community was in high school, I guess never really had a community besides know, my mom and in some family and and some friends that that are where like family that's amazing. So. Italy. To Sonora. Yeah. Do you remember that transition? It's kind of funny because, like I said, I was there when I was born until I was about five years old. And I would tell my mom a couple of stories. And to me, it seemed like a dream, you know, different things over there. And she's like, You remember? Like, I can't believe you remember that. So I remember bits and parts. And then obviously when I moved back over here, I remember some of the stuff that that my dad used to do, my, my biological father. And so, so I do remember, you know, a lot of the moving around and different things. So unfortunate. A lot of times you remember more of the bad than the good. So yeah, give me that one. Yeah. What about that place? Whichever community what about that place made you who and what you are today? So it helped me to be who I am today. Because now I have taken that having really a community, you know, had my mom and, you know, some family, my stepdad, but not really having a community that to grow up around and maybe not a healthy community to and make it a point now with our business with the chamber to build that community. And so I guess not having that really community and that DNA and to building it for our future, for my kids, for, you know, any future leaders. When you think of the word community, maybe even in the context of the chamber, what does it come to mean to you in your life now? So community is is if you think about it, most people think community. It's where you live and who are your friends that you grew up with. So that's kind of a community to me. It's the people you do life with, the area you do life in. And so community has become to be with again through the chamber and all the relationships, just a lot of different leaders in our community that are like minded, that want the best for our area. So that's really, to me what community is in my community, my circle of trust or community is, is people coming together and wanting to make things better and not for selfish reasons. How is the business community involved here in the Central Valley? So I moved away after high school and went to Fresno State in, graduate over there and then moved back and forth a couple different times and been back here. Maybe I would say probably about 15 years now. So growing up, I never was around the business community, so I didn't really know anybody that owned a business. It was, you know, go to school, get a job, work for some money and retire. And so business community was not the normal to me. It was something I didn't know about. It was something that I didn't even know that I would be able to do. I was thinking about these big box stores and all these people that had money to open all these businesses, so didn't really have that that sense of what it was. But I do know when I started getting into it in 2011, when I opened up my own insurance office. Since then, it's changed. I feel that there's more diversity and I like to believe that that our chamber is part of that change as well to letting people know that there is an option. There's a lot of resources. And so I tell people all the time the difference between, let's just say and ethnicity has been here for multiple generations as opposed to the Latino generation. A lot of us have only been here for one or two generations. So we don't have that wealth of knowledge to pass down and have that business knowledge or community. So I think that's growing a lot now. We're building to share that with our future. And so that business community is is turning to not just diverse, but wanting to help others and collaborate instead of being siloed. And it's we're both in, say, the insurance industry were enemies or were rivals or, you know, competition. It's not like that. I think that's changing a lot now. I see that led to working with people in the community. I tell my students and other people and it's amazing the level of support that the business community offers itself. So through COVID, just a lot of support where you would think they be natural competitors and that would be the end of it. Where do you see it all going in terms of the business community here? Well, I think that's just can continue to grow, especially with organizations like our chamber and other organizations that we're collaborating with, working together is continuing to grow that and build that diversity and sharing that information and just continue to grow stronger in all cultures, not just one in particular. Because one thing about, I think our Central Valley and even Stanislaus County, there's so many different cultures here. I'd like to think that it's just going to continue to grow. Take me through the process of starting your business here in the Central Valley. Take me through the thoughts and the emotions you felt. How much time do we have? Whatever time you need. So again, like I was saying earlier, growing up didn't have that. I can remember anybody that I knew that really owned a business was successful with it. So as I was going through college and didn't know what I wanted to do, changed my mind a couple of times in college, graduated and got my VA and liberal studies because I was then go back and get a master's and because I want to be a social worker. Because one thing I found I loved helping out and giving back to the community. And so when me and my wife were first together, we had talked and we thought about, Hey, maybe one day we open up our own business and we had no idea what it was, what we were going to do. We just we had talked about it and probably doesn't help that I don't like being told what to do. So and the other part is it always be frustrating because, you know, in most jobs I was always the youngest one and I would, you know, move up a lot in the ranks just because I worked hard. You know, Listen, I like to think now that I was, you know, a good leader. And so I just knew I wanted to go in business, had no idea what I wanted to do. And I fell into insurance. I was actually here in Turlock. I was working for a car rental company that this guy opened up and he wanted my help because I helped run the Hertz rent a car down in Fresno when I was in college. And so he brought me on. So I was out doing marketing, and this guy had one of the insurance places, you know, kept trying to recruit me. And I said, No, no. So far I met his his boss. And then, you know, I told him that we're moving down to Fresno and he's like, Perfect. That's my that's my place, my area. I was like, Oh, okay, well, let me talk to my wife. So we talked and like, you know, was let's try it. So I went, got my insurance license and then fell into the insurance and years later had the opportunity to open up a farmers insurance office. So there was an agent that kept trying to get me to do it for a couple of years. And I was like, No, no, no, no. But things are changed. You know, I don't pray about everything. And there was just writing on the wall that it was time to to move on. And there was this opportunity and I was in insurance. And anytime you weren't in office, you were losing out on money. And I'm like, this is not okay because I love being involved with my kids. I coach other sports. I was involved in the president of the parent teacher club, you know, So I figured, hey, this is a great opportunity. Might as well. I'm working hard for these these other people for insurance and I'm making them a lot of money. Why would I not do this on my own? So open up that office. Had that for, you know, four years, five years again. So right in the wall, you know, a couple of years into it. And then planned my exit and then continued from there and went on and opened up my own insurance brokerage. So there was a lot of emotions. Most of it was not knowing what the heck I was doing and because I had nobody to show me what you need to do, I had to learn on my own or I would go and ask questions. People that have been doing it longer than me. So there was a lot of stressful nights, a lot of worrying because I had to make the leap and I was commission only and we relied on my my wife's income at that time. She had kind of a steady job, but it wasn't like a big moneymaker. And we had two kids. And so a lot of emotions, scary, nervous, excited. But the nerves, nervousness was different because if I was going to make it was me going to be because of me, not because of somebody else. And so I think that, you know, helped out. It's always been a good a good nerves or good stress because I knew it was for, you know, right reasons and it was allowing me to be there for my kids and in, you know, continue to grow and have, you know, some kind of legacy that I never knew. The short version. And the powerful version. Given all those emotions, given your story, given your journey, what would you say is the single most important thing that you could tell the new business owner in the Central Valley about the Central Valley? There are a lot of resources is out there that most people do not know about, and I would say take advantage of that, take advantage of those those opportunities, those resources, those connections and get involved in the community. There's just there's so much out there that most of us do not know about. Want to talk about learning And what would you say has been the most powerful learning experience and your most powerful learning experience as a small business owner and community leader? Well, the main one that that I tell people all the time is my faith in God turning towards him. If it wasn't for that, I would probably be crazy right now. So I think, you know, just leaning on my faith was is one of the biggest things. But as far as the business aspect, part of it would be to do your research to to make sure you really look into what you're what your what you're doing, what you're getting yourself into. And we preach this all the time, you know, take advantage of the resources, do your research, see what's out, and see who your competition is, even though they're not your competition, But see who's out there, what they're doing, what works, you know, ask questions, but really do research to learn. What is the lifelong learning mean to you? I think it says it right there. Lifelong learning. You're always learning. There's always something new. You're always going to be learning until the day you die. The day that you stop learning something is the day you die. Every day, You know, it doesn't matter how old you are, you're still going to be learning something new, a new technology that comes out, you know, something new in your business, especially if you want to thrive as a business owner, you need to be a lifelong learner and figure out and see what's what's out there, what's coming along the horizon. And, you know, got to be flexible in in just continuing to learn life lifelong. Who or what has been your greatest teacher? The Bible and God. That's been my biggest teacher. I've had you know my mom growing up when I was younger, never, you know, really had any anybody else that I really looked up to or that really, really showed me. I think. Well, let me let me backtrack, because growing up, we always have people that are appropriate to us teachers, but nobody that really stood out to me, that took me under their wing was kind of not on my own because we don't do anything on our own. But I think the biggest thing is, is was God and just trusting him. He was my biggest teachers to be patient, you know, to be clean, make sure you do things the right way. You know, everything will fall into place one way or another. If you wanted to be a teacher, what would you want to teach? I don't know if you want me to be a teacher. If if I was to be a teacher, I think that a class that would be like a business, one on one or like a like one on one. Because I believe that there's a lot of stuff that we don't get taught in school, you know, just the basic things. And that's some of the stuff that we're trying to do through our chamber, like financial literacy, you know, how do you balance a checkbook or, you know, how do you use credit cards correctly? All these different things that they don't teach in school that they're hopefully, from what I hear, I'm going to start teaching some of that stuff. But just a basic one on one, you know how to add to of life, really. So and you know learn from the mistakes that that that Johnny me. I want to talk a little bit about research now we touched upon it a little bit earlier. What role do you believe research plays in the everyday life or in your everyday life as a CEO? It's a big part of it. You have to like I was saying earlier about, you know, business owners, you got to do your research when you first get into business. It's the same when it has been as the CEO. You have to be do research in your community. What leaders are out there, what organizations are out there. So that way you're not, you know, inventing and reinventing the wheel. And that way you're not trying to bring something on that someone else is doing, that you can come alongside and work with them and do it good together. So it plays a huge role, you know, research and what board members to bring on, you know, what members that you want, what kind of trainings are good for a community. And research is also listening, is listening to, you know, the people around you, and that's doing your research because, I mean, you only know what you know. And so reaching out and that's doing research as well, looking into the community, what do we need? What does our community because what's good for Modesto may not be good for Turlock. You know what's good for Turlock? They may not need out in Patterson. What role do you believe research should play for a nonprofit? The same. It's one of the biggest things. You know, it's it's a huge role. And I believe to be successful, you have to be able to do that naturally. I'm not a big research person. I like to ask questions, but I don't like to research, like open up a book and read that that's not me. But there's different types of research. I love talking to people and asking questions, you know, how did that work? Why did that not work? You know? And so it's it's a big role. I believe, to be successful, you have to to embrace that, that you need to do research. And, you know, so that we you're successful in you help out your the organization in your community. What do you find yourself enjoying research like there's there anything like you geek out on you know researching oh. I don't have time I guess I wish I had the time to, to really indulge in something in particular. But I, I guess I would say it's, it's not that I geek out, but I enjoy learning new things and that's going on on the computer so I can share with other people and share with my kids and with my wife, with our chamber members, my clients. And so I enjoy finding out new things that are going on in our community that I never knew. I guess for me that would be, you know, just seeing all the things that are available out out here that most people don't know. So is it like you find something out and think, Oh wow, I wonder who knows about this or who doesn't know about it? Exactly. And that's why I talk to people when I'm talking about the chamber. It's like we are a resource hub for business owners, community members that are so busy working in life or in their business and not working on it. And that's our goal because there's so much stuff out there. So, you know, like to learn any stuff and share it. So what would you say is the secretly cool is part of what you do secretly? Coolest part of what I do, there's a lot, but a couple of things. And one of the main things is I get to do this with my business and the chamber with my wife. People that know us know that we're always together, doing stuff, all the time. And people say, Well, how can you work with your wife and do life, you know, with their wife all the time? I'm like, I married her because I love her and I want to be around her. And why would I marry her for, you know, So that's one of the biggest things I secretly believe that so cool. And then I get to do it with my my family, too, you know, my kids that those that have been around our business and the chamber have everybody has met our kids one point another because they get they come out and help out and and serve and volunteer and just all the cool people I get to meet in all the tables I that I get to be. I'm so humbled on time like to be in here, right here doing this. You know I think this is so cool. Yesterday I was in a panel of interviewing for one of the new two captains in Modesto Police Department. So I got there was two of us for the community, and I was one of the people that got to be on this panel that helped decide who one of the new captains are going to be underneath the chief of police. So that's that's amazing. It's humbling. So that's that's a great way for talk about innovation. What does the word innovation mean to you? So let me backtrack real quick, because just with our previous question about the coolest part and why it's so cool to work with, my wife also kind of touched on it earlier and and on the squirrel right now. But so we got together. We dated for a long time when I was in Fresno, amongst long distance relationships. She lived over in Modesto. Then she eventually moved over with me. We got divorced, we got separated and we got divorced when our daughter was less than one years old. And so we were separated for about four or five years. And it was not a good divorce at all. We talked bad about each other. It was just it was just a really it was a toxic divorce that we didn't talk to each other, you know, that was out bad. I would have dreams about waking up, you know, I'd be dreaming and that we were back together with our kids and they were in the living room. And then I would wake up and I would just start crying because I'm like and I go, Well, what happened? You know, I'm going to go back to that dream. And we actually were both living with somebody where the person wanted to get married with us. You know, obviously not together, but and stuff. But and the we we both within a week of each other, we left that person in not knowing cause we didn't talk to each other. And then it just happened, you know, that we started talking again and then we started dating and we're like, you know, hiding around like high schoolers, you know? So our kids didn't know and our families didn't know because we didn't know where I was going to go. But then we got back together and, you know, we got remarried and start following God. And that's what saved us. But that's why he's so cool. I think that I get to spend time with her because there's a lot of lost time when we were separated for those, you know, four or five years. And even the time we were together before, it was toxic because of the way I, you know, I grew up and I didn't really know what a healthy relationship should look like for the most part. So, so sorry. I wanted to go back on that question because that's wise, you know, I think it's so cool because, you know, I get to share that time now in and with somebody so special, like when why so many people that know her know how awesome she is, You know, she's she's a great woman. So it's amazing story then. So yeah, back to innovation. So what does the word innovation mean to me? It could be a couple of different things, but innovation, when I think of that, is as making something better than what it is, making something easier to use. Being able to share it out there with people in a way that normally wouldn't be shared out there. What do you think that innovation should mean to us here in the Central Valley? Be open ideas. We need to embrace the different ideas that people have, the different views. I think that's what helps us grow as a culture society, is to know that certain people in certain areas, like for me, in in my business, in the chamber, I may be leading them, but I don't know all the answers. But opening my ears and listening to the people around me that are smarter than me, like people like yourself, you know, are smarter. I mean, certain things that that I'm not incorrect. So do be innovators, you know, in our community should be just to listen and and to just really, you know, embrace these different ideas and embrace change. Their ideas and their innovations. Take me back to a moment when you were part of an innovation, when you knew that you were doing something different before most people did. I like to think in our community that I played a vital role in bringing different organizations together and collaborating, bringing, you know, the different chambers together, different nonprofit together, which allowed them to work together. But I think I like to think that I started having a part of that through the chamber and being able to to bring people together in and to collaborate more than just being siloed in their own areas. And well, this is my town, my chamber, you know, And it's not it's, you know, working together, you know, coming together. And so I like to think that that that it had some kind of part of that. Obviously, it wasn't just all me, by all means. I'm not that smart of a person, so to come up with stuff. But yeah. What would you feel or how do you feel that you've been innovative, edgier and in the chamber? So yeah, so Jiya, which is Gaea, which is got an insurance agency, so which is our business and that's al-Sisi is our stance on Latino chairman Congress which I'm the CEO and president of. So with with Jay I think one of the things that I started doing before COVID was I was really flexible for for our clients. I was already doing a lot of stuff by phone, by text messages, by emails, and then COVID hit. And obviously everybody went to, you know, remotely and all the different things like that. So so I like to think with with the game, you know, and that was part of it. And also just bringing those resources and being a hub to all of our clients. So when people come in our office, you know, I have people that have been following me for years doing insurance, you know, since I've been doing it. And I like to think that, you know, when people come into our office, they become family members and they can get all kinds of resources. I get people that call me that have nothing to do with insurance. So many different times, like, Hey, I need a plumber, hey, I need help with my A.D.D., you know, do you know somebody? And so we like to share that stuff with with our with our insurance clients. And I like to you know, now there's a lot of insurance companies out there, brokers that do a great job taking care of the clients. But I think that, you know, we're one of the few that go this extra mile and extra steps to to offer these different things. Sometimes we're counselor, we have, you know, some of our clients will sit there and talk to us for like an hour and open up about stuff that they've never opened up to anybody about. So as far as the chamber, like I said, I think it just has to do with being able to bring people together and being innovative. How how can you sit in a room of people that have different views and be like a mediator or a middle person that can kind of bring these different people together and, you know, I'd like to think through the chamber that, you know, I've been able to help contribute to that along with all kinds of things. But I think that's one of the main things that stands out to me. How do you manage as many projects as you do? How do you do it? Not very well. It's funny because people ask all the time, you know, when do you guys sleep? And, you know, I tell people I sleep when I die, you know, But it's really, you know, by the grace of God, you know, give me the energy, you know, hard work, dedication, you know, you know, I learned, you know, my mom did. She taught me, you know, hard work and dedication and even my my, my dad's team and just having a strong, strong team around me, you know, in how, like I said earlier, having smarter people around me than myself. And and I think that that's how I manage a lot of these different projects. But one of the biggest things is, is doing life with my wife because if she wasn't out there doing all this stuff with me, I probably would not be able to do the stuff I'm doing because then I would have been neglecting my wife, and my wife comes first and so I would make sure that I, you know, even before I got super involved and I had my own business, people would tell me, You're going to have to sacrifice your family and time, your time with your wife. And I was like, No, I'm going to do business for myself so I can be there for all my for my kids events. I didn't miss any school events, coach all their sports, you know, with, you know, my wife. We always make sure we spend time together. So I think if that's probably one of the biggest things is being able to do life with her, you know, with our business, with the chamber. And at first she didn't believe in the chamber. She would tell me, why are you going out to these different events? You know, she would tell you that I was wasting my time, but she started seeing the fruits of it and like we were out helping. And so I think that's one of the biggest things is just being able to do life with her and do these different projects and in the support of her and my kids, because my kids have been been and are still, you know, biggest supporters as well, too. They've always backed up my crazy ideas all the time. I have a lot of crazy ideas, you know, so. You can count on this. Talk about application in in business education. What do you think the word application should mean in the context of a business education. Learning what you learn and putting it into practice and applying it to to the real world. A lot of times we we learn stuff in school and we don't have the opportunity to put into practice. You don't use it, you lose it. Same thing happens, you know, when when you're in school. So let's say business majors and they are learning all these different things, entrepreneurship, but yet they're not out there volunteering or they're not, you know, do internships or, you know, being out in the community and putting that stuff into practice. I think that's one of the things that hurts, hurts them because then when you graduate and then you go to, you know, look for something, you don't have that experience. And if you you apply that while you're going to school, you know, then you will not only will you keep that stuff, you know, forefront, but also too, you'll get that experience. And so when you go to look for a job, you'll have these different experiences that most people don't have. So I'll give an example. So my son, he is a Navy Reserve and he's on a deployment right now and when he was getting ready to deploy. And so thank you all you that's out there that I serve our community. I appreciate that. So he called me. He called me one day or texted me one day. He was getting ready to deploy and they asked some questions. And one of the questions was like, list out some of the things that you've done in the community. And so I started sending him a text of all the different things that he's been doing since he was younger, because we've always got our kids involved in stuff, and so it helped him use that experience, you know, that we would teach them in, in applying it, you know, and now he's able to apply it to what he's doing now, like the work says application applying, you know, putting work into it. Sent unto that you were just you alluded to taking from your experiences and then the application component. Tell me about a time when it all came together for you, when you applied things from all the different career experiences that you had to make your career what it is today? It's not altogether, and I don't think anything will ever be altogether. And if people say that and they're lying to themselves because nothing is ever together, there's always brokenness, there's always problems, there's always stuff that, you know, that new things that come along the way. But I think that the way more of my life is right now and with our insurance agency and with the chamber, I think those are testaments of of everything that has that I've learned throughout the years since I was young in, you know, applying all that and seeing that, you know, everything's coming together and all this stuff that I learned all these different jobs through college and high school that, you know, I couldn't stand the jobs, but I did them and I knew was going to teach me stuff. And everything taught me and I was able to use all that and all the experiences, good and bad, to be able to bring that to our insurance office, you know, and be able to pass it on to our kids and future generations. But being able to take all that and apply that to the chamber as well, too. And I think that I like to think that a little bit of why our chamber so successful is because I'm able to apply, you know, real world experiences to that and build to relate into to other business owners and community members. What do you wish to learn one day and apply? So that's a good question. When I was thinking about that, when I was like, I'm not sure. I really don't know. There's so much stuff that I want, you know, learn and, and apply. But my wife had said secret sauce to immediate success and I was like, yes, if, if I could learn that. And then she said to the others, we would all be successful, you know. So but it's kind of funny because it's if you know, if you, you know, read the Bible, it tells you a lot of the answers right there for you, you know. But so I guess the secret sauce, immediate success. I went on the trip. You know, a lot of people signed up for their classes. Yeah. What would our students do you think? What would they be? How would they be best served to know about applying what they learn here with us? It stands. For one. The biggest thing would be hopefully they learn that the fortunes and the follow up you need to follow up on job interviews. You need to follow up on classes that you may be falling behind. You need to follow up with connections that you've made. It's just really the fortunes and the follow up. And whatever you do, you can't just do something like, say, plant a seed and then walk away and just hope that it grows. You got to follow up, you know, you got to come back to that plant. You got to give it water, food. It's just like relationships, you know, You got to build those relationships over time. You got to follow up. You can't just expect that, hey, you know, I met Pablo today and our best, best friends and, you know, and he's going to, you know, be a sponsor at one of our events. You know, he's going to donate money to our scholarship foundation. You got to you have to follow up. Who is Johnny Garcia? I would say a broken work in progress. Is this who Johnny is? So and I don't mean broken that like, Oh, broken word. I don't know. I don't work or I don't, you know, I can't do anything. What I mean is, like I told you earlier, there's always something to be done and there's always work that needs to be done. So I think who Johnny is is somebody that's a work in progress, obviously, you know, family man, my wife, my kids come first. You know, I'm a business leader, community leader, you know, So that's I love Johnny, loves giving back and sharing knowledge and wealth because I want the future generations, all generations, all ethnicities to be able to prosper. Because in our community, if all of everybody prospers, then their community prospers, the economy prospers. So I guess that's who Johnny is in a nutshell. Is their strength at the places in which we break, do you think? Oh, absolutely. Where you know, our weakest point, you know, could be the strongest point, especially for that. I want to go back to younger Johnny. What was he like? I don't know if you want to know younger Johnny. No, it is funny because I tell people stories when you know about how I was, especially when me and my wife were first together and people were like you. No way. That's not that's not you, you know? So the younger Johnny was didn't care what people thought, you know, I wasn't rude or disrespectful to people, but I really just, you know, kind of did my own thing. I didn't run with any one crowd. I was friends with everybody. And it's kind of funny. And I look back, that's kind of how I do life right now. Like at high school, I was friends with the thugs, I was friends with the jocks, with Asians. You know, Latinos. So the younger Johnny was is kind of the same as now Johnny, but a better version because there's a lot of stuff that I would I was doing back then that, you know, I wish I didn't do. And I teach my kids. I my kids know the stuff that I've done. You know, my daughter knows the kind of guy I was, you know, and my son, those kind of guy was. And that, you know, I never want him to be that type of guy and my daughter to be with that type of guy like that. There are way better off than I was at that age. So where did he himself like where did he see himself now then? I was always a hard worker. I started working when I was a junior in high school and I've always worked since then. I mean, even before then, I actually, you know, would do yards when I was younger and I would I would make money. So I would, you know, go to the neighbor's house or, you know, to, you know, down the street or to my grandpa's house. And so I was always I was always working, you know, my my dad's he had taught me hard work, you know, as well my mom and and him and so I was always a hard worker. So I knew that that I was I wanted to do something that that made a difference. I wanted to be in a position to where I can help others because of the stuff that I went through, like with my real father growing up. The reason why my mom left him was you just would sleep around my mom, he was an alcoholic, used to you know, beat my mom up. I remember I have a vivid memory of him chasing my mom up the stairs and her going into the closet and then me going and trying to help him and trying to protect her. And then him hitting me, you know, So I have these vivid memories of that. And so I think that I knew that I wanted to do something to make a change and be a difference, you know, and help others that maybe don't didn't have somebody, you know, in their life. And that starts with our youth. And I know I always wanted to work with the youth. And it's kind of funny cause I was going to school, I was going to go back and get my masters to be a social workers like, you know, work in a group home to be a social worker in a group home, but be a social worker. And I basically fell into insurance, kind of stay there, have my my, my son, my daughter didn't go back, get my master's, but I always since I was younger, too, like in college, I was a mentor, you know, at different high schools for kids that were on the verge of dropping out or getting in trouble. Well, so the Johnny then I didn't know I didn't know what I wanted to do. I never was never one of those guys. And I still don't know what I want to do, but I never knew what I wanted to do. I didn't think, Oh, I want to be a police officer, I want to be a doctor, I want to be. I had no idea what I wanted to do. I just know there was something planned for me. I didn't know what. And even to this day, you know, I still don't know what I'm going to do when I grow up. Is it is it comforting to to think about it as an unfolding process of discovery or journey for you? Oh, yeah, absolutely. Like I said earlier, you know, you're always learning. It's a process. It's something like you said, unfolding. There's always something new. I always tell my kids my life, you know, I don't know if we're going to have an insurance business in the next five, ten years. What I like to I absolutely. But it's I don't know what's what's in plan, what's in store? Am I going to be the CEO of this chamber the next five, ten years? I don't know. I mean, do I plan on it? Yes, because I love I love doing that. That's my passion. But I don't know, because there's always new things unfolding all the time. Who were younger, Johnny's earliest allies. And it could be anybody. And his supporters, teachers, employees, mentors. Again, there was really nobody that stood out to me when I was younger besides my mom and I looked up to my mom because she, you know, made the change in our lives by leaving my real father. And that was to to better her life. You know, she went back to school. You know, she was driving from snorts in Modesto to go to J.C. to make a difference. We were on welfare. We lived in a one bedroom apartment. There was like five or six of us there. And so I think she was blessed. Growing up was always an ally of mine. She would, you know, you know, teach me that if you want to make a change, you know, you got to do something. And so really, I think, you know, then I can think back. She's probably one of one of the biggest allies that I had or, you know, even cheerleaders at that time never really had any. I mean, I had friends and stuff and still a couple that, you know, that I still talk to, you know, you know, nowadays and but never really somebody, you know, that stood like a teacher that was really, you know, there for me or a counselor or, you know, a coach or a really, really, you know, or any family member. So then I can remember that. I mean, doesn't mean that wasn't there wasn't at that point. But as you know from my memory. What would Johnny now say to start a conversation with Johnny then? I don't know. I probably be weirded out with Johnny now. Went and talked to the other one and be like, Oh, that's the future is true. It's kind of cool to contemplate what you think about. Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of stuff I would tell myself, you know, obviously to give advice like. What. The biggest thing and, you know, I'm not trying to preach anybody but would be to open up the Bible and follow God a lot sooner, you know, and to just know that everything's going to be okay. Everything's going to work out the way it's supposed to work out in the way you're going to right now. It's only a short term. What you're going through right now is not going to be what you're going through tomorrow. We all have ups and downs. And, you know, I was I'm not the only person that's going through certain things because a lot of times we think and when, especially when we're younger, that we're the only one going through this situation, that we're we're so alone. But we're not alone, you know, we there's so many people out there that are going through, you know, similar situations. And I think that's the issues that we have sometimes with our youth. They think that they're alone, that there's no one else out there for them. So just let him know that, hey, everything's okay, everything's going to work out. And, you know, just just keep working hard in it. Make sure you you learn. I wish I would have learned a lot more when I was younger, though. It's almost like parallel lives, like this whole, you know, kind of looking at this whole, if you can call it an exercise like yourself and some time ago as yourself. Now it's almost like parallel lives. But there's a point of commonality from where at all, you know, came from. And then there's obviously a point of divergence, Right. Who or what would you say altered the course of your life? And I keep going back to that. When me and my wife got back together, we actually were going to a year after we got married again for the third time. So that's kind of funny. We got married three times. We got married through the court when, you know, when before our son was born. And then after our son was born, then we got married through church and then we got divorced. And that goes on, you guys. And then we got remarried again. And when we got remarried, it was just my wife and my son and my daughter. Super small thing, just as we're like, you know, didn't tell anybody. We just went down to a local chapel and got married. But a year later we were going to get divorced because we were going back down the same path or going down the, you know, getting into those same habits again that we were, you know, before. And so I stopped one day, you know, and start praying and started opening the Bible and reading and and I think, you know, I know that it was it was our God that saved, saved, saved our marriage. And at that point, that's where I really believed that was a pivoting point. And so now I try to teach that, you know, to my kids, you know, to anybody I come across and I don't ever preach to anybody at all. But when people ask me, what was it, you know, I'm I don't lie. I tell them this is exactly what it was, you know. Adversity being on the ropes. It's all part of the story. And take me back to the first moment you realize that you may not be able to deal with this particular challenge, whatever that challenge was like. Describe the scene, the what, the why, the how. You know, it's funny because I look back and I think about that, and I don't believe that there was any particular time that I sat back and I was like, I cannot do this. Don't get me wrong, there's times I'll sit there, say, What the heck, You know, how how you know, how am I going to do this? But I've never and it's never been a point to where, like, you cannot do this. It's always been, okay, let's figure out how are you going to get this done? Because use in there crying or complaining about it, it's not going to do anything. You've got to you know, you got to do something about it. It's like the, you know, the definition insanity. Doing something over and over again, expecting a different result. Now you got to do something. And I was tell people the difference between somebody who succeeds and somebody who fails is the person who succeeds has a higher tolerance for failure, and you only fail if you give up. And so I when I look back and I think I don't think there was ever a point that I'm like it was something was so diverse that I couldn't, you know, I had in my head that I couldn't take care of it because I had in my mind that I'm not going to let anybody stop me or anything, stop me. I'm going to figure figure a way out, you know, so. So, so never, ever did you think, I'm going to throw in the towel? This is No. So that's a different story. Okay. So and it wasn't because think nothing about it because of diversity. I wasn't going to be able to do it or it. There's plenty of times that I, you know, want to throw in the towel with marriage, with, you know, being a dad, with going to school, running your own business, running the chamber, you know, knowing that that always comes across my mind all the time. I was telling my wife, I have no idea how I'm running a chamber, how my CEO, when I see other CEOs, I'm like, my brain is not as good as their brains, but I am made a certain way and I have my own, my own strengths, you know? And so but I'm also human. And so I there's plenty of times that I feel like throwing in the towel or thinking, no, come across my mind. You know, I just I just want to run to I just want to give up. I just want to go work for somebody. I don't want to run the organization or I don't want to be going to all these different events, different trainings, because that's just, you know, the enemy talking, you know, And so plenty of times. But I think those are two different, two different things to me anyways, throwing in the towel and, you know, feeling like there's something that, that can hold me back to make something happen because of diversity. So I remember when I worked in Human Resources, in the corporate side, you have employees that they needed a little more training. They needed, you know, different conditions for what they were doing to bring out the best in them. And I always tell people when you'd hire what would perceivable, be less, be a less talented. You say, never underestimate the Rocky Balboa principle. Yeah. Never underestimate the underdog in skill versus well, I'll take well every time. What do you think about skill versus. Well absolutely. I always tell people like when we're hiring people, I, I can teach skills, I can teach how to a network. I can teach how to sell insurance policy. You know, there's all these different things that can teach where you can't teach that will power. You know, you can't teach that heart. It's almost something that that has to be ingrained in when they're young or part of, you know, somebody's DNA. So absolutely. You know, because if somebody has the willpower or, you know, the the the the hard work, you know, ethic or and I don't mean just like, you know, picking up a shovel hard work. I mean, hard work, like it's going to be long hours or we got to go through this this event, get this done in order to, you know, create all these scholarships, you know? So. Yeah, a lot of fighters in this community. Absolutely. Absolutely. I think that and and this is because when I you know, so we're part of the California bank Schumer Congress and I hear, you know, we go to these different conventions and I meet people from up and down the state of California, you know, from other states. I believe that. And I see things in the news and stuff. I believe that our community sense of community has probably one of the the communities around. We have so many organizations that want to, you know, collaborate, work together that that aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves and do some hard work, you know, And they do because they want to do it to help, not because they're trying to have somebody to their own horn or they're not doing it for selfish reasons. They're doing it, you know, to be selfless. So absolutely. I think we want to we have one of the best, you know, communities, you know, hands down from community leaders to schools, you know, to our law enforcement. And there's just so much good, you know, unfortunately in the media, sometimes the all the negativity gets pushed out there more. And there's way, more, way more good stuff than than bad. What role has family played throughout your journey? How did it evolve? The family has always been a big part, and that's a big part for everybody, and it doesn't make a difference if you've had a family or not a family, because not having a family will make a big difference in your life as well too. And how you see things, how you, you know, grow. The family has always been a big part one way or another, and especially now because I believe that I wouldn't be able to do the stuff that I do without having my life, my wife and my kids there in my corner. It's the biggest thing I always tell people that, you know, business owners, you know, dads, I always tell them, make sure you spend as much time as you can with your kids when they're kids, specially because they're only be kids for 18 years and they're going to be adults risk life. So you got to make sure you take that time when they're younger, you know, and spend that time. So family is a big role, you know, I tell people all the time, you got to, you know, make sure that you have that time for the family, because then what are you doing that for? We're supposed to be doing it for future generations and especially our family, future generations. So book her film that changed your life. You know, I love movies, but there's never been a movie because to me it's not real. And I've never been to star struck person to wear like, Oh, that star or this singer or But the one book that has changed my life. And like I said before, and not to sound like a broken record, but the Bible, that's the biggest book that has helped change my life. And that's from my experience. You know, I you know, I'm obviously I'm not preaching anybody or because everybody's different But for me. Song you've heard that made you say, That's me, that's that's my life. There's a lot of songs but to the two of the biggest songs that really stands out to me let's say three. So two of them, One of them is a song by Big Daddy. We've called I Am Redeemed because I am not who I was before, and none of us are the same person we were yesterday. And that's okay because we're supposed to continue to grow and build and learn. And it's okay that we're not who we were before and I am not who I want to be, but I am who I am today. And so then another one is called Journey by Lecrae, and it's a talks about basically the journey of where you came from and where you're going. It's all a journey. Everything's a journey in life, you know, even the rough patches. It's okay cause that's not going to last, but you will take it. What you learned from that, that experience that tough experience, and it will help you to be stronger. It's like iron sharpens iron when they're, you know, creating, you know, a sword. They hammer it and they heated up, cool it down, hammer it, you know, So it's like a process. So those two are probably the biggest ones I love. And I hear, you know, I'm like, yes, but another one is it's so obviously to buy Malo Malo because that's, you know, my my song and my wife's song. And it just speaks to, you know, when I look at her, you know, Melinda, you know, my beautiful wife and not just her looks, but her brain, her personality, you know, her strength, you know, So. So yeah, from the songs, there's a lot of the songs that I'm like, Oh, I like that. Yeah. Yeah. Great selections. Yeah. What role did Spousal Support did your wife's support play throughout your journey? And how does it continue to evolve? Spousal support or abuse and just kidding. Okay. My wife does not abuse me. No. Like said before, is the beside gone is the one of the single most important reasons why I do what I do is because I want to be the husband that I wasn't for my wife before. And I want to be, you know, that leader. And in that, you know, me and my wife do life together. You know, I don't drag her along. She just driving along. We do stuff together. And that support from her and I really believe I'm a big supporter for her as well, too. I always push her out to doing things all the time. I want her to succeed and be the best she can be. Because I see in her, I see potential and I always tell her I wish you saw your yourself through the eyes of God and myself, you know. And so absolutely the it's it's the reason why it's the biggest, biggest thing. So it sounds like it's a really highly evolved partnership between the two of you. Absolutely. Absolute. It's funny because when we go places, sometimes on our own, because we have to divide and conquer sometimes or, you know, like she has two weeks to go to the office or go to one event and I'll go to another one. And like people see me like, where's Adrianna? Are you guys okay? I'm like, No. Yes. And so it absolutely it absolutely is. It's it's a strong partnership. What aspect of leadership came most naturally to you? I never thought of myself as a leader. Even now. Nowadays, I think people, you know, will say, Oh, you're community leader and like I. See you twice. Yeah, but but still I look at that and I'm like, How am I a leader? I just I'm just me, I think. And for me, if I have, I sit and look and think what is something that natural. I believe that it's it's being able to relate to people, all different types of people. So like I was Tony in high school, I was friends with all different nationalities, all walks of life. And even nowadays now that's if you see the people that I have from friends with, it's it's all walks of life and with the chamber, with our insurance agency, our chamber's diverse. We have multiple different ethnicities on our on our our board. We don't just have Latinos on our board. You know, we have different nationalities. And so I think my my natural ability is to be able to relate and bring people together. So and find that common ground in, you know, in sales. One thing is, is you find something common with that person in, you know, you build that relationship. What have you ever encountered that you sort of had to figure a way through until help arrived. Every day, like I told you. How am I on this video of, you know, this Santos Latino Chamber of Commerce, How am I one of the leaders for, you know, gone on tour and tell me all the time? It just it's all the time I sit there and in question and all the time, but that's just you know, that's that's the story for me. That's my my part. My part in life. What is Gia come to mean to you and your life? So it's come to mean it is not only insurance, our own insurance company, our brokerage, but it's family. The people that work with us are like family to us. Our goal was to always create an environment for for people to come in and want to be with us long term, to be able to buy a car, a home, to be able to, you know, bring their family around, you know, And it's so it's it's come to mean a place that we can give back to the community through there and we're able to do good through it. You know, we always volunteer with our office. So it's not just myself and my wife. We, you know, we get employees, our staff involved as well, too. So. So yeah. And it's hopefully it's a legacy that I, I get to leave for my kids or for future generations that never knew that as a Latino, you can own your own business. So I'm hoping that, you know, it's future. Future. And for that, I, you know, get to pass down to my kids and to future generations. So that way we have as Latinos, we have those generational knowledges that we're able to pass, pass on to businesses so that we you know, we have the seats at the table as well. What is the the Stanislaus Latino Chamber of Commerce come to mean to you and your local hub? Again, a big part of it, it's we've met through the chamber. Most of our friends that we are really close with that are like family are because of the chamber. A lot of majority of our business comes through the chamber. So it's it's a lifeline. It's something that that I believe God has opened up this platform to be able to help others and for us to be able to help future leaders, our kids, other leaders in the future. And it's so it's it's a big part. And I love doing it. It's it was given by God because there wasn't I mean, there was nothing I did to to get here. You know, he's I get up in the morning and follow him and get dressed. Yeah. I talked to I'm very fortunate to talk to a lot of successful people. And a lot of times I find that there's a moment where it all comes together. So if you would, if you could take me back to the moment when you saw that light, when the spark that most inspired you to know that you could design your own career, your own life the way you wanted it, how did it feel that that you were becoming somebody different at that point? Mixed emotions. Happy, sad, scared, nervous, all emotions. Because, you know, there was there was an opportunity, you know, to like I tell people, you know, I tell our kids that, you know, you have the opportunity to to make your own destiny, obviously, if it's in God's plan. But when I was able to sit there in back and go back and look and see and like, oh, I actually had an opportunity to run my own business, you know, to be able to be there for my family, to provide for my family, have an avenue to be able to give back to the community and to leave something to the community and the legacy. It's just it's a there's no words for it even now. I every day, you know, I thank God every day for this opportunity with the with the got along with the chamber like having this opportunity these platforms to be able to to do that. You know, and I'm thankful all the time especially when I'm tired because there's a lot times I'm tired like like they said earlier, there's times I do want to throw in the towel, be easier just to sit at home. And yeah, because I'm a natural introvert, I do not like going out and talking in front of people, giving speeches one on one. I'm good, but that's not why I would rather be at home. I'd rather be, you know, be with my wife and my kids just by myself. But but you can't do that. You got to live outside a comfort zone to be successful. You know, you have to embrace change. So, yeah. We talked about leadership a little while ago, and I was really surprised to know that you didn't particularly see yourself as a leader. What do you think the word leadership means? What does it mean to you? Leadership just means somebody that helps bring people together to guide and to listen. I think a true leader listens more than they speak. I like that saying, you know, you were given two years and one month and unfortunately we get our own way. And I believe a leader is somebody that that shut up and listens. And what I mean, listen, is to listen to people around you that are smarter to community, listen to what people need, what people want. That's a true leader. A true leader is not somebody that goes in front and has all the answers and points fingers and, hey, do you need to do this and do that? And because I said so, a true leader listens, you know, and bring successful people who are around them and just brings them together and is able to listen and yeah. Who is the leader who impressed Johnny the most in his early years and why? Again, I never really had like one person, but I know when I was younger, you know, my mom was was a big aspect of that because like I said, she, you know, brought us out of being on welfare. You know, she worked and went to school and, you know, drove and, you know, worked two jobs. And, you know, so when I was small, it would be her, you know, and how she she took myself and my sister at that point in in single and doing all of that and being a leader for our family that my real father was not. Was your hero growing up. Never. I never had a hero. Right. Like I said, I never had a hero. My mom again, as is probably would if would fit into that when I was younger because of everything that she did, you know, she was like a superwoman, doing all that stuff now would be, you know, the person to look up to is God, you know, And and my wife, I tell her a lot of times, Monica, you're my hero, you know, because, you know, you you do all these different things. And despite that, you had she's an introvert, too. She would rather, you know, she stay at home as well to, you know, so. To introverts out leading in the community. Wow. Yeah. There's a lot of heroes now. I mean, there's so many community out there, people in the schools, people in in the city council, the county board supervisors, the police department. You know, there's a lot of leaders out there. And all those, you know, the teachers and all these different people that are pouring into our community and to our youth, to me, those are all heroes. You know, people that get up every day and do a lot of times thankless jobs. Have you seen Stan State evolve over the years? Stand ST To me has evolved by being on the map. So when I was going to high school and figuring out I knew I wanted to go to school, I didn't know what for in where anything. And so I just applied to, I think only one school. To be honest. It was Fresno because I had a cousin was had went there for like one semester and had no idea about Stan State. I didn't know that there was a school right down the street from Modesto that has, you know, one of the best schools around for you know, for business, for teaching. Yeah, I could have went to school over here instead of going all the way to Fresno, but it was a plan. So God had his plan in maybe to get away from my household, you know, at that time. But but just been on the map, you know, they've evolved where, you know, they they're out in the community, you know, more. They're really trying to make a difference in our community. And that's why I think our county is one of the best communities, because there's a lot of place people in like schools like this that are wanting to make a difference in their investing into the youth, into the future. When you think of Stan State now, what comes to your mind First. Future community leaders I that's the future leaders are right here right now here in Stan State It could be the future mayor. It could be the future, you know Fortune 500 leader of a business. It could be the, you know, future president, Stan State. You know, that's what I think of. There's so much talent here. Here locally that the you know, I'm excited to see that. What are your thoughts on the Warrior Entrepreneurship and Innovation Initiative and its place in the region going forward? I think it's it's absolutely needed. And one of the best things to happen because our chamber we're starting a youth chamber in in this Ty's right in there is getting the youth involved in the community and getting them again applying what they're learning ahead of time instead of waiting until they get a, you know, into a business or their own business or a job. I think it's such a great idea and I'm so excited about it and I can't wait to see where it's happening next. I just saw, you know, before we started, we sat down and talk. I saw you address a group of students and you describe the feeling of speaking to them or any early career professional and what it means to your feelings about your own career today. I wish that I had somebody talked to me when I was their age or younger. You know, we have people that come in like your parents or, oh, you need to, you know, make sure you go to school. It's not. But sometimes seeing somebody in the community that, you know, comes, there are people, you know, people, the leaders of our community, you know, business owners. There are people just just like us. And so I really try to embrace that. And in, you know, I and we're all people. We all put our, you know, one parent league on time. Well, most of us put one family at a time, but we're our people. And it's humbling to be able to do stuff like that and to talk to future leaders of our community. One way or another. They're going to lead our community, whether it's good or bad, right? You know, so it's exciting to be able to to do stuff like that and share information and just it's it's exciting to to see that there's a lot of that out there, but exciting to see like youth, like those those, you know, the five that I met earlier that it gives us so much hope, gives me so much hope for for our community. Complete this sentence is the site name of this section. Let's see how it goes. Recently. I've got to speak with some future leaders real recently within the last hour. The longer I do what I do, the more I. And happy and humble and just thankful. Just get out there and. Just get out there and do it. There are always people who. That care and want to help. Life is taught me to. Just keep going and not to not to give up. The thing about me, people assume automatically is. That I'm an extrovert. Winning teaches you. To be humble. Losing teaches you. Strengths. Leading a nonprofit makes you. Humble and excited. What is most rewarding about working in the community as much as I do, is. Getting to work in the community and meet all the people. This section is random association. You know the rules. If I say a word and then if you like, say the first one that comes to your mind. Self help. Fate, future destiny, future free will, happiness, unity. Love. Family, blessed second chances. Absolutely. Passion. Love. Redemption. Second chance book knowledge. Bridge. The Gap. Mentor. Knowledge. Friend. Happiness. And now we come to the 1111 questions inspired by Lipton, whom was inspired by Piva who was inspired by Proust. So we've shamelessly reappropriated this for this show. What is your favorite part of starting something new? Watching it grow and seeing the success of it? I love I love seeing that helping something from nothing or taking it from from one one step or one chapter to the next. What is your least favorite part of starting something new? The researched the book research. What interests you the most? And that's a good question. What interests me the most to see where life is going to be tomorrow. It's interesting because you don't know what tomorrow brings and what tomorrow holds. Hmm. What interests you the least worrying Think. Worrying interests me the least. But unfortunately, that's probably what happens to most of us. We stress we worry too much. Instead of enjoying the now, I know I'm to blame with that. A lot of times I have to take a step out of my office and like, okay, take a deep breath. You get to be here. It's not because you, you know, you you get to be here. It's not like you have to be you get to it's powerful. This is a radio station, after all. So what music, artist, genre or song reminds you most of your early days in entrepreneurship and innovation? Probably some old school. And that's because I remember when we opened our first farmer's office myself, my wife were there with her kids, painting the office. We listen to the music, so that's what what I associate that with. So I got old. You said, Old school. There's all kinds of old school. So what kind of school we're talking about? I'm talking about old school arms. I'm old school, not old school nowadays. So we got some Zap and Roger and, you know, some merging girls. So that genre of old school get true. Old school got into stuff that we went to high school and listen to. Now that's considered old school. That's not old school. So what food or beverage reminds you most of your memories of your first startup? Not having a lot of money. So I would say some some homemade tortillas or, you know, some as I saw, this was well, then it was cheaper to make. Now it's expensive and some top ramen. Hey, it's up from a. That reminds me of college college days, too. So I absolutely absolutely. What profession non entrepreneurial do you admire the most? Teachers? I believe teachers should be getting paid probably the most compared to the CEOs of some of these businesses because they're the ones molding our future. They're the ones that are instilling and teaching our future. I admire them the most because they don't get paid that much. They put a lot of their own time and money into their classrooms. And a lot of times they don't get the respect that they deserve. They don't get the backing, especially nowadays of our community, of of our parents, of our like they should. So I think they are probably one of the the ones up there that I really appreciate and I admire. What job prior to entrepreneurship did you like the most and why? I used to work when I was in Fresno, I worked at Army Transport. So I returned. So I would drive around those armored trucks and pick up money from from businesses. No way. Yeah, I love doing that because I met so many people so many business owners were I would go to me, my wife would go to restaurants and get free food like that, you know, scissors or black Angus. And these, you know, these different places. So I loved doing that, going in and out with Karen Morgan on the side, carrying the money and just the adrenaline of it and just going into different places and meeting so many different types of people. I loved doing that, but I got hurt and then the pay wasn't the best. And so I I, I chose not to not to go back to it because it just long term wasn't the best. My wife would stress and worry because, you know, it was down in Fresno and, you know, a lot of times there's robberies that happen that never make the news at all. Of course, we would hear about the stuff because, you know, we always have to watch out and everything. So, yeah. One job prior to entrepreneurship that you dislike the most and one. That I dislike the most. That's a good question. There's something about everything that I've done that I disliked, but there's I don't think there's any that I completely disliked because there was I always tried to find the best of everything and and remember that whatever I was doing at that point was going to help me for the future. So there's times in each jobs that I'm like, I did not enjoy this. So for an example, before I went into business for myself, I worked for a couple of different broke brokerages, and my stomach towards the end of my son would turn when clients would come in because in order to make money, I had to make sure I sold big broker fees and stuff, you know, because I was the main breadwinner at that time. And so my stomach would turn. So I think that was a point that kind of all the jobs that I did not like was the ending of it, because I just didn't want to be there because. I knew I was going to be leaving there and open my own my own business. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? It does exist, and I would love to hear him say, I love you and I'm proud of you, son. Immediately thereafter, what idea or innovation would you like to pitch him her They it with the universe as your marketplace. I would like to be able to eat and not gain weight. I love eating meat, me and my wife and my kids. That is our guilty pleasure is eating foods. I would love to be able to eat. I wanted and not worry about gaining weight or being unhealthy. So we're going to have to pitch a product that we can eat And nuggets. Exactly. Yes. Okay. That's ambitious. Yes, that's I plan pending. Here you go. There again. Jonny, it's been a pleasure having you. Thank you for stopping by. No problem. Thank you is honor. Appreciate it. Have fun. And for all those listeners out there, just keep going. You're not the only one going through the struggles. It gets better in what you're going through right now. It's just a short amount of time. Your schooling your your learning. It's all for something. And remember, everything you're going through is an experience and live outside that comfort zone. And to be successful. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Studio. This podcast is part of the Warrior Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program, affectionately known as the WEI. Our series is recorded on the campus of Stanislaus State at the KCSS radio station and produced by Frankie Tovar. Follow and subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform. I'm Dr. Pablo Paredes Romero wishing me the best of everything. Always.