Hector & Gia Paz | Gia's Bakery | Veterans Growing America

In this episode of the Veterans Growing America Podcast, Coach R.L. Simmons and Donnell Johns sit down with Hector and Gia Paz, the owners of Gia’s Bakery. Hector is a U.S. Army veteran (30+ years of service, retired Colonel), and Gia is a military spouse originally from Honduras with a deep entrepreneurial drive and a gift for baking that turned into a fast-growing business.

They share a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build something from scratch—especially when you’re learning as you go, operating out of a home kitchen, and still pushing forward even after multiple failures.

Gia opens up about learning sourdough the hard way (failed starters, trial-and-error, and patience), and how the first big “yes” from the community became the moment she realized: this wasn’t just a hobby—this was a business.

Hector breaks down how military values like determination, discipline, loyalty, and resilience translate directly into entrepreneurship—and why Veterans Growing America became the right community for them to grow in.

Episode highlights:

• Hector’s 30+ year Army career and how he and Gia met overseas
• Turning repeated failures into consistency and confidence
• The real sourdough process (26–30 hours per loaf) and why quality takes time
• Top sellers at Gia’s Bakery: artisan sourdough, flavored loaves, cinnamon rolls, cookies, bagels, and more
• Building a business from a home kitchen while working through licensing and growth steps
• Why community matters: the VGA difference and what support really looks like
• Key lessons for new entrepreneurs: start small, keep moving, don’t rush the “run,” and use fear as fuel

Where to find Gia’s Bakery:

• In-person: Veterans Growing America (VGA) — Saturdays, 12 PM–6 PM (and expanding)
• Facebook: Gia’s Bakery
• Instagram: Gia’s Bakery
• Website: Available via their social pages for menu + pre-orders

Connect with the hosts:
Coach R.L. Simmons (Your Money GOAT)

• Free financial audit + simplified money strategy: yourmoneygoat.com

Veterans Growing America:

• Website + vendor directory: veteransgrowingamerica.com
• Visit the VGA Marketplace (Woodbridge, VA – Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center)

If you’re a veteran, spouse, or aspiring entrepreneur trying to turn a skill into a business, this episode is your reminder: you don’t have to start perfect—you just have to keep going.

Like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who needs motivation rooted in real experience—and if you’re in the DMV, go taste why Gia’s Bakery is becoming a weekly destination.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:15

Welcome, welcome, welcome to Veterans Grown America Podcast. I'm Coach Mario Simmons. I am here with my illustrious co-host Donnell Jobs. We have a couple of special guests for you today. We have Hector and Gia Pos. They are the owners of Gia's Bakery. Hector is U.S. veteran. Gia is U.S. veteran spouse. And I am so glad to have you guys here today.

SPEAKER_00 0:43

Thank you for having us.

SPEAKER_04 0:44

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 0:45

No, this is awesome.

SPEAKER_00 0:46

So, Veterans Growing America, this is our podcast. And I know you guys, but our audience doesn't know you. Can you tell us a little bit about your military experience and your also your backgrounds?

SPEAKER_02 0:59

I served 30 years in the Army. Actually, 30 years active duty. I have three years in the National Guard prior to my active duty time. I was an officer, retired as a colonel. For most of my time in the Army, I was what it is called a foreign area officer. So I have a lot of experience working in international venues, U.S. embassies abroad. And that's how I met Gia in Honduras. She is from Honduras. I'm Marina from Puerto Rico. And while I was serving in Honduras as the senior defense official, defense attaché there at the U.S. Embassy, work-related is the way we met. And I let Gia tell you a little bit about her background and how we end up meeting.

SPEAKER_00 1:38

Yeah, that'd be awesome. Please share it. Please share. Do tell.

SPEAKER_04 1:42

So I'm from Honduras. We met in 2018. I think so, yeah. I was working for Merchant Marine. Merchant Marine in Honduras is a civil uh um administration, military. But we have like something in common with the uh civil uh military forces. We cross together and at some point we work together.

SPEAKER_01 2:10

Yeah, that's interesting. So now I kind of want to try to put this story together. This is this is good. So you're you're working in um uh civilian affairs, you're working in the military. How did that journey of you guys together influence uh this into entrepreneurship?

SPEAKER_02 2:27

So I will, you know, fast forward, we met, we worked together, we did what we were doing at work, then fast forward about a year or so later, we came across again, this time not work-related. And we hit it off. And we got married a little over three years now. And to be honest, entrepreneurship in the house is Gia, I have to admit. Uh, she has always been very uh creative, very active. When she was in Honduras, she was doing uh she would bake and sell cheesecakes. And Gia's bakery. Yeah, bakery Honduras. So when she came to the US and we were married and we're living together, she started working here and there part-time, retail and all that, but she was always at the house doing something. She loved to cook, she loved the kitchen. And funny as it is, a co-worker of her at a retail store uh gave her for her for her birthday a book. Uh yeah, I think has it somewhere around. She can share it. Homemade sourdough. She has never heard the word sourdough in her life, basically. And she got the book, started playing with it, and that was in 2024. And about a year, there you go. Yeah. A year later, she's I get home and she has all this thing baked, done, and she said, try this. I want to do a business. I'm like, okay, I'll support you. And I let her know, okay, how that year of playing around and trying and what inspired her, I let her tell you that part.

SPEAKER_03 4:01

The what?

SPEAKER_02 4:02

Tell them how you started from a gift that was given to you by a friend.

SPEAKER_04 4:09

It was a gift. My friend, she knows me very well. And I I came home and I said, Sourdough, what is this? And okay, sourdough starts with a starter, and you need to make to create that starter from scratch. So I start my starter and it fails. It fails first week, it fails, second week, fails like four times. It dies. So I was like, man, I really want to try this, but nothing happened. So I think fifth week uh work. So I started making bread and it was good, not as good as like now. But it was like a year that we never bought um bread in my house. I make the bread. So yeah, after in in August, Hector told me, Yeah, you need to sell this because this is really, this is getting really good. And I said, Do you think somebody can buy this? So we had the opportunity in our community. They have like a community event, and they say, if you sell something, sign up and you can come and sell with the community. So I was so excited. Brought my nieces, my two nieces to help me out with all the stuff. And I was like making 30 loves of bread and cinnamon rolls and everything, and they canceled the day before, they canceled the event. And I was like, oh my god, what I'm going to do with all this bread. So my husband Hector, he's amazing. He said, you know what? Let's put a table in the garage and let's sell. So I post in the Facebook page of my community, look, the cans, the event is canceled, so we are going to sell our product here in my house. And it was amazing. We sold everything, and I was like, okay, this is this is good. So that's how we started here at Giaz Bakery.

SPEAKER_01 6:10

Yeah, that's good. It is like you you started off as a project and it started tasting like money.

SPEAKER_04 6:15

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 6:15

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 6:16

So you can say, Oh, Donnelly's showing off right there. Yeah, you know, I I gotta show off with the bread. This is this bread is so delicious. The cool part about this story that I didn't know is that you not only failed once, not only failed twice, but you actually failed six times and you kept going. Like what inspired you to continue to keep going? Because like people fail often, but they usually be like, you know what, this is not for me, this is a sign. And it was actually a sign for you to keep going. So why?

SPEAKER_04 6:54

Yeah, I think like Hector said, um, I I came to the states like three years ago, and I had in my country my, you know, my job. I'm a civil engineer, by the way. But here I never worked like something related. And I was trying to find my, you know, my dream job here. So I started in retail, I didn't like it. I was like frustrated about I don't like, but I'm good because I like to work. And I think I was thinking, and one of our goals like a couple is to have our own business, like huge, like can live or world or jobs and have our you know, our business. So that was like, I need I need to keep pushing because when I have it, it's gonna be successful.

SPEAKER_02 7:49

Yeah, yeah, G is very determined. She is very determined when she gets into something, she put all her mind and heart to it. And and the military on me, it was about, you know, this is about sacrifice, this is about determination, this is about not giving up. And of course, to some extent, loyalty, I have to say. So I said, the military on me, you know, I'm gonna be loyal to my wife on this endeavor, and I all support her. Well, the way I saw myself being loyal to this was that I keep pushing her and being supportive of her. And I didn't care that it failed. So, well, let's try it again, let's try it again, let's try it. And and eventually she hit it off. And once again, she started baking, and like you said, for for us to consume, but it's this is good. And she she was like, I knew from very early she wanted to make a business of this, but she was not satisfied yet with her own product. And she kept playing with it and baking and and practicing and tailoring, and finally got to that moment that it clicked, and she said, I'm ready. It took like a year, she didn't rush it, she didn't push it, and I was very supportive of that. And of course, like you mentioned, I I wanna really retire from a 9 to 5 for real, as many of us aspire and dream of. And we want to have our own business, and at least this is our first, honestly, no previous experience on it. So learning as we go, and of course, looking for many mentors as I can see in front of me today to learn more and continue eventually branch out to other things that we we have ideas, but nothing concrete yet.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

No, that's I love that. Well, let's dive into the business, let's dive into business a little bit. Let's talk a little bit about you know, some of the products that you have, some of your best sellers. Give us a little bit about Gia's bakery.

SPEAKER_04 9:41

Yeah, so I start out with the uh sourdough, the plain that Donald is eating. You know, the artisan one, the the beginning. But then people ask for inclusion. We call inclusion in this uh journey, but it's like flavors, like jalapeno cheddar, bacon and cheddar. And every week I come with a different one. Like I wanna try this maple pecans, cinnamon. So we have lots of bread. Um the other famous is uh cinnamon rolls. Everything is with sourdough because I don't put any yeast, any you know, different ingredients that the other companies use is everything with sourdough. I have bagels, sourdough bagels, what else? Uh flour tortillas now. We came with cookies. We are selling cookies like crazy, people love it, and everything with sourdough.

SPEAKER_00 10:41

No, I absolutely love that. I gotta get some. No, you gotta you gotta have some. In fact, I got some right now.

SPEAKER_02 10:47

I think you have some cookies nearby there. Yeah, right. You gotta feel good.

SPEAKER_01 10:52

I want Robert to feel like he's missing out. I am definitely missing out. I can see it. Oh my goodness, those look amazing.

SPEAKER_00 10:58

They taste amazing too.

SPEAKER_01 11:01

Damn.

SPEAKER_00 11:02

And they're soft. I can imagine what they taste like when they're extra warm. Oh my goodness, it's it is really good. Let me tell you what happened this week again. So on Sunday, um, this lady walked in and she was like, Is Gia here? I said no. I said she'll be back next, or she'll be back next Friday. The lady turned right around and walked out the store. She came specifically for your bread. I was like, hey, the rest of us are here. And she was like, I'll be back next Friday. I mean, next Saturday uh when Gia's back. So you have a fan, she came there specifically for you. It was targeted. So I know that you know you guys faced, you know, some challenges as far as making the bread, right? What other business challenges have you faced when it comes to entrepreneurship? And what are some of the things that the military kind of helped you with in this process? You want to start with the challenges?

SPEAKER_02 11:58

Yeah, and then I'll let you finish with the uh how the military helps. Some of the challenges. Yeah, the challenges to begin with, we're starting very small, right?

SPEAKER_03 12:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:08

Like I said, it was like it was a gift, so it was like a hobby she started, and we were not sure about what would this entail. So we started very small. We're still very small. She she makes everything out of our home kitchen, right? Yeah. Uh we still don't have any location, we don't have any industrial equipment yet, and there's a process she's been learning about also to be able to branch out, do better. She's in the process of applying for a license. Uh, and that, you know, the license from the state of Virginia that will give her more options of where she can sell and that kind of stuff. Uh, it takes time, it takes a lot. It takes there's a lot of requirements, right? And like I said, it's uh trial and error. And working out of a you know, small regular kitchen, she's has been amazingly creative of how to get things going. And I I let her speak a little bit about the process because it's not an easy process to do sourdough. It's a science, it's a project.

SPEAKER_03 13:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:11

She loved it. And I think that that passion she has and the love she has for it is what has made the product good.

SPEAKER_04 13:18

Yeah, like I like Hector said, I make everything in my kitchen. It's like a regular kitchen, one oven, single oven. And sourdough is um, I don't know if you know the process, but the starter I can show you later, is like flour and water. And that is um fermentated naturally. So to make a breath, for example, the Donald breath, I need to feed my starter, for example, in the morning. That takes three to four hours to rise, to be active. So I need to wait for that process. Then I start making the dough. So that process is another four hours because you need to start doing stretches, something different than the regular uh bread. Sorry. Then you need to put on fermentation, like four hours in regular uh temperature, and then on the fridge, like 24 hours. So for makeup bread, one loaf takes 26 to 30 hours. So that's a lot. When I sell in BGA for Saturdays, I need to start on Tuesday with all the process. It's a slow process, but it's with love, and I love to make to do it. I think one of the challenges that we have, Hector, we started, we started selling everything, but then we need more customers. And we were like, okay, where are where are we going to sell the product? Because I'm making a lot, but I we need to sell it right. And that's why we came with uh BGA. We went like, what is this? Explain. And they opened the door and everything was amazing. We are so thankful with BGA because they are uh wonderful, right, Hector?

SPEAKER_02 15:10

It's been a blessing for us, honestly. Carmel Macross, BGA, and Donell uh and their team. I mean, now I include you, you, Robert. I appreciate and thank you for what you're doing for for BGA and any veterans out there that might want to test the water. Like I said, you know, it it's determination, passion, and you know, you find your niche and try it out. And it could it could be one, two, three, four, five, six times, like Gia said. And it could take a year or it could take you less, but determination, passion, and then finding a team that encourages you so much. And then finding so many good people, also that, yeah, maybe yes, somebody came already looking for Gia because now they know what she does. But before, that person I bet you probably just came and said, Hey, you know, I want to support a veteran and and and his spouse. So let me buy this just for just to support. You can tell sometimes they don't care for what they're buying, they just want to support, right? And that's what BGA brings. A lot of good people with good heart. And then, of course, many of us in BGA are doing and selling is good stuff, really. It's quality and it's good stuff with a lot of heart. So people then like it and they want to come back, right? So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:27

Yeah, that's like every time I walk in VJ, I'm like, hey, where's the ATL chick? I need to get me something to smell good. I already know. Yeah, I am, I already know what I'm going for every time I walk in, every single time. I love it. Let me ask you this on your on your journey through all of this, like what are some key lessons that you've learned that you could kind of share with the the community? So if anybody's coming behind you and they they're intrigued and they want to start their bakery or they want to start their business, what are some of those key lessons that you guys learned along the journey that you you can share with them?

SPEAKER_04 17:00

Keep going. If you had an idea, keep going, because we can fail once, two, three times, but if we encourage to make that uh decision, we can do it. You need to trust on you. For me, that's that's uh the thing, and of course, the support. I have the support of my husband, I have the support of my family, my community, BGA, of course. So for me, that's that's the thing. And there is a lot of stuff uh for license, uh, you know, have everything right, but you have to do it.

SPEAKER_02 17:37

It's a step at a time, one step after the other. Just keep walking, don't stop. And at the same time, I think you start walking and you want to eventually run. Actually, we started crawling, and then we start walking, and then I realized you know what, there's no need to start running before you're ready, right? Just keep walking, keep going. Fear. I think fear, many times people, you know, is it's scary, it's bad. But I think you can use fear to your own advantage. If you feel doubtful for a second, that's good. Use that to your advantage to convince yourself how I'm gonna overcome this fear. Yeah, many times she would are you sure if this does it, you know what? I like it, but I'm not the one that counts. Let's take it, we sell it, console will let us know. If it doesn't work, you try something else, right? Uh, but use that fear to your advantage, not to stop you, but to motivate and find a way to how you can overcome that and one step at a time. Step at a time, little by little. And uh, I'll be honest with you, I I never imagined I would be where we are today. I never imagined that she she has already repeated customers week after week that I never thought that was gonna happen this quick. I never in my life imagined that we were gonna be in a place, in a store where now we have people that specifically want to come for her products. Uh, I would think and hope that those same customers that come for her product will come and buy our other brothers and sister in BGA and vice versa, right? Those people that come regularly connect, Robert. Okay, you're out of a sudden you're there and you see the cinema roles and oh my goodness, I want to try that. Or so it's such a community and it's so nice. Uh, but yeah, you just need to step at a time, just keep going. Uh, use Feather to your advantage. And now going forward, I I think we are now in the next step, and we talk about this. Yes, and that's why we decided to say, Donald, yes, we're gonna be there tonight. This is the first time ever in my life I do something like this. And I know GS too. Funny, I've done interviews to newscasters and stuff like that when I was in the military talking about military stuff, but I never did something that it was a business about ourselves in a podcast. And we have talked about like now is the time that we need to start seeking mentors, learning, asking questions, stepping out and not be afraid of trying something new that we have never done, like we're doing tonight. Uh, and and keep going at it. Finding people that can teach us more stuff, right? And take it seriously so we can take it to the next level, the next step.

SPEAKER_00 20:24

No, that's so, so, so powerful. No, I love that. But what I heard you say. I'll let you cook Dynako. Yeah, what I heard you say um kind of reminded me of the PT test, especially the run. You know, most people, what they try to do is they try to start out fast and then realize that they can't keep up that pace. And the next thing you know, they're slowing down. And some of them even don't don't even make it to the finish line because they started out fast and couldn't keep up that space, that that pace. And you guys are starting out slow. You're you're learning from your mistakes, and you're continuously moving forward. So kudos to you on that. What what do you think is your business superpower that is allowing you know both of you guys to stay focused? What is that business superpower? I'll start with Gia first. Yeah, you want to try?

SPEAKER_04 21:14

I think uh I have it here, but let me try to express myself. I think this uh process of sourdough has um I learned that I don't I don't need to rush, I need to go slow, but with good pace. So I need consistency, I need to do everything right because this is uh weight. I need to weight flour, water. One gram different is another thing. So for me, is take your time, do it correctly, but do it right.

SPEAKER_02 21:53

I'm gonna add to that uh because Gia is very humble and many times she doesn't recognize herself as she she. Heart, a lot of heart. She really, really, she likes it. She enjoyed it, but you can tell she she's put her heart, mind, and passion because she wanna give something good to her customers. She cares about her customers. She worries about her customer maybe this time wasn't as good as last time. And out of sound, she feels like she's gonna fail her customers. So that drives her to that consistency that she said. That drives her to pace herself and do everything right. Do not cut corners. Right? It's better to take a little longer, take a little more time, but get it right. So don't keep coming back, right? And not because he feels yes, a nice person, I want to support, but he liked the product. And that's what we want, right? We want the people to like the product and and enjoy it. So I think that's key. She has an amazing heart for this and for the people she and that's what she's we left Saturday, BGA, and we were gonna go to dinner. All she can be talking about is she's gonna do an Easter event here in the community on a Sunday, and all she can talk was thinking there are gonna be a lot of kids there. So I want to do all these cookies with Easter uh themes and stuff. She's thinking about the kids and for them to enjoy it. Not at one moment, she's thinking, Oh, I'm gonna do it for the kids because I'm gonna sell a hundred cookies. That's not what she has in mind. She's thinking about doing something good for the kids. The rest will take care of itself. I, you know, that's that's the way I see it.

SPEAKER_00 23:31

I love that. Um, that's good. There's so many people, I mean, there's so many nuggets in the information that you guys share. And I really appreciate. I never get to see VGA from anyone else's perspective until we do this podcast. So thank you guys for sharing your experience. Can you we're gonna focus a little bit on VGA right now? Um, can you guys tell, you know, any more um people? I'm having a hard time getting it out because I'm like, you guys already said a lot about VGA, but can you talk about why you be got you you guys became a member and your experience? I know you guys vented other places before, but you guys came back and was like, I need to be a part of Veterans Growing America. And this is where, you know, I'm gonna set up my I want to start and then I let I let Gia.

SPEAKER_02 24:22

Yeah. So as a veteran, I'm very proud veteran. I saw once BGA walk by and saw what it is, and I remember telling Gia, this is even before we're thinking about having a business. I remember saying, hey, one of these days we need to go in there and and see what they're doing, and and I want to find out how we can support them. Because I felt as a veteran, I'm very proud of it, I needed to support all the veterans. And I wasn't sure what it was about or nothing, I'll be honest with you. So that was one thing that attracted us to me, wanted to give back to one of my own, right? So that was one attractive. I remember the very first time we went in just to ask questions. My goodness. I mean, it was like they knew us already, they received us with open arms, very friendly, very easygoing. I mean, we're thinking, then we realized, oh wow, maybe we can set up a table here and sell some bread. Honestly, that was the thought. But with trepidation, right? We were like, can we do this? Is this real? And they made us feel so comfortable. And like Donnell said, we were we sold here in the community, as Jia mentioned. We even set up a tent one day by the park. It was raining like crazy and all that, but people were coming. That was before BGA on a Saturday. We tried different things, and we even tried another place that more or less catered, have the same idea, small businesses, and the it was a horrible experience. Uh number one, there was not that vibe and that of community, and and looking to support you really. I mean, don't know, I'm gonna say it the way it is. All you care is that we have success. That's true. You go out of the way, you tanda, and and everybody else, to be honest. I mean, everybody, the other vendors, I mean, they they're like pushing customers to us. And I feel the same way. Hey, you know, we can help you there or whatever. It's such a sense of community. And not too dog any, but the other place was, you know, set up your table there and do whatever you have to do. But there was not that camaraderie, there was that sense of community and mutually support. And and that's what turned us to be where we said, you know what? Yeah, we will try other things because so you know, too, very famous this type of product. It's very famous in farmer markets and things like that, right? And and we will eventually try those when when the time is right and weather cooperate, and the farmer markets are in a run and all that, but I can see we will never leave BGA. I mean, because it's a hit because people like to come there, and even those that do not buy anything, they live happy. They live happy, and I've sometimes love to tell people goodbye and thank you for coming, hope to see you again, even when they don't have anything in their hands or are leaving. Because I feel I know eventually they will come back and they will be a customer of one of us here. Because that's the feeling, the vibe there. And and it's incredible. It's incredible. Yeah, I don't know if you want to add anything.

SPEAKER_04 27:28

Yeah, the same. I I feel the hospitality, they treat you like a family, like I know you all, I know you all my life. And I like that way, for example, when we set up in the mornings and we have the how's the how's it called the meeting that we have? Uh-huh. So we pray, and every time I pray for because I see the other people, and I say, Oh my god, God, please bless all these people, because all of us are here with a purpose. But we we of course we want money, but that's not the important thing. We want to get to people to show that if we can, they can do it. Because, for example, a customer of mine said, Oh my god, you can do it, I can do it. Of course, you can do it. So that's the thing. I feel so blessed to be in BGA. And for me, every every week I'm hoping, oh my god, I want to be Saturday because I want to be there. I like how the other vendors, how they come, have you tried the cookies? And they come with the customer. It's it's it's super.

SPEAKER_02 28:41

Gia just said something that reminds me of something that I hope is is okay to share in the podcast. Last week, Donelle knows this. I was in Colorado for work all week long. My flight back on Friday, I was supposed to leave Colorado Spring at 7:30 in the morning. It got delayed five and a half hours out of Colorado Spring due to a mechanical issue with the aircraft. So we have to wait for a park, five and a half hours. The connection was through Houston. Got to Houston. I got moved to another uh flight because I was gonna miss my original flight. I was supposed to be here in Ronald Reagan Airport before 4 o'clock in the afternoon on Friday. Long story short, I didn't get here until 11 p.m. By the time we got home and all that, it was midnight, past midnight. Gia in the morning, Gia got up very quiet. She started preparing, doing everything for me, and one of my dogs woke me up. I didn't even realize it. And I woke up, oh my goodness, and I go downstairs. I'm sorry, I haven't helped you. I said, no, I wanted you to rest, you were very tired. And you know, if you want to stay, you don't have to go. I said, no, I want to go. And I'm gonna tell you right now why. It has become a therapy for me. Lately, I've been very stressful at work. A lot of Gia knows. Gia can tell you that I rarely bring home anything from work. I mean, when I said that, it's like not physically bringing stuff to work, but talking about work or whatever. I just, hey, I had a great day, it was good, but I want to talk to her about us, or we want to watch it, whatever. But I don't, I'm not to be bringing work, good or bad, home. And lately, she knows how I've been, man, it's been a lot of work. The workload is increasing, they're demanding more, they're asking for more. It's been quite stressful. And me going on Saturday to BGA is the best therapy I have found. I love it, I enjoy it, I support my wife. I love to see the business growing liter by literally and then the support people at BGA is amazing. And it has become a therapy for me. And I was tired. I would easily stay home, take care of my two dogs. But no, I wanted to be there because it's fun. It's fun every Saturday. And hopefully Sunday soon.

SPEAKER_00 30:52

Y'all are gonna make me cry. No, this thank you. Thank you for sharing that. Those are all of the things that I prayed and hoped, you know, that VGA would be because you put your heart and soul into the things that you do. People don't see the behind the scenes stuff that it takes the four days to prepare one loaf of bread. They don't see that. They just see the loaf of bread, right? And so it's like I really appreciate it now when I cut into a slice of it to know that it took so long to make it, and that's why it tastes so good. I will eat half a loaf within two to two days. And I mean, it it's you have an amazing product. I know it's gonna be um, I know it's gonna take off and it's gonna, it's gonna support you and your family, and your family's family forever. So thank you for the opportunity of having you guys at Veterans Growing America. This is this is this is a blessing to hear your experience and I already know you know what's gonna happen with with your bread, your entire your bread, your cookies. It's amazing.

SPEAKER_04 31:58

Thank you. I'm gonna cry.

SPEAKER_01 32:01

Don't don't cry because I'm a I'm a uh you know, my emotions get hold of me with this sickness. And y'all don't know if I'm crying or laughing. Yeah, before we get out of the show, um, I definitely want to uh allow you guys to have the final word, give you the stage. We have a bunch of viewers and listeners. Some people may be listening on the podcast, people watching on YouTube. Um, but these people are um potential entrepreneurs. Some of these people are entrepreneurs, some of them are bakers, uh some of them are former service members, some of them are spouses. But you know, I will leave the floor to you to speak to them and encourage them in the way that you see fit.

SPEAKER_02 32:39

So, as we have said throughout the program, me, the military, me, veteran now, and still working as a civilian in the Pentagon, dedication to duty, loyalty, self-led service, all those traits that we, the military, carry, it will work amazingly for you. If you decide to run your own business, start going that path. And here's what I gotta say: you did all that for the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, Marines, Space Force, Coast Guard. You did it for them, and you did it for your country. Now is your time to do it for yourself. Do it for yourself. Get out there, try it out. And if you have something in your head, you have a niche, you have a dream, you have a hobby, you could easily make that your own business and put all that experience from the army and all that ethics, morals, and dedication that you did to the military, to your country. Now you can do it for yourself, and most important for your family. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 33:39

I think to believe in yourself, if you don't believe in yourself, how other people are going to believe in your product and what are you selling? So you need to say, this is the best bread. And like I said in my in our business, uh, we are like a small business, but we made everything with so much care, so much love, and every customer becomes part of our family. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 34:06

I love that. And before we get out of here, um, how can people get a hold of this brick? And you you guys got social, you have specific days, you'll be at VGA. Kind of give them a give them uh some hope of getting the slices.

SPEAKER_04 34:18

So, yeah, for now, every Saturdays 12 to 6, we are at BGA. We are starting to be Saturdays and Sundays too. Uh, we have a Facebook page. I don't know how I can uh it's Giaz Bakery. Uh we have Instagram and we have um a web page uh when you can make your orders and I can bake whatever you want of my menu list, of course. But I accept like opinion. Look, can you do this for me and I can let me try and then I can sell it? So yeah, we have those platforms and BGA Saturdays.

SPEAKER_02 34:56

Yeah, look up G Bakery on Facebook or Instagram, and you'll find there also the website where you can look at the at all the products and you can place orders and everything. Oh no, come to BGA, even better. You're gonna find a lot more stuff in there. Buy our brand and then buy something for your face, for your party going out. That'll be good.

SPEAKER_01 35:16

I love that. And I'll drop the socials on for Gia's Bakery in the description. Hey, Donnell, how can people continue to support VGA?

SPEAKER_00 35:24

The way that you support VGA is is number one by supporting the people that are on this uh podcast. And uh I also want them to know a little bit about what you do, Coach R.L. Simmons. Share with the community your greatness.

SPEAKER_01 35:37

Hey, I appreciate that. So I help families simplify finances. You know, one of the biggest things with people and their finances is a lot of people don't are afraid of their personal finances because some of the terminology and things that they hear are very complex. I want to be able to simplify that. Also knowing that we aren't taught personal finances in school, so I want to ensure that every family member is educated. So I want you to go to your moneygoat.com, and I was gonna spell that, but my my my pro won't let me. Your moneygoat.com and get your free financial audit back to you, darling.

SPEAKER_00 36:16

And so you spell your moneygoat, y-o-r-m-o-n-e-y, g-o-a-t. Your moneygoat.com. So how do how do people support Veterans Growing America? Just like I said, number one, you can stop by our store. It's located in the beautiful Woodbridge, Virginia, at the uh Stone Bridge at the Potomac Town Center. Also go on our directory. We have amazing businesses like the three of you on our platform where you can support military connected entrepreneurs because we're leaders, we're heroes, we're entrepreneurs, and we're human beings. And also we can show you how to be excellent, right? And the products that we, the products and the services and the people that are connected to our community are doing great things, and their products are amazing and fantastic, and they and they stick to their values. So, but come to our store. We're open seven days a week and shop, baby.

SPEAKER_01 37:11

Thank you so much for joining us, Don. Thank you for sharing the platform. We are over in the world.

SPEAKER_03 37:18

Thank you.