Starting The Company with Talena Ruiz

In episode 12 of Tru Mentors, Derek Skubisz is joined by his fiancee, Talena Ruiz, as they share their journey of starting and growing multiple successful businesses together. Derek and Talena provide insights and motivation from facing challenges to offering valuable advice for young couples venturing into entrepreneurship.

Tune in as they discuss the hurdles they overcame, the importance of support in a partnership, and the power of believing in each other's dreams.

TIMESTAMPS

[00:02:27] Overcoming Business Challenges as a Couple.

[00:06:34] Networking in Business.

[00:08:54] Overcoming Fear in Business Partnerships.

[00:14:50] Career Aspirations.

[00:16:24] Education and Starting a Business.

QUOTES

• "The number one person that is best with your money to trust is your partner. Now, if you can't trust your partner, there are some issues there." - Derek Skubisz
• “Just keep your eye on the angle. Support each other no matter what. If you see that your partner's down, don't add to it. And yeah, just do everything together and trust.” - Talena Ruiz
• "Your partner should not stop you from anything in your life. Your partner is supposed to be your motivator, your number one sponsor, and your number one supporter in your life." - Derek Skubisz

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Derek Skubisz

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/derek_skubisz/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Derek-Skubisz/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-skubisz-b015051a3/

Talena Ruiz

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realtor.talenaa/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talena.ruiz

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/talenaruizrealtor/

WEBSITE

Lifetime Restoration Inc.: https://lifetimerestorationinc.com/

Transcript

Welcome to the True Mentors Podcast. This is the ultimate destination for aspiring entrepreneurs and business enthusiasts alike. Join us as we embark on a thrilling journey into the dynamic realm of business, where we unveil awe-inspiring tales of individuals who have conquered formidable challenges to attain extraordinary success. Get ready to be inspired and empowered. And now, here's your host, Derek Skubis.

Hey guys, welcome to another episode with True Mentors Podcast. Today we have a phenomenal new guest, my fiancee Talena Ruiz. Welcome.

Derek Skubisz

Hello.

Talena Ruiz

We will discuss today the challenges that we had starting our company, the difficulties that we went through, and also an advice for young couples starting a business. Me and Talena are running two different companies together right now. One is a roofing and restoration company. Another one is an insurance claims company. And then we also do house flipping together. So starting off with When we first started off from November 2022 in right 2022. Yeah. No, 20, 20.

Derek Skubisz

Yeah. 2022. Yeah.

Yeah. November from 2022. We weren't able to get our roofing license until May of 2023. Right. The reason why we couldn't get our license is because the state was really backed up because that was right around COVID ending.

Yeah. I think they were just all backed up with paperwork.

Yeah. And then, so we couldn't get our license. We couldn't get insurance. We couldn't get any what's called, um, insurances and we couldn't get any jobs. We weren't making any money for.

For four months.

November to May that's eight months.

Oh eight months.

Yeah. Yeah, and then finally I mean that was That was a rough time.

That was a rough time but I feel like It's gonna pay off it has been paying off it has been paying off but in a way that was a

A lesson from God teaching us something to be humble before we were able to become something. It was a start, it was a test. Are you able to handle this before you can handle something else?

Yeah. I feel like it's always harder before it gets easier. Yeah, 100%. I mean, I feel like if it was easy for just anybody to do, to completely, you know, stop working, right? Stop, you know, to stop working and just deciding to open up. Everybody would do it. Everybody would do it. There'd be too many businesses. It'd be way too many businesses But you know, I feel like it's obviously not for everybody but for the people who really want it and they stick with it It's gonna be

It's going to be a good payoff. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, that's really good. Now, when we first started off the company, what we were doing is you were doing all the office work, all the paperwork, dealing with the insurance companies. I was doing all the sales and doing the production. We started off in our basement with our two dogs. Very distracting. Super distracting. Yeah, we have a German Shepherd and a miniature Dachshund and non-stop always woof, woof, woof, woof, woof. 24-7 anything that goes by so that was really difficult. Now, what are the challenges that were extremely difficult at first when we started, after we got our license?

After we got our license?

Yeah, after we got our license. Because there was a few of them. There was... Well, we didn't know how to estimate. We didn't know how to hire.

We didn't know how to... We didn't know how to do anything that like a business should be doing. You know, we... But I feel like that's good because then we're kind of like figuring out how to do it ourselves in the right way, you know?

Yeah, correct. And that's how businesses grow because now we're able to do all of those stuff. We know how to hire, we know how to fire, we know how to get permits, order materials, set up jobs. We know a full production and we have a phenomenal system in place right now. And our company is able to scale and go through the roof to almost 4 million our first year in June is right around the corner. And we became a massive company because me and her, we had a dream that we both believed in and that we really both wanted. The number one person that is best with your money to trust is your partner. Now, if you can't trust your partner, there's some issues there.

Yeah, you probably shouldn't be with them.

So going to like the first things, what was a challenge for you? The thing is that we both went from, well, I was in the construction world before, but you never were, you were in the serving world. So you had the customer service, but getting into running a company and never dealing with that before, what were the challenges that you first faced?

I think was learning a whole different field of work. That's a whole new industry. A whole new industry, yeah. Even getting on the phone with the insurance company was intimidating in the beginning. I remember that. Or going to get permits, you know, just not knowing what to do. But you taught me a bunch of stuff, and then I had to learn on my own as well. I was just, you know, kind of nervous at first, but now I'm like,

No, you're a pro at it. I'm a pro. So that's the whole thing. It's we weren't scared to go do stuff. And that was a massive. I mean, that was huge with us. We're not scared to go do new things. Me and her, we could go to a restaurant. We could go have fun together and we'll just join people and have an amazing time.

We're not scared to do stuff that other people are scared of going to networking events, meeting new people, getting their ideas, you know, to help us grow.

Would you say that's an extremely important part of running a business is networking?

Oh, 100% networking because someone's always going to know more than you, you know? And if you don't, I like what we do, like surround ourselves with people who, you know, like about business people that can teach us something, you know, that we don't like now.

There's so much knowledge out in the world. You just have to go and ask for it. Exactly. And the people who know all of this stuff and are in the business world, they will give you the advice guys. They don't hide this stuff. If you just go and ask them politely and see how they could help you, they will give you the shit for free. Don't ask for too much. Don't just sit there and nag and nag and nag and ask, but always try to go and surround yourself around where there's business minded people that could give you the advice. Um,

I mean, it's not necessarily always just business people, it's just people with even more experience in something else, you know. That is true. People who are older, people, you know, it's not in just particular one group. Yeah. Like always someone, I feel like a bunch of different people now. Yeah. Different things and it's always good.

And it's always good to have a random conversation with a random person on the street that you don't know.

Exactly, because you never know if they're going to need a roof.

Yeah. And you learn a lot from people that you don't know. Exactly. Right. Because they give you a lot of advice and a lot of stuff that they can. Yeah. So, yeah, there was a lot of challenges with all starting off. But we did it. We got through it.

We're still doing it. We're still learning. We're still figuring things out.

There's still so much stuff to learn. But we're not going to stop. We're going to grow. We're going to be the biggest and best construction company in Chicago. I call my shots. Guarantee you that's going to happen. Yeah, many other states. So now going into challenges, going into giving advice into couples, running a business, it's hard. And a lot of people are scared to go into business with their partner. Because the thing is, is like, I love you. I would never want to lose you. And going into a business, another person might be scared is like, what if this business partnership is going to screw stuff up and we're going to break up?

What if it doesn't?

And you see, that's the whole thing that it holds people back. It's fear. Yeah. Right. It's the fear of thinking, what if, what if, what if, what if the shit works out and becomes extremely good like it did for us, which 99% of the time it does.

I also feel like though, if you look at some more companies that are ran by husband and wife, they're killing it. They're killing it big time. They're killing it together, yeah.

Because the thing is, it's like you guys are building a baby. That's your baby. That's something that you guys are both doing. When you build a house, you build it together. When you build a family, you build it together. You build everything together. And the key to success is working together and loving each other unconditionally. But sometimes it's tough. Sometimes it's... It's very tough. Sometimes it's really tough after.

Yeah. I mean, but it's not like, but it's nice though, because if you're having a hard day during the day, like week I'm home, I don't have to ask you about it because I already know, you know, instead of like, what's wrong, what's wrong. Like, okay, I'll give them a space. Then we can talk about it when you're ready, you know, about what happened, like with a deal or something with a customer or whatever.

The thing is that you guys need to realize something in a relationship. Nothing is about 50-50. That was like the biggest bullshit anybody could ever tell you. Nothing is 50-50 in a relationship. If I come home and I only bring in 10%, she will bring in the 90%. If she comes home with 5%, I'll bring in 95%. You need to realize when your partner had a rough day, don't nag at him, don't complain to him, don't go at him nonstop. Nobody ever, no woman, no man ever in their life wants to come home and be nagged at about stuff. When they just dealt with 50 people and a lot of shit, it's difficult. You know, give them the 80, 90, 70% that they need, and the relationship's awesome. Our relationship is great. I mean, it's phenomenal. We're still super young, we have fun, and we're just a really good couple. Right. So what is some advices that you have for young couples going into business? What would you tell them? How would they start off? What do you think that they would be facing together?

Like just advice I would give them?

Yeah. What advice would you give to a young couple starting off?

Just keep your eye on the angle. Support each other. Support each other no matter what. If you see that your partner's down, don't add to it. And yeah, just do everything together and trust.

Yeah, you were really good at that, the support. You're really good at that, always, you know, always supporting me and everything and believing. That's another thing is you guys need a partner that's going to believe in the shit that you do, because some of the stuff you will fail on and that person can't beat you on it. They need to support you on it and you both need to learn from it.

Yeah, never get a partner that tells you that you can't do that. You can't do that. I would not be able to be with that. Absolutely not. Could you imagine if I told you you couldn't start the company?

Yeah, that'd be... You're miserable. I mean, you're being held back and there is relationships like that. I mean, it's massive out there. They're out there and you know, you could see that the guys are never home. They're drinking, they're partying, they're horsing around and Then, I mean, it goes both ways, though. I don't know why I'm saying guys, because it also goes for a woman, because guys are like that, too. They stop their. What we're trying to tell you guys is your partner should not stop you from anything in your life. Your partner is supposed to be your motivator, your number one sponsor and your number one supporter in your life.

By your side, 100 percent of the way.

Nonstop. What is it? Military together. You form a Don't they say that? Not a military, an army. You're starting your little army in your house. You know, so that's the whole thing.

That's what you're doing with our new salesman.

Yeah, it's a little army. We, uh, we have a really good sales team right now. So we have four salesmen, we have one project manager, and we just hired four new door knockers. So we're going to be at nine employees in the company, four roofing crews, two gutter crews, multiple other crews. Um, we're, we're a pretty big company.

And that's within a year.

And June 1st is going to be our first year. And we have done almost close to $4 million. Probably by June 1st, we'll be at $4 million. That is what we have done together because we believed, we worked, we didn't stop. We knew we both saw the bigger picture in what we were working for. That's why we achieved what we got. Anything else you want to add to that?

No, not today.

So before we go, even if it's a couple, even if it's not a couple, a younger self goes up to you and says, Talena, when I grow up, what advice can I get from you? Do your younger self.

My younger self? Yeah. My younger self and not like.

Oh, did you ever think you would be doing this stuff?

No. Not at all. Never? Uh-uh.

What did you want to be when you were going to grow up?

A cop.

A cop.

Yeah. Yeah, that died pretty quickly because I just realized how hard that job is.

You started going to criminal school?

It was, yeah, in San Diego. But then I realized it wasn't for me. Did you drop out? I did drop out. So we're both dropouts. But I dropped out in November as well. Correct. From December.

Yeah, nursing. Nursing, yeah. So we're both dropouts out of college and we both did it. The thing is, there's nothing wrong with college. I'm not going against it at all. I'm not telling you guys not to go do it. It's your own life. You do it. You don't need school for somebody to tell you to be successful. You don't need school for you to be successful yourself. Would you agree with me?

Yeah, I think some school is good for some kids and I think not some like people who don't go to college. I don't I don't think there's there's people that don't belong in college at all, you know? Yeah. Yeah, that's not wired to be in school.

No cuz When I was in school, I remember my teacher would always say you just you never shut up All you do is talk and you know, they would tell my mom he has ADHD. He has that I Just I can't sit in a desk For eight hours straight listen to one person telling me about something I don't care about or something that I still have not used and I went through 12 years of school and the math that they taught me in 4th, 5th, 6th grade, I'm using right now, the stuff that they taught me in high school, they didn't really use it.

Like what? Y equals MX plus B?

Yeah, I mean, I don't build houses, but it's the whole thing is you don't use these formulas and like I see college students writing down all these notes and everything that they'll never use. You know, to me, college is pointless. I truly believe that because spending $200,000, we spent zero money on starting our business. We had no money when we started our business, we had zero money starting our business, and we blew it massively. So you don't need money to start a business. The way we did it is, I went out, I got a few clients, collected the money, and used that money to just go build jobs, and we didn't get paid on the first jobs. And the final check is what we got paid. So I used other people's money for us to become successful in our company. That's the way we started our company. Zero out of pocket. Spending $200,000 on college, like college is just for basically partying.

Yeah, but I mean, doctors, like I mean, like I would want my doctors to go to college. Yeah, I went to lawyers. Lawyers. Yeah. I mean, college is made for people, some people, but it's not made for all people.

Yeah, a lot of people just, a lot of people don't take it serious. Maybe that's the whole big problem with it.

College? I know I did it.

No, like with people, maybe college isn't the problem. Maybe it's the people going to college is the problem because they're not taking it serious. Amazing. Thank you guys so much for listening to True Mentors podcast. Tune in with us for more advice from me and Talena. Thank you so much. Have a good one. Thank you.

Thanks so much for tuning into this episode of True Mentors. We sure do appreciate it. If you haven't done so already, make sure you're subscribed to the show wherever you consume podcasts. This way you'll get updates as new episodes become available. And if you feel so inclined, please leave us a review. It is how the show grows and how new people find the show. Until next time, friends.