Episode 46 | Anthony Larson | Choosing Growth Over Comfort

In Episode 46 of the Rain Brings Growth Podcast, I sit down with Anthony Larson for a real conversation about pain, growth, and becoming who you were never expected to be.

Anthony shares his childhood and upbringing, and how lifting weights at a young age became his first outlet for discipline and self-belief. We walk through his early adult years, the different jobs he worked, and the winding path that eventually led him into the masonry field.

What started as labor turned into ownership.

Today, Anthony runs a business alongside his wife, and we break down the real learning curves of entrepreneurship, marriage, leadership, and building something from the ground up when there is no blueprint.

We also dive into his weight loss journey and how transforming his body transformed his mindset. That decision ultimately led him into bodybuilding, where he has taken 1st place on stage. This is not just a fitness story. It is a story about identity, discipline, and refusing to stay stuck.

The core theme of this episode is simple: pain creates growth, and growth requires breaking out of the mold your family, environment, or past tried to keep you in.

If you have ever felt boxed in by expectations or afraid to choose a harder path, this episode will resonate.

Episode 46 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:23

Anthony, thanks for coming on, man.

SPEAKER_01 0:25

Yeah, thanks for having me, man. It's like super cool to be in here. You got a cool vibe.

SPEAKER_02 0:31

Yeah, it's been, I don't know, we've tried to coordinate something for a minute. I got sick. You've been busy, just crazy. Finally figured it out.

SPEAKER_01 0:41

The stars of a line. I'm here now. So yeah, dude. I'm excited, man.

SPEAKER_02 0:46

Yeah. Yeah, it's been crazy. It's been, it's uh, it's been cool. Like we were just talking before we turned on the cameras. You know, I I didn't know that you were a bigger dude before. Uh you've gone through like some transformation stuff, and then you didn't know I was a big dude, so it's kind of interesting. How old are you? I'm 32. Okay, so same age too. So that's cool. Yeah. Yeah. Cool, man. Wait, we're the same age? Yeah, I'm 32.

SPEAKER_01 1:08

Oh man, twinning, dude.

SPEAKER_02 1:09

Yeah, I'll be 33 in April.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

So so when did you when did you start your journey? Just out of curiosity. 2023. 2023.

SPEAKER_02 1:17

Stopped drinking in April and then in May, I started working out May 1st. Hired a coach at the end of April and then started May 1st.

SPEAKER_01 1:24

That's cool. We're like similar times then. Because I started like three years ago, and I remember I was just like, because I'd I'd gotten into shape so many times, you know, but when I was younger, I'd get into shape and then I'd be like, all right, cool. And I'd just start pigging out. And then all of a sudden, you know, I just blown up. And I did that literally from high school to late 20s. And then at a certain point, I was like, all right, it's now or never. If you don't just like commit, if you don't just like stay consistent, you're gonna end up like older and be like, damn man, I missed out on all that.

SPEAKER_02 2:01

So yeah, for me, I was like, I just want to leave this in my 20s. Like it was on my it was like I got really drunk on my 30th birthday, and then uh the next day. Well, so my birthday party was like the day before my birthday, and then the next day I turned 30, and um, but that the day before I was just blackout drunk. We were in a couple bays at Top Golf, like spent a few grand. Did you do anything embarrassing? I don't know. I there's no pictures. I I was I keep trying to find some just to like post, but I don't think anybody took any pictures. It was just a fun time. Like, I don't think I did anything crazy. I was definitely drunk.

SPEAKER_00 2:38

Well, that's good.

SPEAKER_02 2:39

But I did get really drunk then. I got really drunk at the like after just my buddy and I were chilling at my house, and I'm just getting drunk. Then I think we drank a bunch of Jack and Coke. We rented that Avatar too, maybe came out, and then so I don't even remember watching that, but that's funny.

SPEAKER_01 2:57

I usually save the avatar if I'm doing something else.

SPEAKER_02 3:01

Yeah. Yeah, no, I just I was just like, well, you know, I hated that feeling, that hangover feeling. So I was like, you know what I mean? I am leaving this in my 30s. Absolutely a week later. I went to a birthday party for a kid's birthday party, and um, I actually had to have my brother that was a recovering alcoholic drive me home because I was just so smash drunk, and I was like, this is kind of messed up to have my brother that's going through recovery, like taking me home. That adds another twist to it. Yeah, so that was like, you know what? I'm uh I'm just done. So I kind of just cold turkey it that day, and then I was like, Well, what else? And then I started working out at the end of that month.

SPEAKER_01 3:45

So So did you well were you like were you like chunkier like throughout your whole life growing up, or was it something that just happened in your 20s?

SPEAKER_02 3:54

No, as a kid I was uh I went through a lot of abuse and starvation from my stepmom, so I didn't really I never gained any weight at all. Like I was 80 pounds and going into high school. Oh wow, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:06

So I you you've done everything then. You've been like super skinny, chunky, and now you're getting all jacked, man.

SPEAKER_02 4:13

Yeah, so I was I didn't gain hardly any weight at all. And then my dad got divorced from her and I chunked up, but I was like a it was a good bulk, like just regular in like a summer. And then uh yeah, so then I just went throughout high school and I was decent weight, nothing crazy at all. And then after high school, I started working in a call center, and uh the call center got me.

SPEAKER_01 4:37

Those call centers will get you, yeah. Notorious, man. I mean, the only thing to get past time is like snacking on something, right?

SPEAKER_02 4:45

Yeah, and they had a cafe inside of the the uh call center too, and I was always just going on my breaks.

SPEAKER_01 4:52

Was it like the thumbprint scanner on those? We used to have one at Winco. It was like a vending machine, and you used to scan your thumbprint, dude, and it was the same for me.

SPEAKER_02 5:02

Really? Yeah, it just comes out of your paycheck or what?

SPEAKER_01 5:04

Yes, I mean it's genius on their part, but you know, it's like you start depending on those snacks throughout your day. You're like, okay, I don't really want to go to work today, but Skittles at noon, you know? So that'll help.

SPEAKER_02 5:18

Well, recently I've been thinking too, like, I've just found out within the last few years that I had a really low testosterone. So I'm like, all this time I didn't feel like I had any energy, so I would just go and eat carbs or something, right?

SPEAKER_00 5:30

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:31

So I was thinking like maybe people should go get their testosterone checked because if they're having low energy and then they just go eat carbs and sugar to try and make up for it. Yeah, they don't even know what the underlying issue is.

SPEAKER_01 5:42

Absolutely. So this is this is interesting because I actually had the same issue with low testosterone, except for me, I've always been like super wired. I mean, I I was just like that annoying kid when I was growing up. I was just like bouncing off the walls, even though I was a little bit more chunky, I just had an abundance of energy and it even still continues today. And I went in and got my blood work because uh Charlie, you know, Charlie Fortik recommended that my coach for my first competition, he recommended that I go get blood work before competing, and I did, and I realized that I had low T2, but it was kind of different from you because I was like, I felt like I was good, like no issues at all. And um, I ended up checking it out, and I think it was like I don't know how they call it, but it was 150. Um, what do they call it? Like nanodeci liters, whatever.

SPEAKER_02 6:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:40

So I had 150 and I was like, holy crap. And then two months after the competition, I was like, I told my blood doctor before like I got my next uh blood panels done, I was like, oh, I'm feeling great. Like for sure the testosterone's gotta be like through the roof. Cause like I felt so good, I was like, ugh, like wanting to put my head through the wall. And uh she's like, Well, you did technically double your testosterone, and I was like, Okay, and then I thought about it and I'm like, okay, simple math, and I'm like, 300. And she was like, Yeah, it was like 317 or something like that. And so the theory right now is that I'm just like uh I guess you would call it a hyper responder. Like she thinks that I've had low testosterone my whole life, and my body's just been used to it and has utilized what I had. So um, it's a little bit different from you, but I I had low T. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:40

So I mean, honestly, I don't think I would have ever thought that I had low energy. I'm just thinking back, like maybe because I mean I had four kids and everything, so there was nothing, there was nothing like saying that I should go get checked or like infertility issues or nothing like that. Like, so I was just like, all right, I just happened to get a blood work check, and they're like, you want to add your testosterone on there? Have you ever checked your testosterone? I was like, Yeah, sure, let's check it. Yeah, and then come to find out, I was like at 170.

SPEAKER_01 8:03

170, dude, you were like me. And actually, I think I'm misremembering too, because I think it's been three blood panels that have had done. So when I was close up to the competition, I got as low as like 51. She said the labs like had to double check it, and you know, so for my first competition, I was uh completely natural and competing against other guys that were on stuff. So um now I'm on the cream though. Like oh really, yeah, and the cream I'm only doing like one click, I don't know what that equivalents out to. But um, I've been on it for one month, dude, and it's been pretty crazy.

SPEAKER_02 8:45

Yeah, my buddy was on that at first because he had to get on it too, and he was doing like the the cream, but then he's got kids as well, and they're like, you have to make sure that you don't accidentally like your kids come and give you a hug or something if you put it on your stomach, like you can't have any contact because it's really transferable. That's really and so he ended up going to the shot too, but it's just easier.

SPEAKER_01 9:05

But that's see, that's the thing. The shot gets me, man. I'm like, oh, I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna poke myself, you know? Yeah, I just have like a I remember one time when I was a kid, I cut cut my finger open and I literally looked at the cut and all of a sudden my vision got all blurry. So I'm like one of those guys. I'm like, if I see a little bit of blood, I'm just like so, you know, needless to say, well, if you poke yourself in the butt, you can't see it.

SPEAKER_02 9:36

So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:37

Honestly, I just have my wife do it. I'd be like, here, you do it. I can't do it.

SPEAKER_02 9:41

That's what my buddy does too. He doesn't do it. I'm like, dude, don't be a pussy, just do it.

SPEAKER_01 9:44

Yeah, I mean, respect, man, but I I just can't do it.

SPEAKER_02 9:49

So, dude, let's uh let's take it back. Like, I don't know much about you besides the gym world, but like where are you from? Where'd you grow up, all that good stuff?

SPEAKER_01 9:57

Okay, well, um I was originally born in Nampa. Um an actual Idahoan. An actual Idahoan. But I moved to Ohio when I was uh like eight years old, you know, going into fourth grade or whatever it was. I lived in Ohio for what'd you guys go out there for? Uh my mom, she actually met a guy. It this was like the first time that online dating was a thing, and so she met this guy out in Ohio, and um, you know, I remember her asking me and my sister, she was like, Hey, I met this guy, like, do you guys would you guys be okay with moving? And you know, I always I always wanted to see my mom happy, so I was like, absolutely, let's move. Um was it just you and your mom? It was me, my mom, and my sister, and my sister's three years behind me. So um single mom though? Single mom. And um, you know, we moved out to Ohio, and that was kind of like my formative years. So I like my memory really starts in Ohio. And um, he was a great guy, the the guy that my mom met. Um, but it's funny because this is where some of my bad eating habits started. Because when I lived out here in Napa, my mom would just feed us nothing but clean food. And um, you know, she met up with his name was Dan, the the dude she met from Ohio. He's a great guy, but he he didn't have any kids of his own. So taking care of us, he was he wasn't the best with food, you know. He would go to easy options, like uh I remember being a kid and we'd go to the mall, and he was super fun, you know. We we do fun things, but we'd go to the food court and he would be like, What do you guys want? And so my mom never did that when I was here, so I'd be like, uh, pizza? Can we have some pizza? And he was like, Yeah. And I remember we'd we'd go to the mall frequently, and um, you know, it started with like one piece of pizza, but it was like it was like the size of a whole plate. Yeah, and yeah, and what ended up happening, you know, I'm a growing boy, is it started going from one piece on one plate to two big pleat pieces, and um we'd do stuff like go to Subway and go to McDonald's, you know, mixing up a foot long with some French fries, and um it kind of got out of control. And I remember for the first time when I was a little kid noticing I was getting fat, and I was like, what the what is going on? You know, and it took me like a couple years, but you start noticing your skinny friends, you know, you start noticing that you get a little bit of shit for, you know, having a little bit of pudge, little little bit of uh boobies, you know. Um, so that all started in Ohio, and um in a way it's weird because I'm kind of thankful for it because I've been on this fitness journey for a while, and it all started like back then at that moment. It took me like being uncomfortable with my body to understand that I wanted to get better, and so um that was the start, and I ended up moving back out here to Idaho, I think it was eighth grade year, and I remember I started playing sports here. You know, I was playing in Ohio too, and I just started doing pretty good. And I moved out here and I was doing good too. And I remember the one thing that bothered me is like I was just still overweight. So um there was just one, there was one summer where I went back to Ohio to visit because I I was living out here with my grandparents, and I went back to Ohio one summer, and I was like, you know what? When I get back, I want to be I want to be better. And it was the weirdest thing. I was a little kid. I don't know what it was that drove me to do it. I think it was just feeling insecure, you know. I was tired of feeling that way. Um, I didn't feel like my exterior matched my interior. So um I spent a whole summer just going out to this field because my uh mom was still with her ex-husband now. Um, but they lived, it was like one block away from the school, so it was really close. And I remember I'd wake up every morning, I'd go out there, and I there was this field, and I'd run around this field, and I just had a hoodie on. I actually put a couple hoodies on because I'm I don't know, I was just crazy. And um, I'd have my sister come out, and uh, I was still a pudgy kid, you know. I I I don't even know how much I weighed, I was just pudgy. Um, but I'd do what I could, you know, and my sister would hold my feet while I did pull-ups. And I remember I could only do like five, six pull-ups with her assisting me. Um, but I'd run around the field, I'd do the pull-ups, I'd have her help me with some football drills. And that was the first summer that I ever like got into shape. And uh I didn't know what to do as far as eating, I didn't know what to do as far as working out. I just did what I could. And as far as the food, I remember it just being tuna fish on a piece of wheat bread with lettuce, and I'd eat that every time I was hungry. That's all I would do. I didn't know anything else, that's what I do. And I'd be like, don't eat for fun, just eat when you're hungry. And so that was like my first uh stint at you know, eating healthy, striving to be better. So it was it was interesting.

SPEAKER_02 15:50

How long did that go on for? Like that whole summer or yeah, that whole summer.

SPEAKER_01 15:55

Man, I remember coming back uh to Idaho and everyone was like, what the heck happened to you? And that was like that feeling is addictive when you get recognition for the work that you put in, and uh for the first time ever, you know, I felt like my exterior really matched what I felt like inside. So, of course, that being the first moment, I was like, man, I think this is gonna be who I am. So, you know, all through high school, I just focused on lifting weights, and it was something I really loved all through high school. Um, but then when I when I got out of high school, that's where I kind of drifted away. And that's because I had to focus on grinding with the business that me and my wife have, you know, so I had to go away from it for like a decade, and it was three years ago where I was like, okay, you know, you got the house, you got the vehicle, you got a stable life, now's the time to do it, you know, because that same feeling I had when I was a little kid and I was chunky, I was getting that same feeling again. And I was like, I I just didn't want to have any regrets, you know what I mean? That thing, those things that you want inside, I feel like if you ignore them, it can be really, really a bad thing because we only have this one life, you know. So I didn't want to take take that for granted. I didn't want to end up with regrets. And three years ago, I was like, fuck it, man. I'm gonna I'm gonna start this grind again.

SPEAKER_02 17:34

Yeah. So what'd you do in high school? Did you you said you played sports in high school then too? Yeah, yeah. It was uh Where'd you go to high school?

SPEAKER_01 17:42

Bora. Okay. Bora. Where'd you go?

SPEAKER_02 17:45

Uh I went to Columbia, Meridian, and then I went to Utah for a year, and then came back and did Meridian, and then yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:52

Holy cow.

SPEAKER_02 17:53

I went to three different high schools in four years.

SPEAKER_01 17:56

Holy cow, man.

SPEAKER_02 17:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:58

How was that? I mean, that's always like getting to know new people, you know, that can be tough sometimes.

SPEAKER_02 18:04

Yeah, it was interesting because here in Idaho, ninth grade is high school, so I did Columbia at ninth grade, and then my dad got a divorce, and then I went to Utah to live with my mom. I wanted to live with my mom, but had to come back. My mom ended up getting custody of me during my 10th grade year, but I had already started at Meridian, did like a half year at Meridian, and then she got custody of me like in February of the following year. So then I finished in Utah at Riverton High School, and then I did all my 11th grade year in Riverton High School, but then in about January of my uh was it junior year, is when I started dating my wife. And so she lived up here, she was still going to Columbia High School, and so I told my mom, I was like, I know you got custody of me and everything, but I want to go back to Idaho now. I want to be closer to my girlfriend. Wow, and uh so then I came back and finished up in Meridian and I told my dad, I was like, I wanna I wanna get on the golf team. And he's like, You've never played golf before in your life. He's like, you know how hard it is? Like, that's one of the hardest sports to just to pick to play. So he's like, if you want to do it, then that's cool. But um so he got me into like during that winter leading up to my senior, I guess it would have been like the fall, but he uh got me into like golf lessons and stuff at golf galaxy and got me good enough. And I got on the JB team, played a couple games on JV, and then uh finished out the rest of the year on on uh varsity.

SPEAKER_00 19:29

Nice man.

SPEAKER_02 19:30

That was cool. I mean, it's it wasn't like we were eagle high school, like a great golf team or anything, but you know, I hey man, varsity is varsity. Yeah, so I got I got a letter in golf during high school, so that was cool.

SPEAKER_01 19:42

But that's badass, man. Respect for that. I mean, especially when you're young to have the patience to go through golf. Yeah, that's impressive.

SPEAKER_02 19:50

Yeah, it was interesting because like looking back at like the health side of it, he had he was married to a chick that she was really health conscious, and I was like just so against anything health, dude. Yeah, like she was wanting to eat like just healthy, organic.

SPEAKER_01 20:06

Oh, so she was the evil one. You were like she's so boring, man.

SPEAKER_02 20:10

Yeah, I would be eating like brick and like uh you know cereal and like big ass bowls, and she's like, that's not a cereal bowl, you know. And I'm like, and I already had like a bad experience with a stepmom, so I'm sure I'm sure I was probably already rebellious against her. I didn't want to take anything she was telling me. But uh it's interesting because like then my dad got a divorce from her, like after I had already graduated high school, but um then my dad was single, and then we were just going out to eat a lot. I lived with him, I moved back into his house because he had an empty house, and he was kind of on the road a lot, so he's like, just live at my house. But then when he was home, like we would go and eat, like you know, we would always go out to eat and stuff, and I just didn't have the right eating habits, and yeah, and then I started working at a call center that didn't help at all. Yeah, added on to everything else. Plus, I was in my partying phase, so I was drinking a lot. Gosh, you know, drinking comes with like tacos and all the other stuff to try and soak up the fat, right? Like you making your Jack in the Box taco runs or like Jack in the Box.

SPEAKER_01 21:08

We we all know about Jack in the Box, man. That's always the late night go-to.

SPEAKER_02 21:13

Yeah, so but yeah, so I that was the only part about like going to four different high schools or three different high schools in four years, is like you can't really get in any of those classes other than like the intro because I was never there long enough.

SPEAKER_03 21:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:28

Consecutively, I was never I guess I guess Riverton was was the longest I was ever out of high school, and that was like 14 months.

SPEAKER_01 21:38

How did that affect you going to that many high schools? Did do you think that affect you?

SPEAKER_02 21:44

Well, it was interesting because in Idaho that was you're so I go to ninth grade and I'm the low man on the totem pole.

SPEAKER_00 21:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:50

And then I go to Utah in tenth grade, it's only tenth, eleventh, twelfth is high school.

SPEAKER_00 21:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:55

So then I go to tenth grade and uh again, I'm the l low man on the totem pole. So I see.

SPEAKER_00 22:00

I see.

SPEAKER_02 22:00

It was kind of interesting, but uh no, I mean whatever.

SPEAKER_01 22:03

I I don't think it affected me too much, but I mean you'd think it would help you be a little bit more social, but I know I know sometimes I've heard people say that they have, you know, negative effects because you you lose some of the friends that you were close to, you know.

SPEAKER_02 22:18

Well, I never had friends when I was in high school or anything like that. Was part of the thing with my stepmom just she was abusive in multiple ways, but one of the ways was that I couldn't ever leave the house. Uh huh. So I never had friends. So yeah, ninth grade I never had friends. So it wasn't really anything there. So then when I went to Utah, I mean my life, my childhood really started in tenth grade from like second grade till ninth grade was just hell. So wow. I mean, I never really I I guess I never really got the friend experience until 10th grade. But then I mean, one of my buddies that I have now I met in my senior year of high school, and we're still like close buddies.

SPEAKER_01 22:56

So man, that's awesome. I mean, the fact that you're with your wife still, too. I mean, that's a that's a rarity.

SPEAKER_02 23:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:03

Marrying your high school sweetheart.

SPEAKER_02 23:05

I actually met her in eighth grade. Wow. We didn't talk in eighth grade, but I was dating her um her her friend. I dated her friend for like a week or something. The the middle school relationships. Yeah, that's so funny. But then uh, yeah, so that was that was it. But but yeah, I actually like I knew of her in eighth grade. I dated her actually for a week in ninth grade, had my buddy break up with her on the bus. You know, just like that.

SPEAKER_01 23:33

Like I loved that. The telling the friends to do the dirty work for you. That was the go-to move, man, in middle school for sure.

SPEAKER_02 23:42

And then the summer between junior and uh no, is it sophomore in junior year? Like six months before we started dating, we went to warp tour. I went with her and her cousin, and her cousin thought I was gay.

SPEAKER_00 23:55

Like, I so what was going on with you in high school?

SPEAKER_02 23:58

I guess I was wearing like a purple Vans off-the-wall t-shirt or something that I got there. So yeah, I guess, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:04

So man, if it was pink, it would have been even worse, man. Right?

SPEAKER_02 24:07

Yeah. It's funny though, because I did have a pink cast. One time I broke my wrist, but that was back in the days. Like, I legitimately thought I was gonna be a pimp when I grew up, so I thought like pink is pimp and like all this stuff. Like, it's bad because if you go to my mom's house, there's like there's she's got a character wall of all of her kids and grandkids and stuff, and like mine was from eighth grade, and we went down to Vegas, and the dude's like, What do you want me to draw you as? I'm like, give me that, give me that pimp hat, give me the like dollar chain. Like, I I remember back in my space, my profile or my like back, my background was like uh the pimp cup and everything. Like, I legitimately thought it was gonna be a pimp, and now I've only been with my wife my whole life.

SPEAKER_01 24:46

So the friend the friend thought you were a gay because you were pimping too hard. I guess I guess that's kind of like Cat Williams, right? Yeah, dude.

SPEAKER_02 24:55

I I mean that was a big I was just watching Cat Williams so much. I was just all into that pimping and I was like, Yeah, man.

SPEAKER_01 25:01

I love what's that comedy special that he did where he's just drenched in sweat. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about? I don't know what the name of it is.

SPEAKER_02 25:09

Like, it's cool to get highs and high, cool to get high and eat all your kids' cereal or something like that, you know.

SPEAKER_01 25:14

Yeah, uh man, he had everyone in that one. That was like I remember seeing LeBron James in there, and I was from Ohio, so you know, every time I saw LeBron James, I was like, oh hell yeah, hell yeah. Yeah, but no, that's funny.

SPEAKER_02 25:26

That's so who's the who's the goat? You go LeBron James or Michael Jordan.

SPEAKER_01 25:35

You know, I'm gonna always have to go with LeBron, even though him leaving to go to LA, man, that was that was like soul crushing. It was already bad enough that he went to Miami that first time, but when he went to LA, I was like, son of a bitch, man. But you know, he brought he brought the city a championship. So, but I mean, in terms of just being a good player, I like come on, all around it's LeBron James. And I I I fucking love Michael Jordan, man. I I used to be a little kid saying he was my uncle. That's what my family told me is I used to walk around telling people he was my uncle. So it's not like I don't love Michael Jordan, but like if I'm just looking at it pretty unbiased, like if I was forming a team, right, and I wanted a team that would win. Am I taking LeBron James in his prime or Michael Jordan in his prime? I'm not saying it's an easy decision, but I'm going LBJ all the way. I mean, you can play point, you got a guy, I mean, shit, you could even put him on center, I'm sure, against certain teams, but you know, he's just he's all around, man.

SPEAKER_02 26:43

I think it's interesting that they don't even put like Kobe in the mix.

SPEAKER_01 26:47

Yeah, why do you think that is?

SPEAKER_02 26:49

Just like I don't like I like statistic wise, I'm not a big like basketball person, but like I'm more of a mindset person, and I think Kobe's got that thing going that he got more popular once he died. Yeah, unfortunately. But just from everything I've seen on that guy, and like always being the first one to practice, last one to leave, like yeah, just that mentality, and I don't even it just like he'll pop his own finger back in, then you look at like LeBron and he's a little baby.

SPEAKER_01 27:15

So if you're going mentality, I'm I'm right there with you, dude. Yeah, like I And he only stayed on one team his whole life. That dude, so I mean that's what I was about to say. I I really when I was a kid looking at sports players, I like that loyalty to your team, like we're ride or die, like we're gonna win or we're gonna lose. You know, that was really respectable, but I liked how the old competition was. You know, I can't even watch the NBA anymore because it's like these guys, you know, they're making so much money, and I don't really blame them, but they just don't really care. It's like, what what club am I going to after this? And you can feel that when you watch it, and so it's just not the same. I liked it better when it was like, you know, you felt that competition. Even in the all-star games, it's not the same.

SPEAKER_02 28:00

I don't honestly, I don't know, even a big sports person, like professional sports. I used to try and really be, and I say like I tried because I wasn't really into football before, but then my buddies were all doing the fantasy football and everything, and then they're like, you should get in it with us. And I was just kind of like, you know, it's people what people are doing in the office kind of thing, like I'll get in. But then I got addicted, dude, and I realized how much time I was spending on it, and I'm like, why do I care so much? I'm spending like 12 plus hours a week between I had red zone, so that's like eight hours a day, plus Sunday night football, plus Monday night, plus Thursday night, whatever. Like, I'm spending all this time, and I could be using these 12 to 15 hours to better my own life, but I care about somebody else's name on my back. Like, what am I doing?

SPEAKER_01 28:42

That's well, I mean, it took me, I think I was into basketball up until 2016, and ever since then, I'm not into sports because I felt the same way. I'm like, why am I rooting for this dude? Like, I'm a grown man and I'm gonna root for this other grown man. Like, I need to live my own life, man, instead of watching other people live theirs. And that's not to throw shade at people who enjoy sports, you know. I get it, it's fun, but when you look at the time that you're wasting watching it, you know, especially if you're getting into the betting stuff, it's like you waste a lot of time and you don't get that time back, man. Yeah, you just don't.

SPEAKER_02 29:22

Yeah, I mean, that's I mean, especially when you start doing something like you say 10 years ago is probably when you started your business in, right? Like six 2016. So yeah, it's like when you especially when you want to build something else, why are you trying to worry about somebody else's franchise or like, oh, it's my team? It's like really what kind of a roadship stake do you got in this company, bud?

SPEAKER_01 29:39

Yeah, exactly. Your team? Exactly. I remember I actually, you know, it was when the Golden State and the Cavs were in the finals. I remember we were at this bar and I was kind of getting into it with these other people. It was playful, it wasn't like anything uh malicious, but I remember we were like going back and forth, and I had like this self-reflection moment where I was like, what am I doing? Like taking ownership over this thing that's not has nothing to do with me. Yeah, you know, it's just silly.

SPEAKER_02 30:09

And I have nothing against like people wanting to watch their teams or like um enjoying, like, but if it's like consuming your life, if anything in in your life is consuming you, like politics or sports or anything that you can't actually physically control yourself, like why are you spending so much of your time on something that doesn't matter? Like, yeah, it's like politics, like it does matter, but you can't control it. Yeah, like sports, it really doesn't matter in your life at all, unless you're like betting a shit ton, which you probably like.

SPEAKER_01 30:41

There might be some issues with that too if you're doing that too much.

SPEAKER_02 30:44

Yeah, so if you're doing that, then like but I mean, if you're just like the casual player that's watching so much, and it's if you could tell me every stat of a team, but you can't tell me like how you're gonna grow your retirement fund or like what you're gonna do in the next 20 years to better the life of you and your kids, but you could tell me everything about a freaking team that you don't even have any ownership in, like, I think maybe we gotta recheck our priorities.

SPEAKER_01 31:05

There's probably a problem there, yeah. Yeah, time to time to grow up, and you know, that that sort of thing. I mean, I see a lot of people who don't recognize those time guzzlers, you know, and I don't I you seem to be similar in this regard, but even with video games, when I look at how much time they took away, like as much as I love them, I have to get rid of the things that aren't really doing anything for me to invest in the things that will do something for me, because if I don't, then the future me is gonna be in pain, you know? The pain of regret, the pain of what if.

SPEAKER_02 31:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:46

I mean, that's a pain that I don't want to end up with, you know?

SPEAKER_02 31:49

Yeah, dude, video games was a big one for me, and I wasn't ever like a big video game person, but um I broke my collarbone in 2020 during uh just I went on snowboarding up a tamarack. Uh and uh it was like three days before they announced COVID shutdowns. So I broke my collarbone on like I don't know, like it was March 16th or something. I think March 20th they had announced a COVID and everything locked down. I had my surgery, I think the day was that they announced lockdown. And um so then I'm just like I went and I bought an Xbox and like just put up some unrageous amount of hours during lockdown. I wasn't working, everything was locked down. Um Warzone had just come out like the first time that it came out, so that extended. Then you could play like cross-platform, so there's people I've never been able to play with before. Actually, I think I was just playing on PS4 later that year. I I bought an Xbox, but um because I had got so into it. Yeah, but it's crazy because it shows you like your count of hours, and it was just an astronomical number. It was crazy, man. Like I was spending probably 12 to 14 hours a day on average, like sometimes it was more. Got to a point where I told my wife, like on her birthday, like order pizza in because I'm playing video games, like yeah. Crazy, man. Like it was terrible taking over.

SPEAKER_01 33:13

Well, that's good that you could recognize that though. I think you know, something I see a lot is people like to lie to themselves, you know. They they don't look at an issue because they they don't want to do the work in fixing it, right? And um, so that's good that you were able to recognize that. I think I think being able to hold yourself accountable is one of the most valuable skills you can have in this day and age, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 33:43

Yeah, I just didn't like the way it was going, but uh, you know, something had to change. So so you get out of high school, what did you want to do? Like, did you know that you were gonna do what you were gonna do, like in the masonry stuff, going out of high school or I didn't know it was masonry. Um, but anyway, what were you gonna add on to the end of that? Sorry, I cut you off. No, I just yeah, like what did what did you do out of high school? Like what do you where'd you go? Do you go to college or anything?

SPEAKER_01 34:07

No, college was I mean, grades were really they were really a tough thing for me. I even even into my adulthood, I used to have nightmares about not turning in assignments and stuff because I just would never do homework, you know. And I do I do pretty good on my quizzes and my tests, and that's kind of what kept my grades afloat. Um, but you know, I I wasn't able to play in my junior year in football because of grades. And I in Ohio, I remember I had problems with grades, and one of my coaches actually got in trouble because he he tried convincing the teacher to give me another chance to pass because I had failed by just under a percentage point. And um, you know, he ended up complaining to the principal about what the coach had done, and I felt bad because the coach was looking out for me, but um, you know, my grades, they my grades were a huge issue, so no college for me. And but I knew once I got out of high school, I had a plan, and this is why I think I really didn't care about school, is because I knew I was gonna get into the trades. I had had family members, um, you know, my my aunt's husband, he he had a framing business, and uh he's an interesting guy, but I I definitely respected that he he grinded and he created a good life for him and his family, and that was really admirable. And uh my grandpa had a buddy who had his own business, and I remember when we'd go over to his house, I'd be like, Holy shit, this fucking house, you know, this is amazing. And so early on, it just I had it in my brain. I was like, I'm gonna go into owning a business. I didn't really know how, um, but I knew that's what I was gonna do. So straight out of high school, I think I worked a couple jobs that I really didn't want to. Um I did Winco. I worked in the warehouse at Winco. That was a crazy experience.

SPEAKER_02 36:15

Um by the airport?

SPEAKER_01 36:16

Yeah. Yeah. Yep. And um that was really tough for me because I just didn't have discipline at that time in my life. I was partying, I was doing things that I shouldn't be doing, and um, you know, so I ended up because the way out of high school, you're a big partier. Yeah, yeah. I mean pretty bad. Pretty bad. And I think there was just like this, there was this huge epidemic in high school, and it's a little uncomfortable to talk about, but you know, I'll be open about it. Is there was like a a bad opioid epidemic that really swept throughout like our school, and um, you know, people just had all these pills and stuff, so everyone was starting to do them, and I even, you know, partaked in that, and um it just led to some issues in life, and you know, working at Winco, that was during the time that I was doing all this stuff, and um Yeah, I remember that.

SPEAKER_02 37:18

I mean, I feel like that was at our high school too.

SPEAKER_01 37:21

Really?

SPEAKER_02 37:22

That's yeah, was that is that the same as Molly? I don't know. I never did like any of the party drugs. Yeah, is that is that like the opioid? I'm not sure. I just remember Molly was a big thing back when I was in high school.

SPEAKER_01 37:34

Yeah, Molly was great for the raves, you know. Like everyone, everyone did the Molly for the Raves, so that's definitely I'd do that, but it was kind of like whatever was available, people would do, you know. So um, yeah, it was just like uh that's when house parties were still a thing. Yeah, man, that was can't say that it wasn't fun, but you know, the thing is, is you start to see that people form addictions around that, and I'm thankful that um my mind, like when I realized I was spending more money than I needed to and all this, I snapped out of it and it it took me getting fired from Winco, which was really that was really hard. Um, and it had nothing to do with the drugs. Well, other than the fact that I could have been a better person, I guess. So I I guess I can't say it had nothing to do with it, but um were you just like accruing like absences and stuff like that from partying or what? They have a point system, yeah. They have a point system, so um, when you make a mistake or something, you get a point. And I was the first person to reach 100% on my orders. So I was definitely like good at what I did, but I just kind of didn't I didn't give a fuck. I was like, dude, I don't really even like this job. And I remember my grandparents, you know, they were they were riding for me and they were like, man, this is people retire early from this job. And I was like, I know, but it's not really what I want to do. They wanted you to have a stable job. Yeah. And so I just think I didn't, I wasn't into it. You know what I mean? And so I'd do my orders, but it was so boring. I mean, you'd wake up, I I I remember I'd wake up at like three in the morning to go into work, they'd have you at call on call. So a lot of times you'd get a call at like one, two in the morning, and you'd have to be ready to go into work. And uh, I think they're just weed out who's gonna be a good person for the company and who's not. And I remember the last mate mistake that I made is they have on your machine, they have a little device that recognizes if you hit something, and um it was it was I was really kind of upset because I'd gone over a crack on the floor and it caused my machine to stall. And um that was kind of the last strike for me, and I didn't think anything was hap gonna happen, but they ended up letting me go. And um that was really a wake-up call because I was like, I wasn't ready for it to be done because it was good money, but that's really where I was like, fuck man, I gotta, I gotta start, um, I gotta start acting better for sure. How long did you work there? Let's see. Was that like straight out of high school? You went there? It was like straight out of high school, and I think I worked there it was like three months or something. And um after that I went and framed with my aunt's husband, and um we're we're both we're both stubborn individuals, so um that didn't last super long because he wanted me to just pick up trash, and I remember I started to help the guys do cuts and stuff, and he pulled up one day and he like sent me a text and he was like you need to be just picking up trash. And I was like, I already picked up all the trash, man. I'm I'm doing cuts and I'm not asking you for more pay. So um being the way that we both were, I just got fucking pissed and I was like, you know, fuck this. I threw around some trash for like an hour, called my grandma, and I said, I'm done. So that was that was the framing stint, and I I think we I'd done it for like a month, and uh that was that. Then I worked at Winco, or I mean not Winco, uh Wahoos, and oh gosh, I couldn't do that for super long because you know I'm the kind of person that I want to get a task done and then move on to the next thing. Um, and so I'd be cleaning all the arcade games in the room, and I'd go up to them and I'd be like, all right, I'm done, what's next? And they'd be like, Well, nothing right now, so you gotta go do it again. And um, just being in that kind of environment, I was like, okay, I can't do this long. And um yeah, it was after Wahoos that I actually started doing tile and I did tile for this uh this guy, his name was Isaac. Um, he was a small tile company, and you know, that was that was a good experience. He taught me a lot, and I remember like after a month of doing tile, I took on random jobs on my own. Um, just because there was people who said, Do you know who someone who does tile? And uh I was like, I do it, and uh so I took on some jobs like a month out, and that was that was an interesting experience.

SPEAKER_02 42:37

Yeah, what happened?

SPEAKER_01 42:38

Uh okay. Well, so I did this tile bathroom for this guy, and um he was kind of like he was kind of trying to take advantage of me, but I did a perfect set on the whole floor, and I didn't understand a lot when I was younger, but I I'd watched my boss, I knew how to set a level floor. But this guy, he put a laser, he put it on his door threshold, and it was crooked on the tile. So he was telling me that my tile was crooked, but my measurements from his bathtub to the grout joints, it was all even. So I had it even for the room, but I didn't know how to answer his question when he was like, Why is it crooked on the threshold? I didn't know enough then. So I was like, Oh, I don't know. And I inherently took on the the problem. I was like, oh, I'm sorry, you know, but I didn't realize it's like door thresholds can be slightly crooked. You know, that's like a normal thing for wood to warp or twist a little bit. And um, it had nothing to do with the quality of the floor. And I remember I finished the floor for him and I'd called him like a couple times after that, and it'd been a couple weeks, and I sent him a text finally, and I'm like, hey man, you know, just wondering when you're gonna pay. And uh he sent me a text, or I think he gave me a call and he was like, You know, Anthony, you're a good kid. I think I'm gonna pay you. And I was like, Oh, okay. You you were planning on not paying me. So um that was an interesting experience. But, you know, all those little things you just learn from, right? Yeah, stupid tax. Yeah, yeah, stupid tax. Gosh, have I paid an abundance to that tax? Um, so yeah, and uh I remember I worked with that guy in tile. I I worked with him for like a year and a half, it was really solid. And I'd ended up moving in with this one girl, um, and I was doing the tile, and everything was great, but I had a vehicle that was run down, so that it was like a ticking time bomb. I knew it was gonna like fail on me soon, so I tried to avoid driving too much, and um one day this perfect storm happened to where um he had a wife and she'd occasionally come on the job site, and she was we we had a good dynamic, but when she was mad, she'd be very unpleasant. And I think sometimes being on the job site wasn't her favorite, so she didn't like when she was on the job site, so she'd get an attitude. And I'd work with this guy all the time, you know. Me and him were like bros. And I remember one day she came in and I was grouting the shower, and she was like, You're grouting too sloppy, you're grouting too sloppy. And I'm like, You're never here. I do this all the time with Isaac, and we always do a great job. And so I got really mad at her and I was like, Tanya, listen, if you don't like the way I do it, you can leave. And um, I don't know if I should name drop so much, but um, she didn't like that. That was like kind of the first time I stood up for myself as a young man. And uh I remember I was really, really mad, and I was expecting, you know, my boss to like have my back because he knew I did good quality work. And uh he didn't talk to me, I didn't talk to him, and I was like, all right, we're gonna not talk, fine. And so he would give me a drive to the job, I would drive to his house, we'd go to the job site, and I remember the drive home, we said nothing, nothing to each other. And um I went home that night and I was super mad, but I was like, whatever, I'll come, I'll come back the next day and I'm sure we can hash it out. And I went to his house and he had already left to go to work, and so he left without me. And so I was like, oh. And so he I never even talked to him. That was like we that was the last of all of it, you know. So that's how it ended. And I remember I was really hurt because I was working for a low wage, but I had grinded for a year and a half to like help his company grow, and it had grown. Um, so that was a really hard moment. And uh I remember going back to that little basement I was living in with that girl, and uh that there were some issues with that situation as well. And I remember going, okay, well, I have a Buick that's gonna break down on me anytime. My boss just left for work. I can sit here and I can feel really sad for myself, or I can just do something. And I remember it took me like an hour, two hours, and then I decided to go in the Buick, which was a huge move because that thing broke down a month later. So um it was a huge move to do that because I knew driving on it was just such a gamble. Um, but I went down to Tile Outlet, and it was the place my boss had gone to get some work here and there, and so they'd sub him out to get some work done when they had too much on their plate. And I went to them and I was like, hey, I'll work for this rate, you're gonna get a better deal because you don't have to pay him anymore. And um, you know, pay me this rate, and I'm ready to I'm ready to go. I'll be ready tomorrow. And uh the guy who owned the place, he was like, Oh, I don't know, this feels really uncomfortable. And I'm like, hey, he left me, he left me without even saying anything, so there's no guilt. Like he made this decision, so it is what it is, and so they were like, Okay, we'll give you a job. We'll give you a job. We want to see how you set, and if you set well enough, then we'll hire you. And so my set was it was good enough to get hired, and they hired me on after I did this like diamond set backsplash, and I did a shower, and they were like, Okay, you know what you're doing. So got that job there, worked there for about another year. Did you ever hear from your boss? No, no, you want to know the funniest thing ever, too? I live in this neighborhood. Uh I live in this neighborhood, it's a brand new neighborhood, and I'm proud of the house that me and my wife live in. We worked really hard to get there, and he moved into the neighborhood, and he literally lives in the same neighborhood as me. And uh you know the models of CBH, right? You have like the top model, which is like a Milano, and then you have like the lower models, you know, it's a square footage thing. Yeah, yeah. Um I don't want the to come off this to come off the wrong way, but I found it interesting that we're living in the Milano, and he's living in the lowest version of the houses that they have there. And it's just something that I took away, and I was like, I was like, to me, you know, it's funny. It's funny. You left me, now I'm living in a big model house, and you're living in the smaller. I don't want to come off the bad way, but you know, I felt really hurt. I gave everything to that guy, and so it's just funny to see where it's at now. Yeah, you know, it's like I I I don't know if you'd say karma, but it's like funny how things ended up, you know. And uh him and his wife ended up separating, so you know, it's just funny how things work out sometimes.

SPEAKER_02 50:36

She probably took half its way in a little smaller house.

SPEAKER_01 50:38

Yeah, yeah. And it's unfortunate, man, because I was ready to grow his company. You know, I had no intentions of I remember when I started out with him, he had promised me a certain wage. And when I I was like, okay, and I left, I left my job. Oh, I was working at Blimpy. I worked at Blimpy for like a three-month stint, and uh, that's where I met his wife, which then introduced me to the tile work. And so when she said that he needed someone, I just quit Blimpy's and I was like, I'm ready. And I remember that made them uncomfortable because he's kind of a more careful guy, you know. Growth, I think, so scares him a little bit. Yeah, and so I remember he was like scared to take me on, so they had to lower my wage because you know it just needed to be more comfortable for him. He didn't give me a raise until like a year in. And then when he did give me a raise, it was like the wage that I was promised in the beginning, but I was still riding with that guy, you know. I really, I really respected him, and um, you know, he was a good family man. I think that's what that made me um respect him a lot because I was like, I love that. I love that shit, man, when you're about your family, when you take care of things that need to be taken care of. So, you know, in a lot of ways I looked up to him and it was really, it was really a hard thing to have him just leave and not even talk to me, you know.

SPEAKER_02 52:02

Yeah, it's interesting because like in the moment it probably really sucked, but looking back, that was probably like the biggest godsend that like that happened and that you got into a fight with his wife because it there's probably a lot of things that didn't line up if you would have still to this day been working for that dude.

SPEAKER_01 52:16

Yeah, dude, you're a thousand percent right. And honestly, that that has changed my perspective with anything hard that happens in life. I think if you can rewire your brain when something hard happens to be like, okay, what it what like for me, it's like what is God trying to show me right now? Like, I don't look at those bad moments as oh man, poor me, poor I I look at it now as like there's a direction that God's pushing me. Yeah. And so I I take every like intense failure, I take the positives from it, and I leave out the negatives. And that's how I that's how I live my life now, and it's thanks to that situation, yeah, you know?

SPEAKER_02 53:03

Yeah, it's like imagine it's like God like just grabbing a little kid by the shoulders, like, uh-uh, let's go this way, you know. Yeah, let's let's nope. Yeah, like, but I want to go this way. Uh let's go this way. You don't want to go that way, you know.

SPEAKER_01 53:13

Yeah, absolutely. And sometimes you're so in love with the the little box that you're in, but it's like, hey, there's this open pasture of flowers and stuff, you know, and you're living in this little box. I'm trying to show you that there's way more.

SPEAKER_02 53:29

Well, I've been reading the Bible, and like the the common theme in the story is like God's never gonna push you in a direction that's comfortable. Yeah. So like He's never gonna be like, oh, this is an easier way, go this way.

SPEAKER_01 53:42

You know, that's interesting because um, you know, we're we're we're we're gym goers, we lift right. How how do you build muscle? You have to go through a certain amount of pain, right? Yeah, you know, it pain quite literally is the catalyst for things that are better, you know, pain leads to something. So I I look at pain now way differently. I look at it as growth, even in even in things in your personal life that aren't in the gym. And that's been proven to be true for me almost a hundred percent of the time when you feel that pain.

SPEAKER_02 54:20

Yeah. So what'd you do after after uh you got that job then for a year and a half lying the tile?

SPEAKER_01 54:28

Um, so what had happened, there was another transition moment, right? The roommate that I was living with, um she was a good person. I think she, you know, you're young, right? And I think she envisioned something else from us living together when I looked at us as just friends. Um, and there were some issues, you know, that we had, but inevitably it just wasn't a good spot. And it got to a point where we didn't like being around each other. And it was around this time that I was experiencing all this um this tension in life that I sought out relief. And I sought out relief in going to party with my friends, and I was out in Nampa, they were out in Boise, and so I my Buick had died on me, and the company was letting me use their truck, and so you know, it was they were awesome. I I have nothing but positive things to say about, you know, uh tile outlet, they were great to me. Um, and me being a young kid, I made a stupid mistake because one night I went out to to downtown Boise and I um went out drinking with my buddies and stuff, and I had taken the truck and everything. The company truck? The company truck, and um one night we got so drunk that I had no idea where the truck was that I parked downtown because I parked it downtown as we started the night, and then we ended up walking home because we were so close to the house in downtown. Um and uh the next day I was like, I don't know where the truck is, I don't know where the truck was. So my solution was to try and um report a missing vehicle so that I could get it back, and I was trying to do it without alerting them, but being young and stupid, I didn't realize that they have to contact the owner of the vehicle, you know. I'm not the owner of the vehicle, but I still wanted to do what was right because I didn't want to lose the vehicle or have it like towed or something, and I was worried that it was towed. Um, and I had a couple friends drive me downtown. We couldn't find it anywhere, so um, inevitably they ended up finding it, but they had to contact Tile Outlet and let them know that your their work truck was lost, and so I had already hit someone with that truck, and they covered for me on that, and so it was like the last straw, you know. I lost it downtown, and I I remember Dan, he was a great dude. He was like, He's like, You have me in a tough position, man. He's like, you know, you just hit someone a few weeks ago, and now you lose the truck downtown. And I think again, I was just seeking relief because the the situation I w was in was so uncomfortable. And so it was crazy. This is like this is like to me a crazy God moment because he had to let me go. And at that time, um the the friend that I had uh downtown Boise, he ended up going to jail at the same time I lost my job from Tile Outlet. So I was able to move into the place that he was living, because my other buddy, he was like, I need someone living here, I can't afford this on my own. And and I think he could have afforded it, but you know what I mean. He needed some assistance paying it, and so it just happened to open up that I could move into that place as I was gonna get kicked out of that place, you know, because the girl didn't want me there, and she was God, she was so vicious, and um, you know, I just wasn't so you know, it all worked out. It all worked out, and I ended up moving to downtown Boise, and uh I remember I was so thankful to my buddy um who let me live with him that I I gave him like a week's worth of free labor because he he worked in the trades, and uh I was like, I'll get a job, ASAP. So I remember on my phone I was applying to jobs like that week, and I'd gotten an interview that week. So I actually had two interviews. It was for one for a moving company, one for a hotel, and the moving company that was a funny story. I uh was riding a bike because I my Buick had already crashed out on me, so I had no vehicle, and I remember I was trying to make it to this moving company, and I don't even know how far away it was. I mean, it took me like 45 minutes on a bike to get there, so that just puts it into perspective. But the bike chain broke halfway through, and so I'm needing to get to this job interview, and you have that moment where you're like, What am I gonna do? And then I was like, There's still enough time. So I just hopped on the pedal of it and I started pedaling it like a scooter, and I literally made it there exactly on the dot the time that I needed to be there, and I was just pouring sweat and I was so embarrassed because I'm like, these guys are gonna think I'm in retard. And um, you know, they were actually impressed that I made it on time given the circumstances. So they had offered me a job there, but the hotel that I also had an interview at, it was like seven minutes up the street. So I obviously went with the hotel job and um it just worked out, man. And I I'd worked there for like a year, year and a half. And what'd you do at the hotel? It started out that I was like a house person, is what they call it. So you kind of just take care of cleaning of the the areas that a lot of the guests are in, you know, like the pool area, you know, you take a actually this position you didn't take care of the pool chemicals, but um, yeah, just random cleaning and stuff, running running some uh tasks for the office people, uh the front desk people. What's some crazy stuff that happens in a hotel? Oh okay. Um one of the craziest things that happened, I'll I'll just go. Well, there's a couple. One, I got my I got my bike stolen. Literally, I I came with my bike and I set it in front of the where the front desk people are. So I'm thinking, oh, this is ultra safe. I'm just gonna go in and punch in some of my time cards in because I was just on time that day. And so I was like, I'm gonna go punch my time card in. Literally came out five minutes later and my bike was gone. And I was like, okay, well, nice. I'm gonna be I'm gonna be walking to work, I guess. And uh, so that was one. But one of the craziest things that I remember happening is we were right by the green belt. You know the Cottonwood Hotel? Uh it's by the Cottonwood Grill, if you know where that's at. Okay. So the greenbelt's right behind the hotel. Yeah, yeah. So inevitably, you get a lot of homeless people doing crazy stuff. And one day, this guy got brutally attacked by this group of uh, I don't know, thugs, I guess. I mean, they they beat the crap out of this guy and they had skateboards, they had just smacked him over the head with it. The dude was bloody all over. I mean, just his lung was punctured, so he was like, I can't breathe, I can't breathe. And he's coming in, and the girls are all freaking out, everyone's freaking out. And uh, that was an intense moment because I was like, Hey, you guys need to call the ambulance. We need to get the ambulance here. I took the dude to the couch and I was just trying to keep him calm while you know help showed up, and um, the ambulance was great. They got there, you know, probably like 10 minutes after the call. Um, so that was nice. But the crazy thing is, is these guys had guns, they had weapons, and they were staying in the hotel in one of the back corner rooms. It took the police four hours, four hours to get there. And when they got there, they were all laughing and having a good time. And I remember just feeling really kind of disgusted. I was like, you guys aren't taking this serious at all. And um anyway, that was one of the craziest things that happened there.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:50

That's crazy, yeah. Yeah, you guys ever find any any like I don't know. I've I've seen some when I worked at the prison, I've seen a lot of a lot of people get arrested at hotels for some reason. Yeah, like uh maybe it's those lower end ones out by the airport, though. Yeah, like there's some a lot of like those motel. Yeah, like drug deals go down out there or murder, like it's crazy stuff.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:13

So probably not as much in like the nicer hotels, I guess, but yeah, and mine mine wasn't the nicest hotel, I'm gonna be real. I think they just renovated it, but definitely not a luxury hotel, you know. That's kind of the last resort, but do you ever find any?

SPEAKER_02 1:03:29

Did you ever do any of like the room stuff? Do you guys ever find any crazy stuff in the rooms?

SPEAKER_00 1:03:33

Yeah, we found we we found meth and venamine one time. Really?

SPEAKER_01 1:03:37

Literally, there was like this bag of clear stuff, and me and my buddy, I'd gotten him a job there, and we we took it to the maintenance guy, and we were like, we were like, we don't know what this is, and he was like, That's meth. And we were like, Oh shit. So um taste it, is it meth? Yeah, yeah, right, exactly. Are you are you sure? Um, but we found that you you see needles everywhere, that's the one thing you see a lot. Gosh, yeah, so you always got to be careful when you're taking out the trash and stuff because you don't want to get poked by one of those things, obviously. Um so I mean that stuff was crazy, but working at the hotel was a great experience because I started as a house person and I would just take over every shift, every open because I was like, what else am I gonna do? You know, I'm I don't have a car, it's not like I can go do things as much. I didn't have as much freedom at that time, even though I'd have a lot of friends come over. So I would just end up taking on every open shift because you know, I didn't want to stay at the same place in life. And uh I eventually moved from the house person to a front desk person, and that was a pay raise to get there. Um then I ended up moving on to the as the maintenance guy, and you know, I started at like nine bucks an hour and ended up going up to 11 bucks an hour. So it was pretty awesome. And um, it was at this time that I actually met my wife because I was living downtown and uh she ended up moving at the moving in at the spot across the street from me and my friend.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:15

Oh, really?

SPEAKER_01 1:05:16

Yeah, and um I remember she she had been doing masonry and um we met, we just hit it off. We hit it off and how'd you guys meet? She was moving in, and if you know my wife, this is so her, but she was moving in and she's trying to move all this heavy shit. And I was playing basketball with my friends, and I honestly didn't even want to help, if I'm being real. But I see her like trying to get this piano, and I'm like, what is this lady doing? And so I was like, guys, we gotta stop playing basketball. Let's go, let's go help. And uh we helped her move everything in, and I I had not been in any relationships because I wanted to. To be a man who is proud of himself before I entered a relationship. And um, but I did tell myself one thing. I was like, don't go for any random relationships. You'll know it's the right person when you have a conversation that just keeps going. And uh, you know, that's what happened with me and her. I remember the first night we were just talking nonstop, and I was like, oh my gosh, this is crazy. And um, there's an age difference between me and my wife, too. And so what's that? How much is it? Uh it's it's quite significant. She's 60 years old, and I'm 32. Okay. So, but I mean, this is this is a great opportunity to talk about it because and how old were you guys when you met? Uh it was a decade ago. Okay. Yeah, so 22. Um, but when I met her, you know, my wife's beautiful, and I wasn't I wasn't sure what the age difference was, but I was like, man, we just hit it off. I'm like, she's a go-getter. She's like uh, she's just a badass person. And um I remember after talking, I went home that night and I was like, man, this is crazy. This is crazy. And um, you know, I was watering the lawn the next morning and she she was like, What are you doing? You know, she said some smart ass thing, and I was like, I'm watering the lawn, and um, you know, she was like, Do you want to help me with a few things? And I was like, sure, why not? And uh we hung out the whole day, you know, had great conversation, and um, yeah, we just hit it off. So that that happened right at the tail end of working at the hotel and um the transition between the hotel and doing masonry with her, it actually happened from um she was needing help in the masonry, and I honestly didn't really want to work with her in the beginning. I wasn't even sure what was gonna happen, you know. I just knew I really liked her, and um, and she it came to this fork in the road where she really needed help on a job, and I either had to commit to helping her or I got offered a corporate job from the hotel. They wanted the corporate guy had come to the hotel and we had worked on some major plumbing things together, and he was really impressed with me. So he he wanted to offer me a corporate job, and that was the fork in the road, man. That's where I had to decide. And I remember he was like, you'll start out at 15 bucks an hour, which would have been four dollars more than what I was making. So I was like, ooh, but he was like$15 an hour, you know, because he knew I'd put in my two weeks because I was gonna go help her. And uh I had to make a decision, and I was like, you know, I I'm gonna commit to working with her. I believe that we can do something special, you know. And it it didn't look the way I had envisioned starting out as a business owner, but um, you know, we we rolled through the first job, which was for her mom, and she was doing a remodel, and it wasn't a really big job, but I remember we were presented this parade home opportunity, and um that was the first time that I had to do a layout for thin brick, you know, and thin brick, I'd never done it before, and but she she wasn't necessarily an expert with thin brick either. She she had done other stones, so I remember we had this huge opportunity, and um we got that parade home, and I remember spending all day there, like every day, all day, every day, all day, every day. And we had to do like a herringbone brick floor, and I had no idea what I was doing, but I was like, just keep working, you know, don't let it overwhelm you that you don't know, figure it out, ask questions. So I I would talk with the distributor, um, you know, and I just had to learn on the spot. I had previous tile experience, and what ended up happening is the the house took first in the parade parade of homes. So um that was really a huge moment for us, and then from then on, we had worked with this company for years. So that was kind of how we started out together.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:45

How long did you know her before you ended up leaving the hotel job?

SPEAKER_01 1:10:52

I think it was about a month and a half, two months. Month and a half, two months. So it was really quick. Yeah, it was really quick. But you know how you can feel things at certain times that you're just like, this is a moment where I decide where my life is gonna go. Yeah. And you know, with our age difference, I had to decide, are you ready for this? Because obviously there's gonna be some judgment there. Um and I just was so in love with her that I was like, yeah, I'm ready to do this. And you know, when I'm when I decide something, it's all in, you know, no half measures.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:33

So So do you guys started dating first or were you working together first?

SPEAKER_01 1:11:37

We we were dating first. I mean, it's kind of funny looking back on it, but we we both kind of knew, you know what I mean? And we hit it off like the first week, we already knew. Oh, okay, which was really fast for me because I was in the solo grind mode. I wasn't expecting it, but um, you know, I I had gone through a previous relationship, and um I remember I was a really shitty person in that relationship and in previous relationships, and I didn't want to be a shitty person anymore because that's not who I am, you know, and I was selfish a lot. So I remember before I met my wife, I had told myself, just wait for someone, don't pursue anything, and it will happen when it's time. And that's the thing, that's how it all worked out. She moved in across the street, I wasn't looking for anything, and it was that conversation, man. And I just kind of knew, you know.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:36

So dang, dude. That's crazy. And then uh you had never done any kind of masonry stuff before, so that was just kind of a whole new skill that you had to learn then, and you were just down for it, or I mean it's kind of similar to tile, I guess, because you gotta do the mud and stuff, right? But it's not even really the same because you're doing like I guess tile you can go straight up to, but yeah, no, you're right.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:00

I mean, it was it was sink or swim. I was and that's honestly been like the story of my life. Like, you you either capture the moment or you collapse. You know, it's like when I when my boss left for the job site on tile, and I I had a choice. Like, what am I gonna do? Am I gonna make a bold move or am I gonna just hide away from things? And I was like, I'm gonna choose the bold move. And then when I worked at the hotel, that was another that was another bold move. Um, especially like all the promotions that I had, I was starting to gain momentum. And um, you know, with her, it was being on that parade home. I remember just thinking I was I was freaked out, man. I was like, I'm not, I'm not able to do this. And you know, there's that voice that's saying, like, how are you gonna pull this off? Like, how is is this just gonna be like a complete crash and burn? And then I was like, Well, if you let it be, that's what it will be. But if you want to actually make something of yourself, this is the moment. God has presented you with an opportunity to show if you are who you think you are, demonstrate it in this moment, you know. And so it wasn't very pretty, it wasn't sexy in the beginning. I had to learn a lot of things. Um, but inevitably, you know, I learned how to be good. And our first house, you know, taking first and second in the parade home for interior and exterior, that's where I knew, okay, okay, there's something here. And um, you know, so all through my early 20s, it was working on these massive jobs, and that was just the beginning house. There was even another house that was like five times bigger than that with thin brick. And um, you know, there's different types of thin brick. There's really modular ones, and then there's really wonky ones. It's called Coronado. And I wasn't ready for that because on the first house I had used a rope system for my set, but if you try and do that on a really bumpy brick, you're gonna your layout is gonna end up everywhere, you know, because there's just inconsistency in the sizes of the brick. So that's where I had to create my line system for marking out the walls, and I had to, I had to take the overall distance from the bottom to the top, and I had to divide that by three, the spacing of the joints that I needed, and then whatever the difference was, I'd adjust like a sixteenth, either squeezing the brick rows down a sixteenth, or I'd expand it a sixteenth. Um, but I had to learn all that on the spot, you know. There was there was no one to teach me.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:49

What's the biggest disaster you faced while being a business owner from like a job that just went completely wrong?

SPEAKER_01 1:15:55

Or man, that's a good one. You know, I actually think one of our biggest disasters was recently. Um as we expanded, me and my wife were we're pretty solid, we're a good team. Um but we are starting to get on so much work that we tried to sub out a lot of work, right? And um when you start subcontracting out work, what you realize is people aren't gonna execute to the standard that you have for yourself. And um you really have to babysit, you you really have to pay attention to things and make sure things don't go wrong. And there was a lot of learning curves in that process, you know. And what ended up happening is we would be working on a job over here, and we'd trust people that we hired on the jobs over here to get things done. You'd explain things to them, and um, things didn't go the way that they would have if we were on the job. So I think that really hurt our reputation. Um, you know, it was honestly like a couple years ago, and um, I started noticing that people weren't happy with some of the jobs that we had subs on, and we weren't used to that. We're always the go above and beyond, everyone's always super happy, and uh that was a tough learning experience. And on one of the last jobs that we subbed someone out, this is where I was like, I can't do it like this anymore. But um, we had someone do the set for the house, and um honestly, the set was really great. That's funny, that's what's funny about this. But we had a guy who we trusted, we'd worked with him for like two and a half, three years, helping him out, giving him referrals to subcontractors or other subs that he could hire for interior work, you know, because we know so many people in the valley, and he ended up not paying us 14 grand. And that literally just happened a few months ago. Jeez, yeah, and um oh, I guess, I guess while we're on that topic, there was even another another development um kind of out downtown Boise. There was a new development that overlooked the mountains and stuff. It was a beautiful spot. It's kind of across from the Home Depot on Federal Way. Um, but anyway, we had done a huge number of uh their, I don't know what they call them. It's like it's like these boxes, it almost looks like apartments because it's like this building that just goes straight up. But we had done all the masonry work on all of that, and um uh I'm comfortable saying it. It's funny, you're in a Hubble home. It was Hubble's son who ran that project, and he didn't pay us 50 grand on that one, you know? So we had done all the work and he he had been spreading himself too thin, wasn't paying attention to his funds, was just having people show up on the job. And anyone who's in the trades knows you gotta you gotta be cognizant of where your numbers are at. Um he wasn't, and uh he had us do all this work, and I remember feeling like something feels funny because he's not really he's approving all our bids and he's not really talking with us about it. You you usually do that with everyone. And um, it just fell off, and we had done so much work, we paid all our guys, of course, and uh he didn't pay us, so that was another one that really that really stung. So those are probably the two biggest moments that were bad moments for us in business. We never really had any problems with our sets and stuff. I mean, everything's been really good for the most part. Even when we had subs do bad, it wasn't ever so bad, you know, but it wasn't it wasn't our style. I've I've always been of the mind, I don't want to be just good enough. I want to be elite, I want to do the best work that I can because I feel like if you just give everything that you can, things will work out. You don't have to be ultra intelligent, you don't have to, you just have to give everything. I feel like that's what is important in life. You know, no half measures, being all the way in, because that's that's what I'd want someone to do for me. So I I I do that for others, and um, you know, it's paid off for us because we've carved a path for ourselves where we're um people know that when we're on the job site, it's gonna be quality work. And so, you know, learning all that from those subs, I stopped that like a couple years ago. And this past year, me and my wife, we've been grinding and we've been the ones on the job site, you know, we because we wanted to get back to who we were, and so now um our reputation is restored, which don't take that for granted. I think there's a lot of people who don't think about that stuff. Um, and we're getting we're getting calls left and right, and so now with all that stupid tax that I paid, I'm ready for it to pay off back to us, and I'm ready, I'm ready to rebuild in a way that's appropriate.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:39

Yeah. Do you feel like the age difference between you and your wife, like she's got more um experience in some realms that like when it comes to business, that like she's like, no, no, no, we need to like take this a little bit slower, where like you might want to jump into a a risk situation or something that like maybe you guys can help each other out just because she might have more experience in the masonry, or yeah, has that been a benefit?

SPEAKER_01 1:22:04

I think it was. Me and my wife were both like like kind of alphas, you know. We're like, we know what we want, we know how to do things, and I think when we started out together, it was tough navigating that. But you know, obviously, time builds that confidence in each other. She now knows who I am, and um she respects my lead a lot and when it comes to business. Um, you know, I'm I'm sort of the I'm always improving things for us, and she takes care of like a lot of the monotonous work. You know what I mean? Yeah. So we kind of balance each other out like that. Um, and then she's a great artist too. So that also helps out our business because not only do we do masonry, we do plaster, we do artwork. Um so honestly, I think us both being like that has been a benefit. Yeah, you know, and I respect her when she has a strong opinion on something, you know, because we've proven ourselves to each other. And she she respects me when I'm like, hey, this is what we need to do. And uh, you know, even with our pricing, it's hard because a lot of guys haven't adjusted their price, you know, in like five, 10 years, and they're still charging the same square footage rate. And uh, it was actually her dad who talked to me one time and he was like, Are you really tracking your margins? Like, have you accounted for your drive time? Have you accounted for gas and stuff like this? And so I've had to adjust some of our bids and I've had to increase the price to cover for all that. Because if you don't cover for all that, you don't realize where you're actually at. And I I use numbers to figure out where we need to be at, you know, like a 15% profit for the business while paying ourselves the rate that we need to get paid and not taking on any of the gas or stuff like that, or setting up scaffold, like we charge for that now. And it was tough in the beginning because you don't get as many jobs, but the jobs that we do get, they're really good, and we still give a hundred percent. And now we can. We have the funds necessary to be able to do the quality that we need to do because it just inevitably takes more time, you know? Um, so you know, I think I think we've grown a lot and uh we're the strongest we've ever been. Yeah. From all the stupid tax.

SPEAKER_02 1:24:38

What was it like when you first got that like real paycheck going from like nine, eleven dollars an hour to like you're actually making decent money, but then you gotta like, did you have to learn that you have to save for a rainy day, or was that a hard lesson to learn?

SPEAKER_01 1:24:52

100%. 100%, man. But I remember I remember the first time we got like a 20 grand check. And when you go from nine bucks an hour, 11 bucks, I mean, the highest I ever get paid was at Winco, 15 bucks an hour plus overtime, which that was great. Um, but when I got that first twenty thousand dollar check, I remember just going, is this fucking real? Can we really like, you know? And um, I remember I bought like a PS4. I was like, oh shit, I can just like go buy this. And so there was there was definitely some stints of being stupid with money. Um, but it all has taught me a lot because, like you said, there's gonna be some times where business isn't flowing the way it was when it was at its strongest, and you got to be prepared for when that happens, you know. So um now we're a lot more organized. We have accounts for funding like our just daily living. We have accounts for saving, we have investments. Um, so we're a lot more strategized now, but it came from being stupid, you know, had to learn. So, but it was it was amazing the first time we got big money. I was just like, I couldn't believe it.

SPEAKER_02 1:26:15

Yeah. So we were talking, I think, uh a few weeks back in like the gym and stuff, and we were like, you know, the the premise of this whole podcast is like people look at you and be like, oh, it must be nice, you know. But they don't see like everything you have to go through. What's been some of the things that people don't see that you've had to go through in this whole journey of you know, entrepreneurship or just life going through everything? I want to get to the bodybuilding stuff later too, but like just what's just as like a business owner, what's some stuff people might see all the glamour, don't see the shit.

SPEAKER_01 1:26:49

As a business owner, the the thing that I think a lot of people don't see is the work outside the job. Like nothing nothing's guaranteed, you know. You you're quite honestly the the example I like to use is we're like those cartoon characters that have run off the edge of a cliff. And we got to keep building like this this bridge in front of us. And if we're not actively working on that bridge, you could fall off that cliff at any time. So it's constantly being in a state of survival. And, you know, especially with the advancement of technology, social medias, and stuff like that, you gotta be advertising yourself in different ways. You gotta be connecting with different people. And I think a lot of people, they really don't understand how difficult that is. Now, the longer you're in it, the more you get comfortable with it, but nothing's promised tomorrow. You know, you you gotta constantly keep creating a future for yourself. Whereas a nine to five, you can clock in, you can clock out, you know, you're you're able to. Almost sort of turn off your brain, which is really a relaxing state to be in. But you got to be careful because if you get too used to turning off your brain, maybe you're not able to turn it back on, you know? And maybe you got so comfortable that you end up with so many regrets, and you're like, Well shit, life just went by so quick. Like, oh my gosh, I just realized I didn't do that. I didn't do and it's because you lullabied yourself to sleep, you know. So I think that's one of the things that when I talk to people who work those comfortable jobs, they don't understand because there's sort of an intensity that you develop. Uh you you you um you just have no meter for bullshit. You've been forged into the fire, you've had to face realities about yourself that helped you grow and be a better person. And so I think to other people, a lot of times they can look at that and they can think that you're, for lack of better terms, a dick. Um, but you actually understand that pain and these things that other people perceive as negative are things that help you. You've learned that, you've, like I said, been forged in the fire. And so I think a lot of times people don't understand that and they can take it the wrong way. When in reality, you're really trying to push for them to be their most optimal, optimal version of themselves.

SPEAKER_02 1:29:34

Yeah. How's your family taken you, like becoming a business owner? And then you said your grandparents kind of wanted you to have that stable job and stuff. Like, have you been able to sway their mind or anything? Are they kind of still all in there stuck in their ways?

SPEAKER_01 1:29:49

Yeah. Uh, you know, one of the one of the tough realities for my life is um uh my grandpa wasn't my blood grandpa, and um it was when I was moving to downtown Boise that my grandma passed away. That was really a tough thing because I feel like my grandma's the one person who saw me for who for who I was. You know, she believed in me. Um, my mom raised me well, but we didn't necessarily see eye to eye. I'm thankful for the way she raised me because it was tough. You know, I didn't I didn't get saturated with the love that I saw a lot of my friends get. And um being younger, that used to cause resentment, but it ultimately has made me stronger now that I'm older and I have found a way to make peace with that. Um but it's been tough with my family, you know. A lot of my family members I don't really I don't really talk with, honestly. And um you know, I even I even had some moments where I had to say some things to my grandpa in particular, and a lot of family members didn't like what I had to say to him, but I can't hold back what's true, you know. I I'm kind of one of those people that if there's something on my mind, like I have to say it. Otherwise I hold it inside, you know? And sure, I could I could be better at that. That's something, you know, I'm I I I always need to improve. Um, but one of the tough things is is I'm not really I'm not really in contact with a lot of my family members. Me and my sister were super close, but I kind of live in a fractured family. And I don't want that to sound like it's super sad because honestly, it's taught me a lot. You know, it's taught me that you just because it's not perfect in your family doesn't mean there's not new people that you can create a family with. You know, so you know, things that could appear sad, like I said, my visions completely flipped upside down. It's like those things have made me real realize I can find other family members, you know, and like we go to 3D fitness shout out. Um, there's a lot of people there, you know, like like yourself. There's like new people that I've met that I'm like, oh, you can have a family that's not blood.

SPEAKER_02 1:32:19

Yeah, you know, unfortunately, a lot of times the your biggest supporters are non-blood.

SPEAKER_01 1:32:25

Yeah, yeah. It's it's sad, but you know, pride and all that, all those human traits they get in the way sometimes of growth, and it's unfortunate.

SPEAKER_02 1:32:38

Yeah, no, I think it's everybody you hang around to, like, they're gonna make you better. And unfortunately, a lot of times it's not your family, like your family can only get you so far that they got themselves to, so it's like you have to be really careful too of the people that you take advice from because they're only gonna give you the advice that got them to where they're at, they're never gonna be able to give you solid advice to get you from them further in life. Like 100%. You have to be careful who you share your big dreams with small-minded people, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:33:05

You know what I mean? Yeah, no, absolutely. I mean, my grandpa, if he would have had it his way, I would have been soldering, you know, little microchips or whatever at Plexus. And um, because that's what he did, right? And so he was like, Why wouldn't you do this? And he I was like, Cause I'm not you, man. You know, I'm just not. And I I knew what I wanted to do.

SPEAKER_02 1:33:26

I think it's a generation too, like they were grown up or just you know, raised to think that you had to do the factory stuff and the union and like all of these pretty much things that you were just grown up to be. I mean, a warehouse worker, right? Like, yeah, stick at the same job, get a pension, like all these things. I know when I was wanting to leave the prison, and I would just tell my family members too, like I was thinking about leaving the prison, they're like, That's a pension job, you can retire at 50 years old, and I'm like, that's another 20 years, though. I don't I don't want to do this for another 20 years. Like, yeah, I feel like if I bet on myself for the next 20 years, I could be making more than and the the funny part is too, like at a retirement on my pension, I'd be making less than I was making monthly while I was working there. So it's like, what what does this make sense? Yeah, you're gonna work 30 years to make less than you annually make, and then with inflation too, like that's not gonna do me shit.

SPEAKER_01 1:34:20

So yeah, you know, and another interesting thing too is uh, you know, COVID was a thing that happened, and um, you know, a lot of people when they depended on those nine to fives, they realized how fragile that actually is when you're in a situation that you couldn't even imagine would be real. So there's something to really grinding and finding your own independence. And I think nowadays, with all the opportunities, all the social media platforms, you know, like now's the best time ever to like be an entrepreneur and really grind. And maybe in the beginning, you have to work a normal job and put in those passion hours after that job, you know, until you have like income that you can live off of. But I mean, that's what I think it takes to keep your soul intact. Because that's that's the thing I knew when I was working at like, let's say a job at Wahoo's. I felt my soul like leaving my body. And I remember feeling that, and I was like, I can't do this. I can't. I mean, I know I'm doing a good job cleaning all these machines, and they want me to just keep doing it over and over again. Like, that's a form of purgatory to me to me. I'd rather go through the hard stuff and be me, you know, and be alive in that process, no matter what comes.

SPEAKER_02 1:35:43

Yeah, I think you gotta have purpose too. Like, if you're just cleaning over machines over and over again, like what's your purpose in life? And you start really thinking about like, what the hell am I doing?

SPEAKER_01 1:35:51

Like, and then you end up at the end of your life, you know, maybe you don't even live a long life. It could be like 40. You end up at 40, have a serious health issue, and you're like, Oh my gosh, I was gonna play this safe game, but it was a lie. Yeah, you know, nothing's promised tomorrow.

SPEAKER_02 1:36:07

That's it, yeah. Tomorrow's not promised. It's like there's this really good saying, it's like a man has two lives and he realizes, or once he realizes that, he'll or what is it? It's like a man has two lives and once he realizes that his second life begins.

SPEAKER_00 1:36:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:36:22

It's like, oh shit. Or no, it's like that's powerful. I think I said it wrong. Whatever. It's like a man has two lives, and once he real or he only has one life. I don't know what the fuck it is. I'm gonna cut this back. I get what you're saying, man. But it's like, yeah, once you realize that and you're like, yeah, I'm only gonna, I'm gonna die, dude. Like, and that's it's crazy because like once that hits you, you're like, what am I doing? Like when that hit me, dude, and I was like, I'm done at the prison, and I come home, it's like seven in the morning. I just got done at the gym, and this is when I'm like in my weight loss phase, and I come home from the gym and I'm like, Ashley, I am I don't know, I'm just I'm gonna quit my job in two years. Like, she's like, What are you gonna do? I'm like, Well, first she's like, Why are you throwing on this, throwing this on me? It's like seven in the morning. What do you can you can you chill a little bit? But she's like, What are you gonna do? I was like, I honestly don't know. I didn't know, man. I had no idea, like, I wasn't gonna be a physical trainer or nothing. Like, I was still in my weight loss, I just didn't know what I was gonna do. And uh, you know, then I lost my weight, and I was like, All right, that's this feels great. I'm gonna do this for other people. Yeah. So then I got my certificates, but I was like, I don't know, I didn't know clue. But I was just it was just that aha moment. It's like, no, there's something else. You I don't have any purpose, I don't have any fulfillment. I just like I'm I'm a glorified babysitter. I I can look around and see like these other people that have been here for 30 years and what their life is, and like they look miserable, yeah, and they're just here because they want the health benefits. And I'm like, Yeah, gosh, you guys are you guys are working your whole life so that you can have 10 years of fun when you're 60 and your body's not even like ready to do the things that you were when you were 30. 100% man, you know, it's like 100% man, and like you said, yeah, tomorrow's not tomorrow's not promise. So if you're putting all your eggs in the basket of being here for another 20 years, yeah, and you might not even make another five. Yeah. It's like if you think the price of success is too high weights to get the the bill for regret, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 1:38:20

It's like Oh, dude, I love that. I love that, you know? And I'm thankful for the vision. I've I've heard like um, you know, I I listen to a lot of different people and I like Alex, Alex Hermozzi's perspective on it. And I it's funny because I've I've had the same perspective my whole life, and it's like what I just heard you say. You look at other people and you see their reason for why they're doing what they're doing, they're not happy with it, and you just think to yourself, why are you doing it then? And um, you know, another one of the things I used to notice is older people talking about what they were, you know, they they keep living in the past, like, oh yeah, I was this way long ago. And I'm like, well, what about now? Oh, well, you know, it was back in the day, that's how life is. And I was like, no, it's not. I just I refuse to believe that. I refuse to believe that. And um, you know, it's like you said, those little leaps of faith, you don't know what you're gonna do, you don't know how it's gonna work out. But you know, I'm I'm only got one life. What's the worst that can happen? And I honestly think about that perspective a lot. I'm like, what's the worst that can happen? What I lose everything, live in a van with my wife, and we drive around and go visit stuff. Like, when you really boil it down, life's a blessing no matter what situation you're in. So don't be scared to take risks. What's the worst that can happen?

SPEAKER_02 1:39:48

Well, and you can't lose everything, right? Like you can lose physical stuff, but all the lessons and experiences and everything you've gone through, you can lose physically everything, but you can always restart with all that knowledge. Yeah, 100%. It's like so you can't ever restart from nothing. Like if you lost everything right now, you could still go and pick up some mud and some tile and you could still start. If you have that experience, you know what to do. Yeah, it's like you just but it maybe you make a mistake and you do lose something in your business, then you can just take that mistake and not do it again. Like that's a that's a stupid tax. Yeah, you know, yeah, or like when people say, like, it always gets me when they're like 50s or something, and they're like, just wait, your body's gonna break down too.

SPEAKER_01 1:40:29

You know, I love that one. Like, I love that one. And my wife, dude, my wife's 60 years old. Literally, we were on a job last week where she's going up the scaffold, one arm has like a bucket in her other arm. I'm like, yeah, okay. It gets tough when you're 55. Give me a break. My wife's out here killing it, yeah, 60 years old. It's like, I just can't even hear that.

SPEAKER_02 1:40:52

Yeah, or Marcy, she's in her 60s too, and she's like crushing it, like all these bodybuilding competitions and stuff.

SPEAKER_01 1:40:58

I know, absolutely. And it's like, it's like, what are you gonna accept out of life? You know, I really am a firm believer that you speak your reality into existence, you create your reality based on what you deem acceptable or not acceptable. Yeah. So raise the standard for yourself. And that, you know, that's the problem that I have with certain people where they think I'm being harsh, but I'm like, I'm trying to teach them from mistakes that I've made. And I don't have it all figured out. Absolutely not. But the one thing I do know is you want to raise the standard for yourself. If you're not living the life that you want to live, you need to raise the standard for yourself, you know? You need you need to create healthy habits. You're you're not gonna do it all the all at once, but just start, you know, like you, like you did. It's one foot in front of the other. You don't know what 10 feet in front of you looks like. You just know the one foot going in front of the other. And and you just gotta be present in those moments. And I think, you know, as long as you're given 100%, you'll be surprised what happens.

SPEAKER_02 1:42:01

Yeah, 100%. Like, I that's one of the principles they teach you in the Bible is like, don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow's not promised. Like, today's enough worries. Worry about today.

SPEAKER_00 1:42:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:42:12

It's like absolutely stop I stop making New Year's resolutions too, man. Because it's like I I if I talked to you a year ago from you know today, I would be like, I don't even I would be totally off of where I'm at, you know what I mean? Like to so to even make a goal, I'm not saying like making goals is bad, but it's like, man, you life throws you so many curveballs. Yeah. And and like you could be steered in another direction that you have no control over, but it could be the best thing for you. So, like, why would you get yourself down on that when that's just your plan? You don't know it's your plan, but that's your plan.

SPEAKER_01 1:42:47

You know what I mean? Yeah, it's like keeping an open mind. I I guess the way to check yourself is am I giving like a hundred percent? Am I am I trying? And whatever's thrown at you, you know, you adjust. But as long as you're giving in that mac giving up that maximal effort, I mean, I always I I just believe that good things happen when you do that. Yeah, I'm just like, no one can tell me otherwise.

SPEAKER_02 1:43:12

Yeah, I don't want to die with energy left in the tank, you know. Yeah, I want to be done.

SPEAKER_01 1:43:16

Exactly. Like, I'm ready, I'm tired, man.

SPEAKER_02 1:43:19

That was good and I'm proud of myself. Yeah, yeah. I want people to look at me in the cask and be like, man, this guy looked good.

SPEAKER_01 1:43:25

I'm like, ugh, yeah, close that thing up. Yeah, he's done. Exactly, man. I uh it's funny. It's funny because it's I think it helps having little tools of perspective to help you out. Cause um, you know, even if I'm getting stressed out and I'm getting really zoned in in the moment of stress, I have to zoom out and I have to realize, hey, I've had two houses and I'm 32. You know, I've bought and sold the first one, I'm living in a second one. I have a beautiful wife, I have a bunch of beautiful animals. We have chickens in the backyard. I'm I'm living the life that I dreamed of, you know. And then, you know, leading into the bodybuilding, I've started the bodybuilding, you know. I took first place in uh two divisions in the first competition I competed in. I'm like proud of myself. I feel proud of myself, and it was painful to get to that point, but I'd rather take that little bit of pain than the pain, like you said, of regret. You know, 100% every day.

SPEAKER_02 1:44:29

So at what point was it that you decided then you're gonna do the bodybuilding?

SPEAKER_01 1:44:35

Well, I mean, this is something I was always strong in high school throughout all the sports. Like, you know, I was good at sports, but the one thing I was really good at is being strong. I was always one of the strongest dudes, and um I was infatuated with lift with lifting because like that first summer where I got into shape and I applied myself and I created change, there was just something there that I loved so much. And so I used to go home from school watching pumping iron. I mean, I I remember at football doing the two-a-days, I'd lift in between the two-a-days while other people went home and ate. I even had a bar. I was doing 265 on the decline my junior year, and the bar came down and smashed on my face, and I was able to slip out of there, but it like it like cut open my face, and you know, so I I just always had like an infatuation with lifting. I loved competing. I used to watch pumping iron all the time. So it was something I really always wanted to do, and it was kind of painful going through my 20s because that was my passion that I wanted the most, but I was so busy with work. I had I just knew I had to get to a certain place before I could get there. So, you know, fast forward to 27 years old is where I kind of really started these journeys. Um, but I wasn't consistent that first time at 27. And I was able to get into some good shape. I did a couple transformations, and then um, when we got into our house that we're living in now, that's when I was like, okay, we we created a gym in the garage, and I was like, it's time, you know. I I felt it. I'm like, there's no excuses anymore. Like it's either now or never. And so I started that journey three years ago, and I I filmed the video where you see big old chubby me. And I'm like, I don't know what's gonna come of this. I'm just you know, this is where I'm starting out, and it was really embarrassing, you know, really fat with my shirt off. And but I was like, I have to film this because I know I'm gonna be better, and I want I want that motivation. And um, you know, that it was a motivation, and ever since then I've just been pushing my boundaries and I made major progress in the gym, you know, started posting on TikTok. I have a decent following on there, nothing that's super crazy. Um, but a lot of people on there were really inspired by my journey that was motivating. And um I started like helping people, but I was like, you know, I kind of felt like a phony. I was like, I can't really help people if I haven't like tested myself. And so that's what led to me wanting to compete in my first contest, and um, you know, competed in that first contest last October and um, you know, was able to take first in a couple divisions in the open division. I took second, that's where you compete against all the big dogs, and uh that qualified me for nationals. I went into the second competition and I did two competitions back to back. I did one one week and then I had one the next week, and uh it was a good experience for like just mental fortitude, but I learned that your body peaks differently. Like you have to be, you have to really understand your body to be able to handle something like that. I didn't peak properly in the second one, um, and that was kind of uh that was kind of an interesting situation in that second one. It wasn't there was some there were some challenges involved, and um ended up taking third in that one, but now I'm addicted. So I'm like I'm like gunning for the number one spot in this next competition October.

SPEAKER_02 1:48:35

You're doing it again this October then?

SPEAKER_01 1:48:37

Yep. I had to I had to take a whole year to build up because I knew my legs, they were okay, but I just knew if I'm gonna compete against really big guys, I gotta improve on my legs. So it was tough, but I've I've been just living in this bulk, and that mentally is tough because you're so used to seeing yourself lean and then you bulk up and you're like, ugh, and I'm keeping a balance in the bulk. You know, I can see the outline of my abs, I can see uh the vein on my arms and uh in my calves, and that's kind of my marker. If those start to go away, then I'm going a little bit too sloppy. And I got a little bit sloppy probably like just a few weeks ago. And so I've started what I call phase one, you know, trying to just lower my calories by 400, uh, increase the cardio a tad bit. Nothing too crazy because I don't I wanna I I want to make sure I don't mess up my cut. And so um, yeah, I'm I'm full force to the next competition and I'm looking to win the overall there. And when I can win the overall at a local show against the really good guys, that's when um that's when I'll be ready for nationals.

SPEAKER_02 1:49:53

Yeah. That'd be sick. What's your what's your end goal with all that? You want to keep going past nationals, get your pro. What do you want to do with all this?

SPEAKER_01 1:50:02

I absolutely want to go pro. I mean, I uh that's that's really my main goal, but I also want to build a physique that I think is like the most optimal that I could achieve. You know, I want to I want to reach my peak, I guess. So when I get older, I'm like, I know I gave everything in that arena and I'm proud of what I did there. So um I'm giving myself, you know, I'm 32 right now, so I got eight years till I'm 40. I want to compete in this eight-year window. I want to go pro. I want to keep building my following on TikTok, um, you know, on Instagram, which there's a lot that I'm learning. Like honestly, I look up to you a lot in when in terms of content because you're just so so consistent. And the type of content that you bring to the table is really educational and inspiring. So um, you know, there's there's goals that go in between bodybuilding and also the content. Like, I have aspirations in both arenas and they kind of intermingle together. What do you want to do for the content? Honestly, speaking, the reality of what I want to exist is I just want to be a content creator that can produce income from content, you know? And I always love masonry. I always tell my wife, I'm like, we'll take on jobs, but I want to be able to pick and choose my jobs. I want to I want to be able to do the jobs that really are creatively challenging and really are ones that like are the highest end, you know? So it's the top tier of jobs. Um, and I want the content to be able to produce an income, you know. And I honestly, this is what's crazy, you know, just being completely open. I was doing lives for I did lives on TikTok for a full year, and I was able to make money that I didn't think I would make. You know, I made around like 1,500 total from a year, which it's not like crazy, but it it to me it's like proof of concept. It like proves that there's an ability to make income from that. Um, so but I got I ended up getting really fatigued when leading up to my competition. And um after my competition, I totally just went into this state of being fatigued with it. Because I mean, you do content, you know the type of fatigue you get from it. And uh I kind of got tired of like seeing myself too. Like, it's just like who wants to? I have this thing that my wife tells me I have to get better at, but I have this thing where I'm like, who would want to fucking listen to me anyway? Yeah, you know, it's hard, it's hard to that's one of the things I I definitely need to improve. But there's people who have watched my journey. I just sent out an autographed shirt to a kid who watches my TikTok content, and uh, I'd sent him one after my competition, and but his mom washed it, so he wanted another one. So I just sent that to out to him the other day, and um, you know, I had I have to tell myself, you know, this isn't about me. There's a kid that finds motivation in the stuff that I do. So I try and I try and personally like accept that without beating myself up about it and like making fun of myself, going like, why would anyone want to see this? Why would anyone, you know, and so I'm trying to one of the things I'm really working on is being more accepting of myself in that arena and understanding that there is things that I can bring to the table, you know, and I think that's something that probably stemmed from childhood, maybe not getting that full acceptance all the time. And so I'm learning to allow myself to get compliments or you know, things like that. And it's been it's been a journey, but I think I'm getting better at it.

SPEAKER_02 1:54:13

Yeah, it's cool, man. I I know you started putting on your stories and stuff, so that's yeah, that's a new thing.

SPEAKER_01 1:54:19

Matthew, Matthew motivated me for that. So you gotta do. He did. And I remember we were at the gym, and uh Matthew kept telling me he was like, he was like, Have you uploaded to your store yet? And this is what I did. I would I'd be like, I filmed something, but I gotta edit it and make it all fancy. And again, it's that perfection being the enemy of progress. And uh I remember you told me you were like, I want to see something posted today. Yeah, and I I didn't do it the first day, but then you told me the second day, and then I ended up doing it that day, and yeah, it was it was huge. Like, I I love having have people in your life who push you to do something that's uncomfortable.

SPEAKER_02 1:55:04

Yeah, that's what it's all about. I mean, yeah, because you were you were saying something like you couldn't like I just don't like it's it's just too much, and I was like, I think I literally pulled my phone out and just did a story, and I was like, You don't have to think about it, the stories go away, like it's a good way to start.

SPEAKER_01 1:55:18

Yeah, just post to your story because then and I think that's a good prog uh a good practice. Like if you want to make content, it's a good way to just because I'm sure you've learned this, but you know, contents like anything else, you learn things as you go, and so just practicing it on a daily leads to you thinking about other things that you could do with some of the other content you make.

SPEAKER_02 1:55:42

Yeah, and then you do it enough, you're just like, All right, yeah, like the podcast, dude. Like the first time I did a podcast, oh my gosh, oh man, I was so nervous the whole time. I never even said my name, like it was just like, and it was the very first one, so it's not like it's like this one's probably like 46 in, so it's like at this point, people know who I am, yeah. But uh it's like, no, I just made so many mistakes, and now it's just like, all right, like come on over, let's do a podcast, you know.

SPEAKER_01 1:56:08

But that's huge because like you were comfortable making the mistakes, and that's where for me I'm really good at that in a lot of other areas. But then when it came to content, I I sort of have a that's where I need to improve, you know. I need to allow myself to make mistakes.

SPEAKER_02 1:56:27

Well, you're talking about Alex Ramosi earlier, he's got this really good thing where he's talking about your per people's perception of you and like whatever. But he's like, just think about it. Like the Queen of England died a few years ago, and nobody ever thinks about her, and she was the richest lady in the world and everybody loved her, whatever, but like once you die, people forget about you. Like, so you're not that important. If people if you're not important enough for people to remember you, like why do you care about what they think while you're alive?

SPEAKER_01 1:56:51

I literally I've watched that same thing of him saying that, and that that that resonates with me, obviously, because I I am I am prone to getting in my head too much when it comes to I I I've been an overthinker in a lot of different areas, but especially with content, and uh it's weird because you know there's people who tune into my lives and they want to watch it, and um I just need to allow myself to enter that new space without overthinking it, like you said, you know, just being your authentic self.

SPEAKER_02 1:57:27

I mean, most people start out as a nobody anyway, you know what I mean? Like you gotta start out somewhere, yeah. Absolutely. You think about like Logan Paul or whatever, like, or even Mr. Beast. Any of these people like they start out as a nobody, they just kept they're consistent long enough that enough people found out about them, and then they were like developed a rule and like a relationship without being there. Yeah, yeah, and if you can associate that too with like your business, uh like people are already watching you, like, oh, I love this guy's work. He's he's shown all the way he's talking, like you show up for a job or like a bid or something, and now they've already taken in all your content, and they're like, Oh, I already know this guy.

SPEAKER_01 1:58:07

Yeah, and I know how he is, absolutely. Yeah, and I think um, I think there's there's existed like a little bit of a rebel in me who's like, I don't want to fucking do that, and just like kind of resisted it because it's like, oh, that's extra work. But you know, it's the new, it's the new age, I believe, you know? Yeah, it's not going away, it's not going away. In fact, I think it's gonna be more more prevalent, you know. I I you know, with the advancement of all these different technologies, you know, I'm not an expert, but you look at where things are going, and it's like if technology does take over a lot of the labor-intensive jobs, what's gonna be left is content. That's how we're gonna interact with each other. So I think it's something that as much as it makes me un uncomfortable, and as much as I honestly don't want to do it, I feel like it's an inevitable reality of where our world is going. Oh yeah. So I mean, you either either get with it or you know, you're gonna be left out. Yeah. So, and there's never, I don't believe like you're there's always an opportunity, no, no matter how long you wait, but it's like the sooner the better, you know?

SPEAKER_02 1:59:23

Yeah. Best time to plant a garden is or uh an orchard is 20 years ago. Second best time is to date, right? Yeah, exactly. It's like, yeah, that's good. That's good. That's good. Yeah, dude. Um so you got that, you got that this year in October, and when do you start your actual prep then?

SPEAKER_01 1:59:43

Well, this is interesting because right now I'm in phase one, so I'm gonna run phase one for probably probably a couple weeks to a month. I wanna see how my physique looks. I need to go get my body fat checked. Based on the numbers that I see there, I'm gonna I'm gonna adjust that little gap that's gonna lay in between this next couple weeks to a month and the four months leading up to the competition. You know, so my my goal is to be probably around 12, 11% body fat when I start. And then I wanna I wanna just gradually get there, you know? And uh Charlie did a really great job of peaking me for the first competition. It was uh it was awesome. But there was some things that I think, you know, just because you learned from experience and uh, you know, he didn't know my body in the beginning. And um, I think if there's some adjustments made to this next approach, I think I can keep a little more pop. Um, but in classic physique, you also have to work with the constraints of your uh your weight class, right? So um I need to double check and see what the max weight is of my weight class because that's gonna be like my northern star for how I adjust everything.

SPEAKER_02 2:01:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:01:12

You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 2:01:13

Yeah, yeah. I need to learn more about that. We were just talking about the posing this morning. I need to start doing the posing part because Yeah, yeah. Otherwise, I'm gonna get up there and make a fool of myself. Doesn't matter how much work I do ahead of time if I don't know how to pose or whatever, then posing makes or breaks you, man.

SPEAKER_01 2:01:31

And um, I'm really, I'm really thankful for Karen. She was my posing coach. Shout out Karen. Um, she she was great. She just, you know, she was very, she's very passionate about what she does, and she I just love it. You know how some people will tell you you're oh you're doing so good. And it's like, yeah, I get that, but like I I need the hearth, the harsh truth. I need you to like let's get to the grimy, because I'm trying to, I'm trying to be the best that I can be. Yeah, you know, and she was really great at that, you know. She would tell me how it was, and um, it was because of her that I was so comfortable on stage, and you know, I'm the kind of guy that's not not good with like stage things, you know. Uh that's really I was the most nervous about being on stage and doing your routine and stuff like that. Um, but because I practice so much, actually, when I look at the tapes of me on the stage, it's funny. I look poised and composed. I I look like I'd been there before. And I think that helped with me doing really pretty good for my first competition.

SPEAKER_02 2:02:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:02:46

And it was because I was comfortable with it.

SPEAKER_02 2:02:48

Weren't you and Ryan on the same stage or something?

SPEAKER_01 2:02:51

Ryan he competed in men's physique. So we we competed in the Idaho Cup together. Okay. Uh, but we were in different divisions. Gotcha. But we were backstage together. It was fun. It was fun. I love Ryan. Um, but I remember it was really comfortable at the second competition because I I I would just talk with Ryan and we had a good time. That was fun.

SPEAKER_02 2:03:15

Yeah. Yeah. Cool, man. Well, it's been good catching up with you and like just learning. It's cool to be around other like-minded people.

SPEAKER_01 2:03:23

Absolutely, man. Same with you. I mean, I I like being around people who motivate me to be better. That's what's awesome about being at 3D Fitness and meeting everyone there.

SPEAKER_02 2:03:35

That's what it's all about, man. Surrounding yourself with people that are expecting more out of you and not okay with you being comfortable. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Cool, dude. Well, we'll have to do this again. Um, hopefully when we do it again later on, maybe this year, we'll have a couple wins under our belts. That'd be cool.

SPEAKER_01 2:03:52

That's right, baby. That's right. Uh I'm really, this'll this will be the determining thing for me. Cause if I if I'm not able to take first in this next one, then it's gonna be year another year of doing a bulk all over again. So um I'm excited to see how things go this year. Sick, dude. Yeah. Cool, man. Well, thanks for coming on. All right, thank you for having me.