Episode 8 | Transactional VS Relational

Yo yo yo yo yo and we are back. Sticks and Stones podcast. This is episode seven, transactional versus relationship and today I have John Duncan on from Tahas Imagery. Welcome John. >> Yes. >> How are you? >> Hey, thank you. >> I'm well. How are you bud? >> I'm you know I'm I'm everyday is a holiday. You know that's the way you got to look at it. It's, you know, even even if I'm bullshitting myself, that's the that's the way you got to look at it. >> Hey, as long as you believe it, that's what matters. >> That's right. That's right. So, John, you are you're a business owner. You do photography and drone footage and all that sort of stuff. It's all like really interesting stuff. Uh, videography and and stuff like that. So, you know, recently I have been not re-evaluating myself, right? You know, I'm in commercial real estate. So and and this just happens to be a passion of of ours of both you and I, right? So we are going to >> spark a stick. I today I shifted my plan. I was going to uh pour myself a scotch. >> I was actually going to pour myself a Bini 17year-old doublewood. But then I changed my mind. I haven't had a Red Bull in over a month, right? Because you know I'm on this carnivore thing, right? >> Yes. >> And there are some carbs in even the sugar-free Red Bull. So I was like, "Okay, I'm going to I'm going to dump Red Bull for as long as I can. I lasted like a month." And >> hey, it's doing pretty good. >> I can't do it anymore. I gota I gota I got to have a little taste. I feel like I feel like a crack addict. >> There you go. So, so what I we should I'm not trying to take over your podcast here or anything, but what are you what stick are you smoking? >> I am smoking the Cohiba Rubicon. >> So, this is is something new from the Kohiba brand. >> Yeah. >> Which, you know, we all know is a >> Oh, it's a top shelf >> Cuban Cuban brand out of out of Havana. This is actually rolled in the Dominican Republic. So us Americans can enjoy it and not get arrested. >> Well, I am smoking a Grand Habano Persian King Tiger Maduro 6x60. >> I love >> So love >> that a really good friend of mine gave me today. Somebody who may or may not be on this podcast with me >> on this podcast. >> You You cannot go wrong with that cigar. It >> It's got >> It's the second one I've had and it's it's amazing. >> It's It's got enough body to be to be bountiful, right? But it's mild enough that you could smoke it at any time, right? So, it's not it's not full body. It's not something that's going to give you a a huge punch, but it's also something that has enough body to be worth the while, >> right? That's that's what I love about that stick. And what's really what's really really interesting, there's not a lot of shops that have it. Like go go go to a lot of go to a lot of cigar shops and ask for that cigar and they'll be like, "We don't we don't sell Gran Habano." >> Yeah. >> And I'm like, I have no idea why because they they do produce some good stuff. Now, this this is I want to say this is about a 52 ring gauge, which is a little it's a little a little soft for me. I I typically like the 60 like what you're smoking, >> but I just can't be choosers. >> As luck would have it, my torch my torch ran out of fluid just now. >> Really? >> Yeah. So, I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna fill this puppy up. >> There you go. There you go. >> Just real quick. But my libation for today. >> Yeah, tell me. >> Is it comes with a story, okay? >> Okay. I love stories. >> I met a guy from El Salvador. >> Okay. recently on a on a video shoot and I I went into his house because we were we were shooting the video in his house and he had this contraption on the counter and and it looked like just a a piece of leather on a wooden stand with a pot under it. >> Yeah. And so I I just being the inquisitive type, my first question is, "What is that?" And uh so he responded, >> "I don't care about why I'm here. What the hell is that on your counter? >> He said that is a Dominican coffee pot. And I I I said >> the Dominican Republic. >> Yeah, I don't know, but it is apparently that's what they use as a coffee maker in the Dom Dominican Republic and he built his own. What that has to do with El Salvador, I have no idea. But >> okay, >> apparently he was there on vacation or something. And so he introduced me to this Dominican coffee maker. And basically it's cheesecloth. What looks like leather is cheesecloth. You put the coffee in it. And he said, "I only use Dominican, what's the term I'm I'm looking for. It's all the rage now where they don't use pesticides and all that kind of stuff. Organic." >> Yeah. >> Organic Dominican coffee. >> And so he said, "You got to try it." And I said, "Mom, I'm game." And best coffee I've ever had. Ever. >> Really? >> In life. Really? Yeah. So, >> I literally went down to HB. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I literally went down to HB and I found >> because I do the whole curig thing. >> Yeah. >> You know, when I'm in a hurry. >> Yeah. >> Which is almost every day. And so, I found Nicaraguan organic pods and that's what I'm having. I love that. I love that. >> Good. It is. >> Shout out to the to to my Kurig people because I I'm not hating on an Kurig machine. You know, we have one in the office. >> It gets you by. It gets you by. Now, personally, >> for sure, >> I love the Nespresso machine. Like, that's that's my go-to, right? The Nespresso machine. But I've I've done I've got mocha pots. I've got, you know, automatic drip uh machines. I have like I have a whole restaurant full of coffee making devices in my kitchen for for like for no reason. >> So, what you have to do is you have to get you a you have to build you a frame and put this cheesecloth funnel thing in it and a pot underneath it and then you just pour water over the coffee. Pour hot water over the coffee and have >> let it drip into the the what? >> The ChemX. Dude, it's it looks like something that you stole out of the chem lab out of a high school, right? It looks like a butner funnel, but with like two butner funnels connected to each other. >> Wow. >> And they make they make these filters specifically for it. So, it's a it's a ChemX I think that's how you pronounce it. It's a ChemX uh pot with ChemX filters. So, you put the filter in the in the top part and then you have for some reason you have to to water it. So, you put water on the filter and then you let that drain uh and you you pour it out and then you put the the coffee grounds on the filter and then you slowly pour boiling water over the grounds and it like something out of a chem lab just starts dripping dripping dripping and then it fills up the bottom and it's a really good cup of coffee. But >> wow, >> it takes a lot of patience. Like if if you're if you're on the go, you're on the run, that ain't for you. It definitely ain't for you. Now, I have to say >> that sounds interesting. >> That is pretty damn good. >> But and shout out to my boy Bobby at C. Cigars, Cigar Distributors of Texas. He re Oh, no, no, Bobby didn't recommend this. Shout out to Chris at Pasadena Tobacco and Cigar. >> That's where you got this one, huh? Yeah. >> Yeah. Yes. >> I mean, this thing has got it's got body. Again, it's it's not it's not the VLA that I like. You know, I like a 60 a 60 ringer or bigger because of just the draw, but this thing has got a phenomenal draw. And it's got punch, but it's not spicy. And you know, you know me with the notes, like I really don't I don't pick up the notes, you know, like a lot of other guys do. But >> we got to work on that. >> Yeah, this this has got punch without the spice. Dude, I really like this. >> You're a business owner, right? You do you do the whole photography and and videography and drones and all that good stuff. >> Yes, sir. And as you know, I'm in commercial real estate and in our businesses, you know, let let's let's take this from the this episode is transactional versus relationship, right? Right. >> And as you know, >> I treat my business and and I treat my I treat my clients >> and I try to build relationships with them. Now you've got you've got people that you know you've got and and and I personally believe my personal opinion you can be either or in any business that you operate right if you have have a radio shack you could be transactional or you can be relationship building right you could have the guy that comes in and he and you know he comes in one time or 10 times whatever and you're there specifically to sell him items Hey, I I need batteries. Hey, I need a digital audio uh converter. Like, whatever. And you're good. You're done. That's it. >> You're you're there to make your your profit and you're you're off to the races. Then there are people that want to build relationships. They want when they come in, they want to treat them with respect. They want to learn a little bit more about their use case. They want to get to know them personally as you know as a human being and they want to build that relationship like hey you're here to buy this thing now but you know let me let me give you some pointers let me you know build the relationship so that way he's continually coming back like that's the thing you want them to continually come back. Now a lot of a lot of the downside that you know some people see as a downside is when you're building relationships right just like any type of relationship you know business relationship a personal relationship romantic relationship whatever it is there's a lot of give and take right there's a lot of give and take and sometimes you have to give without taking sometimes right and in the business world we call that a loss leader. Sometimes you got to you got to do something to to show your metal. You got to show that you're you're into this. You want to build this relationship with this person or this company, right? So, you got to do some stuff and not charge for it and and that builds the trust with the other person. And now this becomes a relationship where now they're coming back to you for all kinds of stuff, right? It may be like for in for instance for you it may start off with a head shot, right? You're just doing a head shot and you might do something and then eventually, you know, you're giving them advice and you're, you know, you know, you're giving them pointers on, you know, how they're going to do stuff and maybe they're going to do a video later on and and all this sort of thing and then the next thing you know they're coming back for all kinds of stuff, drone footage or, you know, whatever, right? So there's I talked to a lot of people about this, right? Because I know a lot of business owners. I'm in commercial real estate. So I'm I'm dealing with a lot of, you know, business owners that want to buy real estate, lease real estate, whatever. And there are people out there. I know several of them that they just want to get in and get out. They want to get in. They want to make their commission, make their sale, and move on. And they want to do that a million times a year. God bless you. Fantastic. That's great. But you don't build relationships that way. Yeah. You don't build relationships that way. You don't have repeat customers. You don't have the people that are going to rely on you, trust you, know you, right? So it becomes a little bit of a of a quandry of like do I want to just make the money and move on or do I want to build relationship with these people? So like what what is your take on that? Because I'll give you my take on that. What's what is your take on that? >> My take on it is this. We are when I say we, my business partner Jeff and I, we're well trained in marketing and we went to school when when we opened our business, we decided from the get-go we were not going to be transactional. We we hate being nickeled and dimed, you know, we hate that that nonsense. We wanted to be everybody that that deals with us becomes a part of the tea house family. You know, we treat them like we do family. Family that we like, I should say. >> Right. >> Right. Right. There's a difference >> in in at when we took on this business, we decided that we were going to be we're going to invest in ourselves in training and in education, all that kind of stuff. So, we took some pretty pretty high level marketing classes. And one of the things that we learned in there in our classes is the lifetime value of a client. Okay. >> That lifetime value of a client. Maybe you start out like you were saying with a free head shot. >> Okay. And which >> I mean head shot are easy. >> Right. Right. Right. We don't really specialize in that, but maybe we start out with a free product of some sort to start the relationship, but what we're looking at is what is your lifetime value to us. >> Okay. Like you said, that's what we have to look at. Not what is this one transaction worth to us. What is the lifetime of this client going to be to us? But I think it actually goes deeper than that, Angelo. And that is the reason I say that is when you first decide that you're going to be in business, okay, you have a decision to make right from the get-go. You're either going to be transactional or you're going to be that person that everybody you comes in come in contact with, you're learning from, you know, and that requires you using the two things on the side of your ears rather than this one thing in the middle. Okay? When you meet people, >> listen more than you talk. You know, let them tell their stories. Ask probing questions to them. Be really interested. And when I say listen actively, I mean actively listen. So, you're not just trying to find out, okay, is this person good for my business. That That's not the goal. That is not the goal. >> And here's an example that I'll give you. I was thinking of this earlier today when I was when I was thinking about this podcast. The reason that you and I met was a fellow by the name of Brad Bricker. >> Okay. Brad Bricker runs CMIT Solutions. I love Brad. >> Shout out to Brad. Go Bradoop. Brad and I met >> I want to say probably three or four years ago at a networking event and we became friends. And I tell you this right up front, Angelo, I have no need for an IT person yet. >> Right. >> Yet. >> Right. >> Okay. and he he knows that. But as we grow, that need is going to become pretty evident. So whenever we grow to the point to where we do need an ideal person, who am I going to think of? I'm going to think of Brad, you know, and Brad introduced you to us. And that's how this relationship started. And that's how it works. It's not about is this person useful to me right now? You never know when a person is going to be useful to you. But you can't think of it selfishly like that. You know, everybody everybody you meet and come in contact with has a story. They have value. And that's what we have to do is understand that other people have value. And stop stop putting so much pressure on them. Because I I remember the story I like to tell is when I first went into this business, I had no idea how to run a business. I was working at Memorial Herman in Periland as I was the head of security over Memorial Herman in Perland. And I went into business doing this. >> Anybody listening to this podcast that's not in the state border of Texas, Memorial Herman is a big hospital system. >> It is. So, I had no idea how to run a business. So, I decided, you know, I'm going to start going to these networking events. And I went to these networking events and I was hungry like crazy. I just couldn't wait to tell my story. >> And these people looked at me like, "Get out of here." I wasn't the least bit interested in them as a person, in their story, you know, and I learned pretty quickly that that's where I was messing up and that's where a lot of business owners mess up. You know, you can't go into it hungry. Make relationships. Maybe they'll come to fruition someday in your favor. Maybe they won't. Who cares? You're making good relationships. Send them business. If if if you once you become assured that they're going to do business the way you would do business, which is the right way, then you should have no problem in sending them business >> regardless whether you get anything out of it or not. >> That's that's an interesting point and that's how I run my business. I don't care if monetarily I make anything out of something. If I'm going to connect people, I'm going to connect them for the greater good, right? And I think that and by the way how I met Brad Bricker at CMIT solutions is we are a part of the same chamber of commerce. So we have that commonality and we were sitting there you know talking and whatever. We were at you know one of the lunchons or one of the mixers or something and we just we started talking. We were having a conversation and and I brought up in in the conversation that as any real estate professional, you are not just a real estate professional. You don't you're not just a real estate like I'm not just a commercial real estate broker. You have to be a psychologist to a to a degree. You have to be a marketing genius. You have to be a financial genius. You know, you have to you have to be a social media savant. Right. So, you have to do all of these things and you're constantly prospecting and you're constantly working and it's just it's constant. It never it never ends. And when I was talking to him, he said, "Oh, yeah. You know, who do you got doing that?" And I said, "Well, I've got somebody on my team." And he was like, "Well, do you do professionalgrade videos and stuff?" And that's when he mentioned Teaos imagery. So, I was like, "Okay, I'll have a meeting with the guys." And I believe it's that commonality, right? You have to have some sort of bond that holds you together, right? That's that's the basis for any relationship, right? And I think what's interesting is, and as business owners, we've all come across this. I don't care what anyone says. We have all come across this when you are in it for the right reason and you're trying to help people and they and this is the this is the one thing guys that I got to I got to mention. You have to know when to cut the cord >> because >> Oh yeah, absolutely. >> There's got to be a commonality here and you have to meet eye to eye. Like when in a romantic relationship, if you're dating someone or you marry someone and it's all about that one person, right? You're married, John. I'm married. If it's all about you, the wife's going to be upset. If it's all about her, the husband's going to be upset. There's got to be a compromise, a give and a take. And when there isn't that, guess what happens? It's divorce time, right? And it's lawyers and it's a lot of freaking money. So, when you're dealing with a client who's always wanting, wanting, wanting, wanting, like always wanting the freebies and then not willing to contribute to the relationship, you got to cut the cord, brother. You have to. >> Yes. >> Because those people >> will drain you dry. And they have And you know what? >> They have no remorse of doing it either. They have no remorse. They will drain you dry to the point where you are emotionally, physically, like spiritually, financially >> dumped. >> And >> yeah, >> they're just like, "Okay, on to the next one. Let's let's find someone else who wants to build relationships." You know what I mean? >> Let's see who else I can use. >> Exactly. >> You're absolutely right. And that's a good point, Angelo. You know, you gota it's just it's a relationship. That's the part of it being a relationship. If it's two ways, that's great. If it's not two ways, every time I hear of somebody that needs anything to do with IT solutions, I send them to Brad, you know, just I know how he does business. I've known him long enough that I know he's going to put their needs first, you know, he's not going to make me look like an idiot for referring people to him, you know, vice versa, you know. So, it it is very much a relationship. Very much so. Um, but even >> that's a relationship between business owners. It's similar with a relationship between you and a client, >> you know, >> because clients will run you absolutely sideways, too. And one of the things we look for is, and we ask ourselves this question after we've known this person, this client for a little while, is this our ideal client? And how far are they away from being our ideal client? If they're using us right and left and like you said, all they want is free this and free that and free everything else. Bye-bye. You know, because it we've learned the hard way that those clients end up to be more of a pain in the butt than anybody else. But they're they're never satisfied with the work you do. You can jump through all the hoops that they present to you and they're never going to be happy, you know, and you cannot as a business owner, you cannot be afraid to fire that client. It's very freeing and I enjoy it when that time comes. >> And you know, >> we've and I've gone through this recently, which you know, I I shared that with you >> and it's and it's kind of like um I'm going to say this, right? And and no, not not throwing shade on Starbucks, Duncan, Five Guys, right? Shake Shack, >> right? >> Any any of any of these people, but >> any one of those people walk into a Starbucks and say, "Hey, I'll take a venty caramel macchiato upside down and can I get that for free, by the way?" What do you think's going to happen? >> What? What? >> Pretty much the reaction I just gave you. >> Right. Exactly. not happening. Uh, let me talk to my manager. >> And that's the thing. Some of these people are so good at manipulating the system. They know where they can get away with it and they know where they can't. >> Yes. >> You kind of have to have your your spidey senses heightened, right? And you have to know and you have to set boundaries of Yes. >> Hey, >> this is not my business model. This is not what I do, right? I'm not transactional. I'm not the guy that just wants to sell you a building. I'm not the guy that just wants to sell you a head shot. I want to be your main source. I want to be your relationship. And there's there's a value proposition to that because when someone deals with you, you have a plethora like that word. I have a you have a plethora of connections, right? You've got Brad. Now you've got me. like you've got a bunch of people that you can refer out. That's a value ad. That's a huge value ad, >> right? So, if someone comes to me and they say, "Hey, look, you know, I'm buying this building, but I know nothing about the commercial space. Like, I don't know anything." Don't worry, I got you. I got title agents. I got lawyers. I got bankers. I've got, you know, the people who can maintain the building from start to finish, from stem to stern. There's value in that, right? And that's what you bring to the table. When you actually give a [ __ ] when you care to know what the people's problem is, you can provide a solution. That's the difference between relationship and transactional. Because I know some transactional brokers that don't give a rat's ass that are just like, "Hey, man, that's your problem. I represent the seller. It's my listing, and if you don't want it, that's fine. I got 30 other people that are ready to buy it. >> That's their whole model. >> We're not after that. >> We're after the we want to buy this building because our dream is to open 10 stores. Our dream is to franchise this and go nationwide or global. That's that's our dream. And I want to make as many people's dreams a reality. >> That's key. That is key. >> Do that. >> You have to look at that relationship. If it's going to be a relationship, that has to be the one of the I'm sorry I get I get so passionate about this because we look at things a lot differently than a lot of other people in our business. Okay. I want to see you succeed beyond your wildest ever loving dreams. >> That's right. >> That means you're going to come back to me. >> That's right. >> That means I've solidified my relationship with you, you know. That's right. >> So, when when we talk to people, we're very upfront. We're very upfront. And it's it's not about, okay, we'll hear your vision on the project, but is that going to accomplish your goals? Mhm. >> Because if it's not, let me try to talk you out of that, you know, and into this vision that's actually going to help you accomplish your goals. Because I mean, our motto is if you succeed, we succeed, you know. >> That's right. >> And I think every business owner on the face of the planet should have that motto. >> They want to see their business, their their clients succeed over and above what they do. >> You know, 100%. >> That's refreshing. That's not something you see every day in business. >> But if it's if it's into if it gets into the realm of the client or potential client is like, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, that that's all fine and well. I just need you for this and then I'm never going to see you again." >> There there there's always going to be exceptions. >> You're mismatched, right? You're you're you're doing this, right? You're not you're not doing >> You're what the Bible calls unequally yolked. I wasn't going to go there, but Exactly right. Exactly right. >> So, you are looking for one thing. You're looking for the relationship. You're looking to help this person out in anything way, shape, or form. And they're just saying, "I don't need you other than this. That's it. That's all I want you for." And that's that's all fine and well. That's great. And will I'm only speaking for myself. Will I deal with someone like that? If it's if it's my listing, right? If it's a building that I'm selling and someone comes up to buy, will I? Absolutely. I'm hands off. Whatever you want is my fiduciary responsibility is to the seller. Right. So, I'm going to do that. No problem. If this is a situation where someone's coming up to me for me to do buyer representation, if I'm doing a buyer rep assignment and that's what they want, it's not for me, right? Because I'm going to put shitload of time into this, right? I in order to find someone a building and and a lot a lot more of what's going on in the industry is a lot of brokers because the market is soft around the country and even in markets that are not soft like New York and New Jersey, they are having a hard time getting financing. are having a hard time with leasing because of the economy and because of everyone's unsure of what's going to happen, whatever, whatever that brokers that have the listings, they want to double dip every deal. So, even if if a if a buyer came to me or a tenant came to me and I go to the listing agents, you know, I use Co-Star, Crexy, all these different things. If I go to these brokers, they're going to get to the point where they even sandbag my offer, I'll put a letter of intent in, you know, the LOI, which is a commercial offer. They'll sandbag that. They'll hold on to it until they get someone that answers their listing online or goes to their sign, calls them up on their sign, whatever. And once that person gets a hold of them, they say, "Hey, Mr. tenant, Mr. Buer, I have I have an offer from another agent right here. >> Another broker sent me this offer. if you can't beat this, then we're just, you know, we're pissing in the wind here. And they use my offer as a stalking horse. So now more than ever, I'm doing a lot of offmarket stuff, right? So I will go I'll go offm market to try to find somebody a building for lease or for for sale or whatever. That is a shitload of time. takes so much time to produce those spaces, those buildings, those properties that if that person is just for the one and done, no, I'm good. >> It's not worth it. >> Move it along. You know what I mean? You can you can go down the street. You can find any commercial broker that'll take your assignment, whatever. I'm not about that. If if I'm going to put my time in and if I'm going to sacrifice my family time with my children and my family to work on your assignment, >> I want equal respect and I want equal loyalty. I want you to come back. >> I want you to come back. >> Absolutely. >> Right. I want >> first of all, and I think I think this is also a big thing. I'm not I'm not ragging on one particular class of client or seller or whatever. This is equally across the board. You also have to perform, >> right? You also have to get in there and roll your sleeves up and get dirty, right? You're going to have to get out there and you're going to have to work your ass off. And if you do that and then someone does not return that effort and that performance with loyalty, that's that's when you got to cut the strings. >> So, I think it's it's a lot on the business owner, you know, the professional, whoever we're talking about. >> It's not just an entitlement. You're not entitled to the loyalty automatically off the rip. You're not entitled to it. You actually have to show. You gota you got to put up before someone's going to show up. You know what I mean? >> Yep. Yep. Absolutely. But but when you do put up, >> when you do put up, >> you know, and that's the whole point of what you're saying, the way I'm hearing it and the way I've experienced it. When you do put up, because I I've been there. I have been there so many times where we went above and beyond. And brother, when I'm telling you we went above and beyond, we lost money working for these clients, you know, and all of a sudden we look up and they're using our competitors >> and we're just like, what happened? Oh, they were cheaper. >> Yeah. >> Okay. You know, buy >> get what you pay for. >> Parade wave. Sometimes >> parade wave, you know, right? That's what our business coach calls it. Just parade wave and let them go. you know, >> they weren't bringing anything to you or your business to begin with. And at first, the person that I'm thinking of that that did this to us first. >> Mhm. >> When that first happened, I was devastated. I was I was like, "Oh my gosh, we're done. We are absolutely done." Because she gave us so much business, you know, and truth be matter, you know, I talked to our business coach about it and she was like, "Pade wave, John. Parade wave. That's not your ideal client. And so I sat back and I did a parade wave. I said, "Bye." We gained We gained 10 more just like her. >> Exactly. Exactly. >> That that actually did care, you know, that were our ideal client. >> That's what matters, right? That's what matters is the 10 that do care. It's not the one wheel that you could possibly lose, >> right? >> It's the 10 that >> It's the 10 that matter >> and they're going to come back over and over. So, I I'll I got a couple stories for you, okay? And and they they span a bunch of different industries, right? Well, talking about Brad, that's the MIT, right? I had a an IT professional and we are a Mac environment. I have been since 2007, right? And I go and I invest in a whole bunch of Apple tech servers and I even I I think I even had an Apple server cabinet. It was a fortune, right? Like and and all of this stuff, right? And there was a there was a company here that recommended all this stuff. And then we get to it's like a week before install. I've got all the equipment sitting on my office floor and I'm talking about this was tens of thousands of dollars. I mean, a lot of money and this guy comes out cheap. >> It's not. It's definitely not. You know, fun fact, I had one of the last excerves off the production floor right before they they they cut the excerve. I had one of the last ones. >> So, >> no. >> Oh, yeah. >> My goodness. >> I had a I had an excerve. I had a ton of Mac Mini servers, like just a bunch of stuff, switches, all sorts of gear. So, I get all the stuff on the floor and this is like a this is a two-prong story. The guy that that recommended that I buy all of this [ __ ] comes out and he's like, "And why did you buy all this? You could do all of this over the web with all these like, you know, now now it's called SAS, you know, uh right >> service as a >> Yeah. >> software. Yeah. >> Service as a software or whatever. And and I'm looking at I'm like and now I'm getting red. I'm getting really really you know like you see in the cartoon where the just the tempers like and >> and >> Yeah. And I'm like are you kidding me right now? like we could have saved all this money without, you know, and at the time, probably even now, you you can't give [ __ ] back to to Apple. >> Like even if it's brand new in the box, they're not taking it back, right? So I'm like, >> "So now what do I do?" Okay. So now that becomes a relationship that just >> that was the kaibos, right? We're we're not we're not dealing with that freaking guy ever again. >> Right. Right. >> So then I panic and I'm like, "Okay, what do I do now?" I go to the Apple website and I research their their network professionals network, right? I put in the zip code and I call this this young guy. I get him on the phone and he starts telling me all the things that I can do with this gear. And I'm like, "Okay, this this is the guy, right? Like this this is the guy who wants to build a relationship." Like, "Okay, great." Call him in. He looks at the stuff. He's like, "Yeah, yeah, we could do this. It's not a problem." blah blah blah blah. I didn't know this, but at the time he was just one single guy in his boxer shorts answering phone calls on his sofa in his apartment, right? I had no clue. I had no clue whatsoever, right? >> Whatever. And then overnight, I gave this guy so much work and I referred him out to everybody I possibly could that he became the number one Apple affiliate in the Houston metro market, which you know is freaking huge. >> That's huge. That's huge. >> So hires a bunch of people. Hires a bunch of people. lots of, you know, professionals going out on on the road and helping people out with their problems and all this stuff. >> Mhm. >> I get I was in a different business at the time. I get this huge meeting with a huge company and we have to build a website for a specific use case and all this stuff. And this guy does all that. So, I'm leveraging my relationship and I'm like, "Look, I need to pay you to build this website. we need to do this and you can do like all these really sexy things and all this stuff. He's like, "Yeah, yeah, no, no problem. No problem. No problem." We get out to Dallas for this big meeting. Now, mind you, it's the second meeting. The first meeting I went in there and we killed it. Now, the second meeting is time to put up. >> We have to show that we have this web application that actually works. And now I come out there with him. It I paid for his airline ticket to get there cuz he was going to operate this thing in front of everybody in this big. Now we got we got everybody in this meeting, right? We have purchasing executives, we've got directors, we've got VPs, we've got AVPs, SV. >> Let me just tell you, as a business owner, I'm sucking seat right now. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I'm just like I'm sweating for you, my friend. There's 30 people in this in this boardroom, right? And now on on my side of the table, it's it's me, my partner, this guy, our safety director, our general counsel. We had a general counsel on payroll, right? >> Wow. >> We got all these people here, right? The damn thing don't work. >> Why did I see that coming? >> He put hardly no time into this. Why? >> Because he became the number one Apple support tech for businesses in the Houston metro market. He didn't need me anymore. So, he put all this time into all the other calls that he was getting and all the other big businesses that were giving him work and didn't put any time into the website. And we ate the cheese on that one. >> I bet. I bet. >> And I was like, you know, you really screwed me here. You really screwed me on this one. And that relationship went kaput right after that. >> Yeah. Oh, sure. Sure. Absolutely. >> So, you know, that's the the quintessential. It was good in the beginning. >> You got what you wanted and then you moved on, but I didn't. I stayed in the relationship. I was giving more, giving more, giving more, and then I lost. That's like you said, the quintessential business owner that's in it for themselves, you know, which I mean, reality speaking, we're all we want all want to see ourselves succeed. >> Sure. >> But >> sure, >> the law of the universe says you can't work that way. You cannot work that way. You have to put others ahead of yourself. You have to. And it just works. It just works. I can't explain why. All I can can do is explain that it does work that way. >> You know the you know the the better in numbers power strength in numbers. I believe it's the same thing when you're working with other people. When you're in commerce, right? When you're in business with people >> strength and numbers, >> right? So if if I just provide you a service and then I'm done, right? I'm only I'm only in this for a commission and I'm out. That's a one that's a one It's a one-time transaction, right? You're going to go your way. I'm going to go my way. Are we going to live perfectly normal lives? Yeah, probably. But >> we'll never do business together again. >> Right. Exactly. When you look at it from the other side of the coin and you are understand that there's strength in numbers, there's so many other possibilities. Well, and it I think it even goes deeper than that, Angelo. I think it goes back to the old school way of doing things. >> Yeah. >> You know, back when I I I think of, you know, we we were talking earlier today at the coffee shop about being old souls. >> You know, I hung out with older people. My dad was was other than me. My dad was the youngest person in the room. You know, we dealt with my barber who was like 85 years old and my granddad who was like 86 years old. And the conversations they would have is, you know, we would go in there and this guy charged 10 bucks for a haircut, you know, and he would go over and above, you know what? I mean, you could go down to Great Clips and get the same haircut for 30 bucks and they didn't give you the vibrating neck massage and all that kind of stuff. So, you flip the guy a 50 and he's just like, "No, give me let me give you your change." >> Right. Right. Right. >> And and would actually be offended if you didn't take it because his word was, "This is a $10 haircut." >> You know, that's the old school way. And I visited that guy for haircuts until I moved away. He's still alive actually. And I would still go back there if I was still in the area. >> You know, that's that's relationship. >> That's the relationship we're talking about. You and you new new business owners that are that are that are tuning into this, I'm talking to you. You know, that's the way that's what you have to describe. That's what you have to ascribe to is the old school way of doing things. >> Your word has meaning. >> Just because I don't care what a contract says. If I say I'm going to do this, by golly, I'm going to do it. >> You better do it or die trying. >> Absolutely. >> So, I can't >> that's relationship. >> I can't get into the details because it's not done. And my fiduciary responsibility is confidentiality. That's that's one of the big ones. Okay. But I've got a deal that Lord willing will be going into contract next week. And this has been a deal that has been in the works for 2 and 1/2 years, right? And the property had a lot of challenges. And honestly, when I met with the sellers, I represent both the buyer and the seller. This is in another state. And when I met with these people, I honestly saw my parents and I saw all of the people in their lives took advantage of them so harshly that I said, "Okay, when I met them, I said, "I will get this done for you. I will and I and I promise you that. And when I make a promise, I hold to it." So, when I gave them the news that we're going into contract, they texted me, husband and wife, they texted me and they said, "I can't believe after all this time, this is actually happening." And I said, "I gave you my word many, many months ago, >> I love it, >> this was going to happen." >> That's what business is all about. That's what business is all about. >> Yes, you did. And honestly, I'm going to be This is real talk here. By the time money hits my bank account, I don't think that I will be positive on this deal. I have put so much time and I've leveraged so many relationships and I've put so much work into this and I fought tooth and nail with everyone with cities with other buyers with you know just so many things that I won't be positive but I gave my freaking word >> and I held up to that. Here's the thing, Angelo. God saw that. >> Mhm. >> And the universe does not leave stuff like that unanswered. >> No, it doesn't. >> God's universe does not leave that unanswered. >> No, it doesn't. >> You know, and who knows what you're going to see from that. And that's the thing. It's not always about what's tangible and right there in front of you. >> But I know he saw >> that. That could have that could have exactly that could have that could ripple through years. >> That's where gold to me. >> Absolutely. The lifetime value of a client. >> Who are when they talk to somebody when let's say they're they're eating at at Longhorn Steakhouse or something like that, you know, and somebody they meet somebody that says, "Hey, you know, you know anybody that that's in commercial real estate?" Oh, well, yeah. This is the guy. This is a guy you have to call. If you don't, you're doing yourself a disservice. Boom. There you go. That's the way business is conducted. >> It's something that And listen, I have never and I never will. I will never give credit to myself. I will never seek the credit. I will never seek the glory. You know who I give the credit to. And I've mentioned this several times. The Lord above is responsible for all of this. I was just a tool. I was just a tool that he used. That's it. That's that's all I am. But >> and that's what being a business owner is all about. >> Yep. >> Being that >> I will never take the credit for it. I'll never take the credit for it. But those people will never forget me. >> Exactly. >> They'll never forget me because I kept to my word. >> I promise them. Even if those people even if those people never do business with you again, >> you developed a reputation >> and I don't >> that reputation >> ever coming back to me. I mean there anticipate it. >> That reputation is already out in the airwaves. That reputation is already out in the universe. God's already seen it. It's already done. That's a done deal. So >> that matters and that's what a lot of today's generation does not get. They don't understand that. >> Nope. They don't understand it. And that's why I got the nickname the bulldog. Because when I latch on to something, I don't let it go. >> Until someone tells me let it go, then I let it go. But other than that, I don't let go. And I promise these people I'll get this done. And I didn't let go until I did. And I'm still not >> until it's done. Until I'm at the closing table, I'm not letting go. >> And >> that's beautiful. >> That's just the old school in me. That's the way I was taught. Today's generation, it's like as soon as things don't pan out and don't give you the the warm and fuzzies, it's like boom, boom, boom, gone. >> Yeah, I quit. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm done. I'm gonna I'm gonna Tik Tok my way out of this. So it's that's the mentality that you have to ingrain in someone. That's not something that you can train. That is a lifetime of watching and repeating like seeing somebody do it over and over again. And when you see the results of that, when you see someone appreciate that, when you see someone like, "Okay, that's the way it's done. Maybe that's what I should be doing." That's how you do that. You can't. Cuz in today's world, it's all about instant gratification. They want to be pleased in two seconds. And if they don't get what they want, they're out. >> You're done. >> And >> yeah, >> you can't you can't run a business like that. You can't run anything like that, >> right? >> It's >> and I've seen I've seen a resurgence of that, though. >> And there's there's hope to be had. By the way, you've got the most beautiful sunset going on behind you right now. >> I know. I know. Oh my gosh. I'm just I'm sitting here with my green screen hiding my hiding my washer and dryer. >> I'll tell you I'll tell you something. >> That is beautiful. I'm just sitting here going, >> "There's a bayou. >> There's a bayou right behind that fence." And come summertime, this place is hell with the mosquitoes. >> Oh, >> summertime. And I I even have um I even have Brooks Pest Control. Shout out to Brooks. >> Yeah. They come with that with the bait bucket >> where they they put that stuff in there and then it causes the mosquitoes to they can't procreate anymore or something like that. >> Yeah. Neutralizes them. >> It is necessary over here because of that by you. It is ne like they cannot miss a month. If they're if I'm if I'm looking at the calendar and I'm like, "Oh yeah, [ __ ] I got to call these people up because they they got to get back out here." >> Let let me tell you something. I I went to a shoot the other day down on Lake Jackson and oh my gosh, I rolled into this place and I I beat the realtor there and and I rolled my windows down and was engulfed with mosquitoes. Oh my gosh, it was horrible. It was It was like >> You think >> I thought they were going to carry me away. >> This is This is my own opinion, okay? I am I am not I don't care if I get cancelceled. I don't give a [ __ ] But I believe that mosquitoes mosquitoes are the devil's henchmen and cats are the guardians of hell. That's my own opinion. >> I hope you can't hear the train going by. >> No, I No, I didn't hear anything. >> There it is. >> I heard that. I heard that. >> We're outside. You know, it is what it is. >> By the way, >> what what do you got there? >> This is uh Chevco Black. This was I was turned on to this by a very very dear friend of mine. His name is Sammy Salic and he is one of the big wigs at Totis Financial. >> Yeah. >> And uh I was drinking at his house and I've I've always been always been a Grey Goose guy. Always for vodka. That was my my go-to when Sammy turned me on to this stuff. I haven't bought a bottle of Grey Goose in got to be over a year, year and a half, maybe longer. This stuff is phenomenal. It's in my opinion a bigger bottle. It's better quality and it's cheaper. >> Wow. >> How do you beat that? >> You don't. You don't. That there that's that's one of those things you find and you keep. But that that brings to mind, you know, we were talking about tasting notes and pairings, >> you know. >> Yeah. >> This this cigar I I had one the first one I ever had was two weeks ago. You brought me one when we met at >> Yep. >> Java Owl and I had it with a Coke. I was drinking a Coke at the time. >> Were you? I thought you were drinking. >> No, you Coke. That's right. I was drinking a Coke. >> That's right. >> Because it was like one o'clock in the afternoon and I'm old. So if I have caffeine that late here, I am drinking caffeine at like almost 7 o'clock at night. >> 7 o'clock at night. >> But I'll be I I'll be awake all night. But the tasting notes of this cigar have changed based upon what I'm drinking. >> Really? >> Yes. Tremendously. I'm at about the middle of the body right now on this kit. >> And I recall the tasting notes that I was tasting when I was drinking a soda, a Coke, were very much they were like hay and leather. It's it's got more of that Cuban feel as as I'm drinking it with coffee with with Nicaraguan coffee. >> It's maybe it's in my head, but it's amazing. And it's worth it's worth bringing attention to that the tasting notes of whatever stick you're having are going to change with whatever libation you're having it with. >> I agree. I agree with that. >> Yeah. Totally. And if you you know you can't I've seen people like on the cigar forums, they'll talk about ah this cigar tastes like toilet paper or whatever and and it's something that I've had before and I know it doesn't. And I'm just like, what did you have it with? I just finished a steak. Well, there you go. >> I was just gonna say that it also depends on what you've eaten >> before. >> Yes. >> Or during cuz I know some people that do eat and smoke at the same time. There is there is a restaurant in New Jersey that you can It's still It's grandfathered in from places 50, 60 years old. You can still order to eat and smoke at the same time. So, depends on what you've eaten, depends on what you're drinking at the time. >> Changes the whole tasting profile of the cigar. >> It really does. And I was going to have scotch, >> but like I said, it's been so long since I've had a damn Red Bull that, >> you know, scotch and Red Bull, you probably [ __ ] your pants. So, like figured vodka have a vodka Red Bull. >> You wake up smelling time. Yeah, exactly. >> But this and this is something that we got to work on because I I don't I don't believe that I can do it. I I just I can tell if it's good tobacco or not. >> Sure. >> I can't I can't pull any of the notes out of it. >> I mean, >> I really can't. >> You can tell. One of the one of the best indicators of a quality cigar is as you smoke it, how sharp is that line? You know, I haven't had to touch this one up at all. >> I talk about it all the time. I talk about about the burn, >> how evenly the burn is. >> I talk about the ash quality, >> right? If it's spotty, >> if it's all one color, gray, it's great. >> If it's like spotty, it's like darken on on, you know, little bits of it and it's real light in parts of it, that's not good, >> right? >> And the draw, if you're drawing, if you're an even draw throughout the whole thing, you know it's good quality. you know, it's good quality if >> even and that's more important even than the than the cut than the burn cut, you know, is the draw because I've had some some cigars. Oh my gosh. And and I paid like 25 bucks for these cigars per stick. >> Yeah. >> And you get halfway through it and you can't draw it anymore. >> Do you ever smoke a cigar where it kind of it's reminiscent of a a McDonald's milkshake? Well, my wife and I went on a cruise a while back and we went on a five-day cruise and my gosh, as soon as we hit the the Piers, where was this? This was in Cosml. Cosm. >> Yeah. >> And these guys come up with these boxes of Cohibas. Cohibas, you know. >> Yeah. You know their [ __ ] >> And I knew I know how to tell a fake Cohiba just by the rapper, you know, by And so I'm looking at I take one out of the box. So I'm like, "This is fake." They got, "No, it's genuine." No, it's fake. >> [ __ ] man. >> He wanted 10 bucks for the box. So I'm like, "Here's 10 bucks. Go away." >> How bad can it be? Yeah. >> That thing tasted like toilet paper. >> Like ass. And not in a good way. >> That was the most toilet paper smoke I've ever had. But that cigar you gave me earlier today, that thing by CEO. Yes, that thing required a little bit of a touchup. >> Yeah, >> but I would bet you had you had that thing in a humidor, >> of course. >> How long? >> Weeks probably. So, I have I have one of those refrigerator humidors. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And I buy a bundle. Those those along with the Tiger King I buy a box of or a bundle. The surplus comes in a bundle of 25. So, I bought a bundle. I just opened it up and I I threw it in one of the drawers in the the humidor. >> But, I mean, that stick was $2. >> You can't you can't [ __ ] beat it, dude. You can't beat that. >> The whole the the foot to the end of the body was amazing. At the end, it got a little bit intense and there was a little bit of a burn burn deficiency, but it never got hard to draw. Never. I mean, and I smoked it to the nub. You remember? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Short of short of him putting a pick in it and and you know >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> I smoked that sucker to the >> I have a roach clip. >> I mean, I just didn't bring one. But as a matter of fact, where'd my lighter go? I was going to show you. Oh, here it is. I got my cigar sitting on it. Th This is the really cool lighter my wife bought me. And it came with at the bottom. It used to come with a a stick you could take out of the lighter. Yeah. And you could so you could smoke it down. I lost it, >> man. Dude, that is >> I lost it. But my gosh, I can't cigars. It doesn't It doesn't happen often. It's usually the brands that have quality issues that >> Yeah, >> you will. I'll give you I'll give you the case in point. I love these guys. Dealing with them, honestly, it's like, and you know, I'm not an infusion guy, right? I I don't like flavored cigars. It's not my thing. >> But there's there's a company out in Chicago called Ralph's Cigars. And they do their own thing. It's their own infusion. They don't buy them from anyone and resell them. The consistency is so off. one. And I find that if I order five to 10 sticks, it's okay. Any any order larger than 10 sticks, you're all over. >> It's everywhere. >> All of them have >> like one cigar, you will smoke that thing. It's like a It's a cognac coconut coffee infusion, >> dude. I'm telling you, when you when you whip that thing out to light it, >> everybody looks around. They they stop and like what is that smell? It's like intoxicating, right? You're like you you have to know what it is and one stick will be the best smoke of your life. And then you'll fire up another one and it's like a [ __ ] McDonald's milkshake and you're like, I'm either I'm either going to finish this cigar or I'm going to have a stroke. Like one of one of the other one or the other's going to happen. >> One of the two. >> Yeah. A realtor friend of mine actually was in the Dominican Republic and I was like, "Bring me back a cigar because I mean I love Dominican cigars. The spice I'm a spice guy. I love Dominican spice, you know. Sunrown all day long, you know." >> Mhm. So, she she brought me back not just one cigar, she brought me back like 15 full-size Toro cigars, and they were all infused. All infused. Some of them were cocoa, some of them were were cognac, and then she brought me back these cigarillos. >> There was like 25 of them. >> I'm not mad at a cigarillo, >> you know. I'm not either. It's a good quick smoke. And so, But it was that exact thing that you're talking about. And they were hand rolled in Dominican, not available in the US. So I put them in my humidor together and I stuck them stuck them in there for about a year. >> Huh. >> And so those suckers changed profiles like crazy. >> I'm going to tell you a story. He had this cocoa cognac infused nonsense and some of it kind of did taste like a McDonald's shake, but some of them were really really good smokes. I mean, you light them up and you're just like, "Oh, the the the scent, which >> that's what a lot of cigar afficionados don't really understand is so much of your taste comes from scent." >> Yeah. Oh yeah, absolutely. >> That's why the retro hail is so important. >> The way a cigar artist intends for a cigar to be enjoyed is through a retro hail. >> You know, a lot of people don't understand that that's the way it's intended to be enjoyed because you don't really taste a cigar correctly until you blow the smoke out of your nose, >> right? Because a lot of your flavor, like if you put a good quality steak on the grill, you can taste that sucker before you take it off just because you're smelling it, you know? And and and that's that's so critical to tasting a quality cigar. So, one of Brad and I's mutual friends, we are working on a trip to the Dominican, >> if you want to get in on that >> and we're talking about cigar tour. >> Send me the >> Republic. Yeah, >> send me the deets. I'm there. >> We're we're we're going to we're going to do that. It's it's so interesting on the cigar world, right? If you if you're in this, you're in it because you love it, right? I love it. I've smoked in lounges all over the world. I truly love cigar smoking. I tr I love cigars. I love, you know, and my tastes have changed over time, you know, as your pallet changes as you get older. You know, when I was younger, I couldn't drink red wine. I hated it. And now that's all I that's my go-to, right? So, your palette changes over time with cigars, you know, like for instance, girkas. I hated girkas. They were just way too damn strong for me. And then as I got into it, >> I like them now. I like them a lot. >> I love girkas. Yes. >> I smoke. This is my This is my third one for today, right? And as far as I know, that's your second one for today. >> My second. Yes. >> So, I smoke. I'll probably go a full week before I have another one. >> So, this is this is where it becomes an addiction. I smoke like two to five a day. A day. The real estate commercial real estate business is very stressful, right? It's very very stressful. The attrition rate on deals, I told you this earlier, is like 80%. So, if you have 10 deals in the fire a month, eight of them [ __ ] are going to die. And I know that and every commercial broker knows that like they're going to die. So it's it's very high stress. I'm using that as as an excuse. I'm going to use that as an excuse of why I smoke so many damn cigars. >> Go for it. >> So >> go for it. >> That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'm going to ask you this question and I know my answer. So are you are you the guy that has a different cigar for a different mood? >> No. Absolutely not. No. each cigar that I have. >> I do, but you're not going to like it. >> No, I look man, this is what this is all about. This is what this podcast is all about. So, tell me. >> The War Pig. >> Really? Really? >> Mhm. The War Pig is is >> That's my jam. That is my jam. It's followed closely by the Rocky Patel decade. I just I love I I've paired it with multiple different things, whether it be a beer, scotch, bourbon, water, you know, coffee, whatever. I love the tasting notes of a rocky Patel decade. There's always that Graham cracker. And another followed thirdly by just about anything from my father. >> I love my father. >> Do you have a favorite? Have you tried the the blue um Honduras? >> No, I haven't. The the Siri 10 is my favorite. >> Okay. >> The Siri 10 it >> Have you tried the just? >> It's just I have not. Oh my gosh. I need to. That gives me an excuse. >> I'm I'm the kind of guy. >> I'll give it to you. >> Listen, I'm the kind of guy that I find something I like and I just kind of go to it because I'm like, I know I like that. I'm that guy. >> That guy. Yeah. Okay. So, >> I take my wife to a place and I'm like, I know what I like on this menu, so that's what I'm getting. She's more adventurous and I need to be more adventurous. >> I mean, I would have never discovered this. I have to look. The Persian King >> Mhm. >> by Grand Habano. I mean, I've heard of Grand Habano all over the place, but I've never tried the Persian King. And that's a go-to for me now. >> Mhm. >> But if I'm at a at a humidor somewhere and I see that stick before now >> Mhm. >> I'm going to pass it up. >> You'd walk past it. You'd walk >> I'd walk right past it >> to my own to my own disservice. I have a buddy and this is this is the this is the key for you John. Don't pass [ __ ] up, right? If you see something, >> right, >> give it give it a shot. And my own personal opinion is whenever I'm trying something new, I always pick up two sticks because anybody, it doesn't matter who you are, Arturo Fuente can have a [ __ ] They could have a bad day, right? That's true. So, like, okay, if you have one dud, >> you have two duds. Now, stay away from that cigar. You got two duds, stay away from it. >> But I always try two, but >> you got to be a little bit adventurous. I have a buddy, S Candelera. I love S. He is a true friend of mine. Old school, you know, you know the old the old Kangle cap. >> Mhm. >> You know, like the newsy the newsy cap. >> Always wears one. Never see the guy without wearing a newsies cap, right? >> Always smokes the Heiney Garcia double Corona. >> Okay. Okay. >> Does it will not mad at that anything else? I'm not mad at it either. But >> not mad at that. >> You could hand this [ __ ] guy a $500 pre-imbargo Havana Cuban cigar and he like, "Nope, I'm good. >> I only smoke I only smoke the Himei Garcia double Corona." Like that's that's it. That's it. I mean, that that's kind of me when it comes to beer. >> Okay. What's your, >> you know, oh my gosh, I'm an IPA guy. >> I love a good IPA, you know. >> Okay. >> I'm a beer snob. If it's not craft, I'm absolutely not interested unless it's free. >> [ __ ] me. >> If it's free, >> Yeah, that's different. >> I'll drink anything, >> right? you know, but like a a good voodoo ranger. >> Okay. >> A lot of people look at that and they go, "Oo, that's too too much. Too much." But I also like a good stout. >> Mhm. >> You know, >> like a Guinness >> No, Guinness is trash, dude. Serious. Guinness is trash. No, Guinness is trash. No. >> What about Heineken? So, like >> No. >> This right here, you know, you know I had the gastric sleeve surgery. Mm-m. >> It's the only thing I miss, >> right? It's the only thing I miss from having this surgery. It was the best thing I've ever done. But I can't drink beer because this right here, the the Red Bull has carbonation in it. And the carbonation, >> it [ __ ] with your stomach. >> It'll tear you up. Yeah, >> it's it's doable. The beer because of the hops and the the wheat and the barley and all this [ __ ] in a beer. Can't do it. I just I physically can't do it. And it's the only thing I miss. And my go-to beer was Heineken. That was my go-to. Like if they didn't have Heinegan, I only had one fallback and it was Doseekis. >> No, you you need to you need to get more experience in beer. >> I've had a lot of experience in beer. I've had a lot of experience. >> No, no, no, no, no. My favorite beer of all time is called Dragon's Milk. >> Okay. >> And I forgot who makes it. >> That sounds nasty. >> But it's as black as night. It's a stout. That >> Yeah, it's completely stout. 12 9 I think. ABV. >> Okay. Holy [ __ ] >> Tastes Yeah. Tastes like you're you're drinking heaven. >> Okay. >> It is so good. So good. But I used to be that guy. I used to be the guy that you are with beer. >> Yeah. >> You know, when I came I used to be a Heineken guy. This is I'm sophisticated. I'm drinking a >> Heineken. >> So I used to I used to do something >> I would go to Twin Peaks. If any if anybody doesn't know, Twin Peaks is like a Hooters on steroids. The girls dress up in like lumberjack little, you know, un uniforms and the beer is like 29% uh 29 degrees Fahrenheit. So when they bring it to you, it's like got little crystals on top of the head. >> And I would go I'd walk in there and I'd be like I take a hairy balls and they're like, >> "What the hell is that?" I'm like, "Hegan with a a shot of fireball. Just drop it right in there." you know, like a carbon. >> Like I I'm telling you, this was a while ago, right? This was a while. I was a young I was a young guy >> and and that's that's what I drank. But when I went to the Netherlands, when I went to Amsterdam, that was the only thing I wanted to do. I just wanted to go to the Heineken factory. And my [ __ ] luck, >> it was closed for maintenance. Like, and they hadn't done it for like 30 years prior to that. I'm like, my luck. I come to Amsterdam and that's the one thing I want to do. And it's it's [ __ ] closed. But I don't have a favorite cigar. How about that? I don't have a favorite one. >> I'm not mad at that either. >> People People ask me all the time. They're like, "What's your favorite cigar?" I don't have one. >> The one I'm smoking, >> right? It's like it's all what my mood is, right? So like if if there's a lot of factors that play into it. Did I just have a big steak before that? you know, am I am I happy? Am I mad? Am I somewhere in between? You know, like it's kind of like I'm very eclectic when it comes to music, right? So, it's like what am I feeling at that at that time? Do I do I want to listen am I listening to hip-hop? Am I listening to country? Whatever I'm feeling at that moment, that's what I'm listening to. And it's the same thing with cigars. It's how I'm feeling. If I'm angry, I want something spicy with a lot of punch. >> Yeah. >> You know what I'm saying? If I'm If I'm happy, I want something a little more mellow that I just I want to enjoy. >> If I if I'm mad, I'm I'm angry at the world and I want to [ __ ] feel it. You know what I mean? Like that's that's where my ideology is with cigars. But I'm gonna ask you a question. You said the Rocky Patel decade, right? I've smoked it. It's a good cigar. However, do you know that the Placencia family does all of Rocky Patel's [ __ ] All of from seed. >> I do. >> From seed to boxing. >> So, why wouldn't you just smoke a a Placencia like Alma for different? >> It tastes different. >> It It totally tastes different. >> I totally think so. And and that's the difference is I can smoke a Rocky Patel Decade and have it with coffee if I'm in a calm mood. >> Okay. >> Or have it with a bourbon if I'm in a mad mood. >> Okay. >> And it'll totally change the flavor of profile. >> I agree with you, man. I I definitely agree with you that the cigars the profile changes depending on your mood, depending on what you're drinking, what you're eating. 100%. >> But ultimately, my thing is, which I've been in high stress jobs. I mean, I used to be law enforcement. I used to be security at Memorial Herman. I mean everything law enforcement sees, Memorial Herman sees, you know, >> fighting LSD patients and and everything else. So I know stress, >> you know, but my thing is >> if I can come home and enjoy time with my wife and we sit out by our fire pit and I get to enjoy a premium cigar. >> Mhm. I really don't care who makes it. >> Good point. >> I get to enjoy a premium cigar with whatever libation. >> Yeah. >> You know, it's about relaxation. >> Yeah. >> Sorry, my headphones are trying to fall off. >> It's all right. >> But to me, that's what it's all about, you know? And I don't know if you remember I don't remember his name, but a couple of years ago he he reached some fame for being the oldest World War II veteran. >> Okay. >> Black guy. >> Yeah. I think I know. Yeah. >> I want to say he was a Marine and he lived to be like 105, 106, something like that. And somebody asked him, "What is your secret to long life? And he said, "Every day I have cigars and bourbon because stress will kill you." >> Stress will kill you 100%. I mean >> that's >> what are statistically if you look at it right and you read all the medical documents, what are the two main causes of cancer? Bad diet and stress. >> Absolutely. So, I agree with that 100%. So, you don't you don't subscribe because there's there's there's guys out there and gals out there that only smoke Padron or only smoke Aruro Fuente. You don't you don't subscribe to that [ __ ] I don't either. >> No, >> I don't either. Have you tried anything in the warped lineup? >> No. Well, I want to say yes. >> Okay. I had something from the smoke ring a while back. This has been probably two years ago and this was a Jagante. >> Okay. >> So, I'm talking a >> pornographic. >> 80 by 80 by 100. >> Yeah. Very pornographic. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> This this stick was like that long and about that wide. And it was a barber pole and I want to say it was made by that company. Do you smoke that in like a a closet by yourself? >> I smoked it by a fire pit and I got I remember I got about a quarter of the way through it and I was like I'm done. But what a wonderful smoke. What a wonderful smoke. Even a massive cigar like that. And I mean you could razor edge lines. I mean I I didn't ash that sucker until that ash was like that long, you know? >> Yeah. That's also how you know a good quality cigar. When the ash stays put, >> you know that's a great quality cigar. >> Now, >> I I'm adventurous, right? I'm adventurous on a lot of things, but I'll go into a cigar shop and I'm not the one like every everyone that knows me knows I'm into cigars, so they'll ask me a whole bunch of questions. I'll go into a cigar shop and I'll act like a complete dumbass. Like I'll I'll go to the tobaconist and I'll just like pick his pick his brain or her brain and I'll walk through the humidor with them and I'll just start picking stuff. Right. So Warped, they make the the Cloud Hopper, the Comeda, a couple of Dude, so good. So good. It's just the problem is is like I think the biggest ring gauge they have is like 48. like 40. >> No, that that wasn't this one. >> It's too small. It's too small, right? And but it's high high quality [ __ ] And I just just got turned on to a new brand called Crowned Heads. >> Again, >> I've heard of that. Yes. >> They don't make anything. They don't make anything big. >> But the two that I've smoked so far was the Lrema phenomenal. And then blood medicine, which you'll love this, right? Blood Medicine came from the story is the building that they operate out of is an old hospital in Nashville, Tennessee that became a pharmacy. And you know that the whole blood medicine thing was, you know, way back in, you know, turn of the century, whatever, >> right? And it was like it's an homage to that because it was an old pharmacy and all that kind of thing. Phenomenal. Phenomenal. And then there's the Reese's Habana which I just smoked like two of their cigars um a couple of weeks ago. Phenomenal, dude. And it's just like like you said, if I walked past this in a humidor, I'd walk right I'd walk right past it. And if it's not like a an AJ Fernandez, the only thing that I won't smoke of AJ Fernandez because for some reason I that that dude, he's a spellbinder. He's a spellbinder. Whatever the [ __ ] he's doing, it works, right? So he's always doing something like the Romeo e Julieta that he did the >> Oh, that's a good stick. Phenomenal. That is a fabulous stick. Yes. Yes. the Viva Levita. Oh my god, that is the one thing. Yes, that's the one note that I can pull the molasses out of that [ __ ] Right. So, like that's that's phenomenal. The only thing like even the the the H Upman's that he's done, the collab with them. Phenomenal. The only thing I don't smoke of AJ Fernandez is the New World. >> To me, those are [ __ ] I don't know why it I it's it's not my cup of tea, right? It's not my cup of tea, but he does so many phenomenal things. Do you know that? Do you know the the bet that he had with the owner of Caldwell? >> No, I don't. >> So Caldwell makes the long live the king and the king is dead and now I think they have a new one called the long live the queen or the queen is dead, something like that. And AJ Fernandez makes a bet with Caldwell and he says, "Bet you that I can make a better stick out of Long Live the King than you did." And of course, you know, egos flare and it becomes a pissing contest and he's like, "Okay, challenge accepted." >> Uhhuh. >> He [ __ ] did it, man. He did it. Jeez. >> He [ __ ] on the guy's own cigar. you. It's like you have to have a talent to do that. You know what I mean? You got to be gifted to do that type [ __ ] >> My goodness. >> You got to give him props. The only, you know, the only thing that he's come out with that I'm dying to try. I've tried the the his El Poop and the the band is cool as [ __ ] It's like a big octopus on it. I'm not a fan of the box press. I'm really not. It's just it's got a weird mouth feel. >> Huh. >> You know, I've been smoking cigars. >> The box press just feels right. >> Really? >> To me, it's just like it's I've I've been smoking 20 plus years and it's always been a round rolled cigar, right? So, anything other than that just feels weird to me. >> So, how do you feel about a torpedo? >> I'm okay with a torpedo. That >> Okay. >> Oddly enough, I I'm okay with that. It's just the feel of the square cigar in my mouth. It's like putting a square peg in a round hole. You know what I mean? It's just it's really really weird. >> The El Poopo is a phenomenal stick. >> I just don't like it because it's a box press and and I know they make a traditional stick. They make a traditional cigar. I just can't find it. Like no one's got it. But it's phenomenal. It is phenomenal. I I actually want want to do a um national tour of all of the best spots like uh and vlog it or you know whatever. But Tampa's got a bunch of spots. I actually was not smoking when I lived in Miami. I would love to hit Miami. >> I would love to hit a few spots in Miami. You know what I mean? >> Cigar city. >> There's Industrial Cigar Company in Dallas. >> Yes. that's like rated like one of the top in the country. I've been to a couple of the ones in Vegas and they were kind of like lackluster, believe it or not. The the the Fuente Kasa Fuente in Vegas, it really was great. >> Yeah. Wasn't that great? >> Yeah. >> Shocks me. >> Well, you know, and you know what else it was? It was like, don't get me wrong, the ambiance was cool. It was cool. Then they they try to hustle you into paying $125 for a cigar that you know you can get anywhere for like 30 40 bucks. >> My gosh. >> Yeah. >> What? >> Yeah. Now >> there is one Fuente cigar that I'm dying my cousin Josh and I'm going to have him on the podcast one day. Um cuz he's a cigar smoker as well. I am dying to get my hands on an Opus X Perori. Everybody's talking about this thing. >> Yeah, now you're talking. Now you're talking. >> Have you seen the movie Lost City with with Andy Garcia? Dude, you've got to see this movie. It's a it's about how Castro takes over the country and politically what what happens to the country and everything when when Fidel Castro took over and all that stuff. And it takes place the movie takes place during that time period. The Arturo Fuente family built a chateau and they farmed tobacco specifically for that movie. It recently just burnt down in an accident fire, but the movie wrapped production and then they started selling these cigars. The Opus X Lost City. Phenomenal. And I don't think you can get anymore because the damn farm >> probably not. >> Yeah, but >> if you can, they're probably $1,000 a stick. >> I used to buy those damn things by the box. It >> My goodness, >> it was freaking awesome. freaking awesome. And I know that they've got so many Opus X cigars now. You know what I mean? It's like Opus X, My Brother's Arm. Just stupid crazy names, right? But >> to me, the OG is is is the best. The very first Opus X, that one, and the Lost City. Don't get me wrong, I haven't smoked all of them. Like, I've done the the Fuente. Um, do you ever see the the the the the tasting pack? It's like six six of the top fuente cigars. It comes in like >> Yeah. >> super nice teak >> like wood box or whatever, you know, >> cedar box, whatever. >> I've had I bought a couple of those for friends and then I bought one for a friend that I did know didn't smoke cigars. So, I was like, "Okay, I'll hold on to this." >> I smoke all them [ __ ] I smoked. I bet you did. Like, and it was like, it's supposed to be, you know, a commemorative case and it gives you the whole book and the story about Arur Fuente and the family and all this stuff. I didn't give a [ __ ] about any of that. I smoked all them [ __ ] I will tell you something. I used to live walking distance. Are you a fan of um of David? >> Sure. Absolutely. I don't think any any cigar smoker that says they don't like David off, they're not a real cigar smoker. >> No. No. There's something wrong with that. >> They are legit. I used to live walking distance to a dab off of Geneva lounge and this place was 10 11,000 square feet. And I mean the finishings in this building were top topnotch and they had they had scotches in there like the Macallen 30 and the Macallen and I'm just talking like huge huge bottles. As a matter of fact, I went looking for months for a bottle of Burklotti Dark Art. I couldn't find it anywhere and it was there >> and I didn't I didn't live I didn't live in Tampa at that time. I moved out of Tampa and I was in Tampa for military contracting business and I just went in and I saw the bottle on the on the shelf and I was like, "Holy [ __ ] I'm going to take a shot of that." That [ __ ] was really strong. But >> I bet >> when when they first opened up, I was one of the guys that got the box. you. They had my name on the, you know, on the on the humidified, you know, locker and all that stuff. >> And they had a commemorative dab it off of Tampa cigar and it was a Toro. I bought two boxes, smoked the first one almost immediately. Like almost immediately, all 10 of those [ __ ] are gone. And then I moved and I put all my cigar stuff. Well, I'm lying. My wife put all my cigar stuff in like a bin, like a Tupperware, right? Threw it all in a Tupperware. >> John, I'm telling you, five years these cigars stayed in that Tupperware. I opened the Tupperware one day and I went, "Oh my god, these cigars are shot." Like, "Oh my, you know, >> cuz they they're it was in a beautiful box. It was white with the gold David off of course and then they had they have one for New York all the metro areas they have a David off of that metro area and it's the skyline it's a black skyline like little buildings that look that mimic the skyline of that town and I'm like this box is so beautiful and it was still sealed I never opened it and I'm like oh my god these cigars are shot >> I bet they weren't >> I I open it up they Perfect. Perfect. Now, I'm talking about, >> you know, people, I don't I don't know how you're going to feel about this, but >> Go, say it. Come on. >> I've been through the humidor thing. >> Mhm. >> You know, and I I'm just like everybody else. A good cedar humidor is fabulous. >> Mhm. >> But if you really want a good humidor, Tupperware is where it's at. >> I've I've done the Tupperware thing. I've done the Tupperware thing. But >> yeah, I mean, you put some Bovita packs in there and a little bit of cedar. There's no air leakage at all. None. >> Well, let me give you let me give you some context. This was a moving Tupperware with a bunch of [ __ ] in it. >> Yeah. >> No, >> this was like a big ass, you know, like 30 in >> huge Tupperware with no humidification, nothing. That's why when I when I opened it up, I was like, "Oh my god." You know, I did I did a I did a home alone. I was like, "Oh." And and then I I break the box open. And this is before cigar manufacturers were putting Bveta packs in the boxes. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So there was literally no humidification. >> No. >> 5 years I cracked that [ __ ] open. They were perfect. >> Jeez. >> And then I kept them in the humidor for like two years. That just goes to show you the quality of dab off. Now don't get me wrong. I love Drew Estates, the League of Number nine, the T-52, Flying Pig, all of Dirty Rat, all of them, right? Love them. Do you think that you could have put a bundle of factory smokes or it's called the Underground? >> Do you think you could have put them in a in a moving temporary for 5 days >> and they would stay good? >> No. >> Probably not. >> Not a chance. Nice. >> These damn things stayed five years with noification. >> That's amazing. >> Perfect. As a matter of fact, I gave the box to my dad. >> I think he's got like two left. >> Wow. >> You know, just smoking them for like special occasions. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Everything in the Dabbit offline, they don't they don't miss. They don't ever miss. like the the Xeno Platinum any uh the Escudo the um Ecuadorian. >> All right, >> you would love that. Strong, got a lot of punch to it. My favorite dab off. If I were to take the whole line as a whole and pick one specific one that I would say is my goat like I that I love. My only problem is they don't have a big ring gauge in it. But my favorite one is the the late hour. The Churchill the late hour. >> That thing the tobacco is finished in scotch casks. You can actually taste the scotch on them, dude. >> Wow. It's phenomenal. >> Phenomenal. >> But I mean, I'm I'm I'm the type of guy that it doesn't have to be a big ring gauge, >> you know? I'm not a ring gauge fan. I I'm more of a whether it's a cigarillo, it doesn't matter. The ring gauge doesn't matter to me. It's the quality of the smoke that's what matters. >> I can smoke a cigarella. That's fine. >> And I can smoke something 60 or above. In between, nope. I'm good. Like this thing I'm having I'm having it's a great stick this Rubicon but I'm having a hard time with the ring gauge >> really. >> Yeah. It's just I'm just not a fan. Even though the the draw what initially pulled me in to the 60 and above was the draw because at that point in time I had smoked a bunch of smaller gauge cigars and the draw sucked. And then I got into I'll tell you exactly which one it was. The Purdomo 10th anniversary. >> Yeah. Yeah. Good stick. >> I smoked that and I was like, "Holy [ __ ] this is like a whole different ballgame." >> Yeah. >> And then I got sucked in. And like I've only only been 56 to 58 is like the the minimum I'll go. And then, you know, I'll go up to a 70. I won't go 80 because that's just that's just nasty >> to me. I I think it's a psych I think it's a psychological thing. I really do. Yeah. >> I think that I feel that the draw is going to be better because it's a a bigger ring gauge. So that's that's why I do it. >> But I and I think this is the beauty of the brotherhood of cigar smoking because everybody has their own thing. Everybody has their own opinion. Everybody loves their own thing. But when you're in a lounge or you're, you know, just chilling, whatever, outside on the stoop, what, like, whatever, everybody's there. You're all enjoying the same thing. You're enjoying a cigar. No matter what cigar it is, you're enjoying a cigar and you're >> It's the conversation, the >> you're shooting the [ __ ] >> Yeah. The camaraderie. >> You're lying about your fishing stories. You're doing all that all that stuff. >> Never would I lie about a fishing story. >> I I reeled in Moby Dick. No, you didn't. But but you're >> Well, I did. She was my second wife. >> It's It's the common bond, right? That's the common bond. Like, you're all there. And I I don't know if you've experienced the same thing, but when you when you walk into a lounge, right, it's kind of like when you're at the barber shop, everybody's the same. It doesn't matter what your title is. It doesn't matter what company. >> Conversations flow. Exactly. >> It just you're there enjoying a stick with a brother. >> No one cares about your status. No one cares about what you have in the bank. Everybody, we're all sharing the same thing. We're all sharing a wonderfully produced product of tobacco. >> Handmade. >> That's it. >> Handmade. Produced. >> That's it. >> Yes. >> That's it. >> I mean, it's why they call it the brotherhood of the leaf, you know. I agree. That's what it's all about. >> That's what it's all about. And >> this stick, this this is a good stick, you know, but what makes it enjoyable, not just because it's a good stick, but what makes it even more enjoyable is the company. >> Yeah. >> I mean, we've been here almost two hours and this stick is not done. And you've probably noticed I visit it very often. >> Yeah. >> You know. >> Yeah. Me, too. And I I still two hours into a stick and the conversation the conversation just flows. It allows the conversation just to go where the conversation goes. >> That's what I love. >> Definitely definitely tells a story, right? >> Yes. >> It tells the story of people that are there for a reason, right? You're there to enjoy, kick back, relax, >> blow off some steam, >> talk to other likemind people that enjoy the same thing you do. >> And this is why I love the cigar world. This is why. It's exactly why, you know, it's it's it's like >> the golfers go out because they all have that common bond. They like golfing. They like to they like to torment themselves. I'm not a fan. You know, I I do it I do it when I have to. But the guys that and girls that love this product, we all get together and we're all the same. It doesn't matter what your title says. It doesn't matter how many letters you have on the end of your name. It doesn't matter what you have in your bank account. when we're all sitting there and we're all talking about cigars and we're all talking about stories and you know when you're at a lounge and you're like check this lounge out like if you're ever in Tampa, if you're ever in LA, if you're ever over here, Philly, you know, go to this place and it's that common bond. And I I still talk to dudes and meet up with guys that I've met from all over the place, right? Like, have you ever seen the uh the the YouTube uh channel Cigars Daily? >> I believe I have. Yeah. >> Tim, he's kind of like balding. He's very very knowledgeable about cigars. He's got a cigar shop. >> Mhm. >> He's in in Phoenix, Arizona. I met the guy. Very very nice guy. I actually have a picture of me and my brother and Tim in his podcast studio in his cigar shop. And it's just like he didn't care. you know, he's got millions of viewers. And I walked into his shop and I said, "Hey, man. I'm a big fan. You know, I I watch all your stuff." And he was just like, "That's awesome." You know, took me through the humidor, showed me some new stuff that he just got in. Took me into the podcast studios like, "Hey, this is, you know, this is where it's done. We're all the same. We're on the even keel. It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, what your background is, where you grew up. We're all the same. And it's why I love this thing. It's why I love it. It's not just what it gives me, but it's what it gives all of us. You know, we all get together and we're enjoying the same thing. >> Yes. >> I love it. >> Absolutely. Brilliant. Love it. >> John, I loved having you on, bro. This is like I can do this all night. >> It's been my pleasure. We are definitely thank you so much for the multiple sticks that you have blessed me with lately. >> Absolutely. And and that's why I love >> All have been topn. >> All have been topnotch. >> And that's that's kind of my thing. I want to I want to if I find something that's good, I want to share it with people, right? That's that's the thing is you share what you find good for you and hope that someone realizes the same thing. like, "Oh, yeah. Damn, that's a good stick." And that's when it's just like the Eureka moment. It's like, "Oh, man." >> Yeah. >> Someone else got I'm not crazy. Like, it's it's good. >> No, you're not crazy at all. I will say this, you've got great taste in cigars. Great taste. >> Thank you. It's uh it's it's been many years in the making, but we are definitely going to do this again. >> Sounds good. >> I loved every minute of this. I think it's probably one of the best podcasts that we've done so far. >> Awesome. >> And everyone watching, everyone listening, there's much more of this to come, we thank you so much for sticks and stones. Keep it rolling. >> Indeed. Thanks much. >> And if you want to get a hold of Teahas imagery imagery, how do we do that? >> Well, the easiest way is through our website, www.tahhasimry.com. Perfect. >> You can call us if you're local to the Houston area, 832-792-5040. Um, the easiest way though is through our website. My email is johnhosimery.com. Tahhos the old school spelling of Texas. Te. >> Yeah, >> perfect. >> Simple. >> If you guys need any help from these guys, they're awesome. So, for that, we're off for tonight. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, brother.