How A Family Leather Shop Became A Fire Service Staple

A leather wallet making kit. A grandfather who fell in love with the craft. And a family shop that quietly became part of firefighter culture for decades. We’re sitting down with Torri D’alesio to talk about what people rarely see behind custom firefighter leatherwork: the real production process, the costs, the pressure of deadlines, and the pride of building gear that shows up on helmets and turnouts across the country.

We get into the legacy work many firefighters know, including traditional leather fire helmet manufacturing, and what changes when you’re shipping at scale while material prices rise from tariffs and leather supply costs. Torri breaks down how the workflow actually moves from leather cutting, molding, and sewing to the finishing steps done later, and we talk about the broader lineup too: helmet shields, identifier panels, chin straps, radio straps and radio cases that firefighters and EMS love, plus the custom projects that keep the craft fun.

Then we go deeper than gear. Tori shares what it’s like to take over a family business, learn every role from the ground up, and finally step back enough to lead without micromanaging. We talk networking and relationship building at fire conferences and expos like FDIC, social media burnout and privacy, and the constant tension first responders know well: overtime money versus time with your kids.

If you care about the fire service, small business leadership, firefighter equipment, or simply doing meaningful work without losing your life to it, you’ll take something from this conversation. Subscribe, share this with a friend in the firehouse or in your community, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

Thanks for taking the time to listen in. Please leave us 5 stars on Spotify & Apple Podcasts with a review. THANK YOU!

Transcript

Welcome And Name Game

SPEAKER_02 0:09

Tori D uh Lessio.

SPEAKER_04 0:14

Very good. D Alessio. I got it right. You did.

SPEAKER_02 0:18

Okay. I've been uh I always have to practice because I feel like I screw people's names up all the time. So I'm sorry, but yes, I want to get that right. But Tori D Alestio, welcome to the podcast.

SPEAKER_05 0:30

Thanks, Tim. I'm excited to be here.

SPEAKER_02 0:32

Yeah. Um, thank you for taking the time to be here and driving all the way out. Although I think you're spending time in LA this weekend, right?

SPEAKER_05 0:37

Yes. Yep.

SPEAKER_02 0:38

That's dope. I like it. I like it. Well, let's get into this. Uh, you have a pretty famous last name, at least in the fire service world.

SPEAKER_05 0:47

I do.

SPEAKER_02 0:48

Yes, you do. What do you mean? Do you do? Yes, I think uh I want to say even when I was on probation like 18 years ago, someone recommended me to go to, I think at the time it was your dad, the shop when your dad was running it, right?

SPEAKER_05 1:05

Yeah. My grandfather.

SPEAKER_02 1:06

Grandfather, okay, grandfather.

SPEAKER_05 1:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:08

Yeah. So it's been like, you guys have been around a long time, right?

SPEAKER_05 1:11

We have. So we've been servicing fire and first responders uh for the last about 30-ish years. Um but yeah, when I when I do talk to different firefighters or different um paramedics, it's hit or miss on whether they've heard of us or not. So I'm always kind of surprised when people say, Oh yeah, you're super well known. I'm like, it's kind of fun.

SPEAKER_02 1:32

Wait, really? Guys don't know about you?

SPEAKER_05 1:34

Some don't,

From Wallet Kit To Leather Craft

SPEAKER_05 1:35

yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:35

I feel like like you're you're the the family company's been in the the game for a long time.

SPEAKER_05 1:40

Well, I love that. I mean, I mean, it's been my whole life, so I don't know any different.

SPEAKER_02 1:44

Well, when did that when did your grandfather start that company? And did it start out as a like leather craftsmanship?

SPEAKER_05 1:53

It didn't. Um, so it started off, they did little odd jobs here and there, um, cabin cabinetry making, leather reupholstery. They went into fashion for a time. Um, but yeah, so it started for my grandparents' third wedding anniversary. My grandma bought him a leather wallet making kit and he fell in love with the craft. So his coworkers, his family members, they started asking for little odd jobs, wallets, belts, suspenders, dog leashes, like you name it. Um, and he fell more and more in love with it. He started doing random tooled artwork for people, like commissioned work. Um, and then one day he was approached by a mutual friend of um Ray Russell and Ronnie Coleman, the owners of uh Phoenix Technology Incorporated, the fire helmets. Um, and that's where we really got into the fire service. They asked him to help manufacture and design the leather fire helmet. And so that's what we're known for is the the TL2. We're we manufactured the TL2 for the last 30 years.

SPEAKER_02 2:58

Yeah, I remember when I uh came and did your show.

SPEAKER_05 3:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:02

And I saw all the helmets and everything, excuse me, uh everything that was in there, I was pretty shocked. I'm like, wow, you guys have a lot going on here. And what's pretty unique, which I don't think a lot of people know. So so you're the only manufacturer of that Phoenix TL2 helmet.

SPEAKER_05 3:17

Not anymore. Um, we've split ways. Um, we sent our last batch out in March, um, and we haven't made the TL2s anymore.

SPEAKER_02 3:26

Oh, we probably don't need to talk about that.

unknown 3:30

No, it's fine.

SPEAKER_05 3:31

It's fine. So they do have another manufacturer. Um, I don't mind talking about it. We're there's no ill will. Um, we still love everybody there at Phoenix. I still call Ray. Like, yeah, we're we're good.

SPEAKER_02 3:44

Yeah, but um, I think you're when I was walking through there, the machines to shape and make the leather, like you aren't you the only ones that have those machines that your family made?

SPEAKER_05 3:56

That I knew of.

SPEAKER_02 3:57

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 3:58

Yeah, so does Dean had made those machines. He's made a couple for other companies. Um, I don't know which. Um, but yeah, he he had designed those presses and stuff.

SPEAKER_02 4:10

That's interesting. That's okay. So you the from start to finish, when you make these traditional leather fire helmets, what is like

How Leather Fire Helmets Get Made

SPEAKER_02 4:20

how long does that take from you know, moment one when you start cutting each piece of the helmet for the with the leather to when it's finished? I don't do I say painted, I don't know if that's right.

SPEAKER_05 4:31

So we never painted them. Um we were just the manufacturers. We would do all of the leather, we would do the molding, the sewing, all of that, and then send it over to Phoenix. They painted it, they put the guts in, they put the stickers, they put the finial, like all of the things. Um, and then they would send it out to their distributors who then sent it out to their clients.

SPEAKER_02 4:49

Oh, okay. So when it comes in that um, it's like natural leather, right?

SPEAKER_05 4:53

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 4:53

It's just like a light brown, that's that's how you send them out.

SPEAKER_05 4:56

Correct.

SPEAKER_02 4:57

Okay, and then whoever gets it, they can do the custom work or whatever they want to do.

SPEAKER_05 5:01

Yeah, so Phoenix would then they would have the order, okay. It needs to be yellow, it needs to be red, it needs to be black, whatever. Um, and then they would paint it, they would put the um impact cap, the suspension unit, they would put all of that in it and send it out.

SPEAKER_02 5:15

Oh my god. So it's a it's like a whole pro So yeah, so how long is that process to when you start and send it out?

SPEAKER_05 5:21

Um, so my process when we we did a batch of like 10 helmets, and depending on dry time, it would take anywhere from 10 to 12-ish hours um for the entire process, including dry time to complete.

SPEAKER_02 5:36

Oh, so it's not weeks or months.

SPEAKER_05 5:37

No, no, no, no. Like we were able to uh ship out 200 helmets to Phoenix every single week.

SPEAKER_02 5:43

200 leather helmets a week?

SPEAKER_05 5:45

Yeah, 200 leather helmets every single week.

SPEAKER_02 5:49

I was thinking like wow, 200 a week. That's a lot.

SPEAKER_04 5:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:54

Well, and the it's I've seen the price of the leather leather helmets go up, like dramatic dramatically. Almost said dramastically.

SPEAKER_05 6:02

I would roll with her because okay, I get it. You are pushing drastically and dramatically. Hey, we've just come up with a new word, it's fine. I like that.

SPEAKER_02 6:10

I'm gonna have to write that one down.

SPEAKER_05 6:11

Do it. Shakespeare did it all the time.

SPEAKER_02 6:13

Yeah, I remember back in the day getting a leather helmet, it was probably like between five and six hundred bucks. Now they're over a thousand. When I look at it, I'm like, whoa.

SPEAKER_05 6:20

Yeah, everything's gotten expensive, everything's gotten expensive. Um, and it comes down to the tariffs that's placed on the leather and the price of the leather itself. Like, we pay because we get it in such large quantities, we were paying like 400 or not 400, I'm sorry, four dollars per square foot. Oh, and so when we're ordering 10,000 square feet at a time, right? That's all adding up.

SPEAKER_02 6:44

It's so hard to do business, man. People just don't get it. It is so hard. I I have I've I thought about this because you you know firefighters very well.

SPEAKER_05 6:55

Yes, they're my favorite people. I love them.

SPEAKER_02 6:57

I oh, I love them too. Um I'm they're my brothers and sisters, but they're also very cheap. Yes. Okay. Do they come in? Some come in and try to get like a firefighter discount.

SPEAKER_05 7:07

No, I've never had that happen. Um, I do get a lot of wow, that's all you charge. I'm like, if you want me to, I can add on like 20 bucks. Like, I don't mind.

SPEAKER_01 7:21

Do you want it to be more?

SPEAKER_05 7:23

Do you want it to be more? Like, sure, bud. I'm happy to help you. Um, yeah, so I I do frequently get, are you serious? Like, I just paid 115 for the same thing, and you're charging me $80.

SPEAKER_02 7:37

Wow. Yeah. I mean, it sounds like a good deal.

SPEAKER_05 7:40

I'm like, man, maybe I should. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:42

So you make uh not not just

Radio Straps, Shields, And Suspenders

SPEAKER_02 7:45

the uh leather helmets, or right now, I guess you're not, but yeah. Um you do suspenders, you do helmet shields. Yes. What else do you make?

SPEAKER_05 7:53

Uh we make the identifier panels, leather, magnet, and the sigma.

SPEAKER_02 7:57

Oh, for the helmets.

SPEAKER_05 7:58

For the helmets, the sides of the helmets. Uh radio straps and cases. That's like right now, that's the big thing. Um, paramedics and EMS also eat those up. So that's kind of fun. We've actually gotten really big into EMS lately. Oh, okay. Um, yeah, and so we do all of that. What other things? Chin straps.

SPEAKER_02 8:17

Oh, I got a chin strap from E. Yeah. Yeah, that's right. You did. Um, you do a little trinket stuff too, right?

SPEAKER_05 8:22

You do keychains, keychains, dog collars, leashes.

SPEAKER_02 8:25

That's so cool.

SPEAKER_05 8:26

All of it. We made my cousin one year um an Indiana Jones whip.

SPEAKER_01 8:32

Stop.

SPEAKER_05 8:32

Yes, his favorite movie was Indiana Jones when he was a kid, and so we made him like an Indiana Jones whip.

SPEAKER_02 8:38

That's dope.

SPEAKER_05 8:39

Right? That's super dope.

SPEAKER_02 8:41

Oh my gosh. Now, if you want to, real quick, because um man, I'm gonna keep talking.

SPEAKER_05 8:48

Show off your presence.

SPEAKER_02 8:49

Yeah, well, and I paid for it. I'm not asking for free things so people know I'm not cheap. Okay. Um, but you did make me some suspenders. Let's check those out.

SPEAKER_05 8:57

If you want to show everybody real quick, absolutely. Can I stand up?

SPEAKER_02 9:00

Um, it might be hard to stand if you can short. Pull them in front of you, maybe.

SPEAKER_00 9:06

Let's there we go.

unknown 9:10

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 9:10

Can you see it?

SPEAKER_00 9:13

Beautiful.

SPEAKER_05 9:15

Got the wife and babies on there on the left, right by your heart. Now I'm smacking everything around. And then what do you want me to do with these?

SPEAKER_02 9:27

Oh, you can just put them back on the side. I want people to see them. Those look great. I'm excited to actually start using those.

SPEAKER_05 9:32

I'm excited for you to wear them too.

SPEAKER_02 9:33

Yeah, I really appreciate you making it. They look really good.

SPEAKER_05 9:35

Do you have your turnouts? I can help you put them all together. Oh, I don't bring them home.

SPEAKER_02 9:39

Smart man. Yeah, I don't bring it. No, I keep I try to always keep work at work. And when I'm home, it's like, shut it down, man. I'm home. I'm with the family. I don't want to talk about work. I don't need to know about staffing and things that are going on. So uh, unless, of course, I have to work another station, I'll I'll bring it home. But I'll usually just sleep in my garage. Good. Yeah, but how long does it take to make suspenders like that?

SPEAKER_05 10:00

Um, well, yours took a little bit longer because we lost the order. I love it. So I kept um, I had it luckily in my phone because I was texting you about it. Um but yeah, so we lost the paperwork, but we got that handled. Um, but she wrapped this up in about an hour.

SPEAKER_02 10:20

Oh, that's it?

SPEAKER_05 10:21

Yeah, maybe an hour and a half. We had to wait for the paint to dry.

SPEAKER_02 10:25

Dang, it looks good. I can't wait to show my wife. Those are super dope.

SPEAKER_05 10:28

Right. I know. I'm excited to see like her reaction.

SPEAKER_02 10:30

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, it looks really, really good. Oh my gosh. Okay, now I if you can say this of you pretty much service most of California. You do out of state as well, fire departments.

SPEAKER_05 10:41

Yeah, so we're the preferred vendor for Cal Fire.

SPEAKER_02 10:44

Hey, okay, so that's your biggest customer.

SPEAKER_05 10:45

Yes, Calfire is our biggest.

SPEAKER_02 10:47

So Calfire is at with how much shields, mostly shields.

SPEAKER_05 10:51

Um, but because we're the preferred vendor for Calfire for the Shields, they come for pretty much everything else, too. Unless they know like a friend

Taking Over A Family Business

SPEAKER_05 11:00

that also does this kind of stuff. Um, so yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:03

They come for the radio purse.

SPEAKER_05 11:05

The radio purse. They do. They do. Who wouldn't want one? When we're on these expos, we'll attach them to our purse sometimes and wear them that way too. And just like a little bit of free advertising.

SPEAKER_02 11:18

Yeah, I don't think people realize uh how much work you put into this company because uh did you inherit this? Yes, is that kind of what happened?

SPEAKER_05 11:26

Yes. So I like honestly, I feel like a little leather princess. I've grown up in it. I know literal okay, I've had one other job. Um, I know almost no other job except for this. I've been doing it since I was five years old and old enough to sew and reach the petals of a sewing machine. Um yeah, so I I've literally grown into it and it was being taught to me every step of the way since I was little. Um so it's kind of a fun little this is this is my life.

SPEAKER_02 12:00

Yeah. I mean, to I I think to inherit this, I mean it's a huge company, and what you you do, that's a pretty big undertaking. Yeah. I'd be very nervous if they're like, hey, this is your company, and I'll kind of be like, uh, so what?

SPEAKER_05 12:16

Yeah. So I've been running it for the last four years now, and I'm still that way. Every time I walk into work, I'm like, oh my gosh, what am I gonna do today? Like it's like make or break every single day.

SPEAKER_02 12:26

Oh, I'm sure. Yeah. Now, how did you inherit the company?

SPEAKER_05 12:29

Um, so it was my grandparents. Um, my grandmother, unfortunately, she left us a couple years ago. And so now it obviously my grandfather's gonna be 80 in August. And so he's now faced with okay, my time here is limited as well. And so we're moving into the next phase. And so I'm starting to take over more responsibility and learn a little bit more in depth everything that he's done to make it so successful the last 30 years. And now it's my job to adapt to what we have now, the technology and all of these amazing events that I'm fortunate enough to go to, the expos and stuff, and meet new people and to further um grow the company.

SPEAKER_02 13:20

Yeah, I it's interesting because think about like how much time has changed from when your grandfather started the company, right? There was no internet, social media, ordering online, none of that stuff, right? So I'm sure everybody had to come in on top of him, like you said, building it, right? You started with cabinets, then making dog leashes, and you got a leather making kit, wallet kit, which is pretty cool, right? Yeah, because I love hearing stories of how people started either, you know, their hobbies or their business and the success behind it. Because there's it starts from nothing, right? If somebody took a chance and stepped out in faith and was just like, well, I'm just gonna give this a shot and go for it and see what happens, right?

SPEAKER_04 14:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:05

But from from when your grandfather started to now, like, yo, yeah, huge change. Not only that, but prices. Yes. Right. And then on on top of that, you have employees that you have to worry about. Um, and that comes with its own set of challenges, I'm sure.

SPEAKER_05 14:20

Oh my goodness, it does. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:23

Um, so it's it's pretty, it's pretty awesome to see you took it over because that's that's a lot. And I and I don't think like most people in my career field, right? We we go through fire academy, we get hired, we do our thing, and our retirement, we pay into it our our rest of our, you know, our our whole career, and then we retire and and all that stuff, we get money. But it's so different when you're running a business. It there's so much behind it, and people just don't understand. Like you're never off. You're always thinking about okay, this needs to get done, that needs to get done. And on top of the travel that you're doing, going to all the expos and FDIC, and I think that's how we met because I met you up in Sacramento, right?

SPEAKER_05 15:03

Yeah, we met at the Fallen Firefighters Memorial.

SPEAKER_02 15:06

That's right.

SPEAKER_05 15:07

Robot Motorcycle was good.

SPEAKER_01 15:08

Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 15:10

Yeah, you boys treated us very nicely. I hope so. Oh my gosh, we loved you so much. All of you.

SPEAKER_02 15:16

They're good dudes. They're incredible. Men of Fire is pretty awesome. They're uh honestly, it truly is like a second family. Yes.

SPEAKER_05 15:23

Oh, and I I felt that just meeting you all for the first time. And I'm like, wow, these guys are extending such a courtesy to me, who's just me. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 15:34

But like we're all somebody, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 15:36

It was such an incredible like feeling.

SPEAKER_02 15:38

Yeah. Yeah. So it it was, yeah, I think that was that last year. I think that was last year, right?

SPEAKER_05 15:43

Yes, last year, last September.

SPEAKER_02 15:45

Okay, yeah, that was last year when I met you. And then so you go there, you go to all these expos that's you're a mother and you have, you know, you have a family. So it's not just time at work locally, but you're also traveling. Like, how do

Expos, Reno, And Relationship Building

SPEAKER_02 16:00

you handle all that? Being the, I guess you could say CEO, but also keeping the company going, your employees, being a mom, traveling, like how do you kind of juggle all that?

SPEAKER_05 16:11

Um, I have a planner.

SPEAKER_02 16:13

Hey!

SPEAKER_05 16:14

Always on my desk. It's always open. I have a very good calendar app along with a very large calendar in my office. I write everything down. Um, I also have a very good tribe at home. Um, my kids are very active in sports. And so, and even right now during summer, like I rely on them so, so heavily. Um, my friends. So, and like I I met them because they were um on, we were all on the same baseball team, our sons.

SPEAKER_00 16:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 16:45

So when I can't make it to things, they're at baseball practice, they're at baseball games with my kids or softball or football or wherever the sport is. They're sending me videos, they're sending me pictures. Um, yeah, and these they're just incredible, incredible.

SPEAKER_02 17:00

Um yeah, it truly, it truly uh I realize this having two children now. My son was born like barely two weeks ago.

SPEAKER_04 17:07

I know, he's so cute and dumb.

SPEAKER_02 17:09

He's a handsome little guy, but it does take a village.

SPEAKER_04 17:13

It does.

SPEAKER_02 17:14

I mean, when I I used to hear that all the time growing up, I'm kind of like, well, whatever. It didn't mean anything to me, right?

SPEAKER_05 17:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:19

But now being, you know, I should say um 40 years old, starting a family a little bit late, I'm like, yo, man, this is a lot of work.

SPEAKER_05 17:26

It's so much. Um, yeah, and it it really, really does take a village. I couldn't do it without them. Um, and then I have a really strong foreman at home for like um at work, and she's just incredible. She Perla, you've met her. Oh, Perla's dope.

SPEAKER_01 17:42

That's yeah, she was with you when I met you.

SPEAKER_05 17:43

Yep, my right hand man, she's my everything, uh, my best friend in the entire universe. Um yeah, I couldn't, I couldn't do anything without them.

SPEAKER_02 17:52

Gosh, man. So how many, how many of these expos, or if you want to say, how many times a year do you have to travel for work and and and to show off what you're doing with your business?

SPEAKER_05 18:02

Uh so we started doing all the expos about three years ago. Um, and we only started with four because I had to prove that these were worth going to. Oh we started the money, right? Spending the money.

SPEAKER_02 18:15

Okay, so what what were those four?

SPEAKER_05 18:16

So we went to um EMS World, uh, which was in Vegas. They were all drivable. We went to Fire Shows West in Reno, we went to CFED, and then there was the the big one that we got invited to actually while we were in Reno, Hawaii Fire Chiefs Association.

SPEAKER_02 18:36

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 18:36

So we got to go to uh Honolulu, and it was incredible. Like obviously, it's Hawaii. Um, but so far, like our favorite has been Reno. Everything, every single blessing that we have had in these expos and with our business in the last three years can be traced back to Reno. You even can be traced back to Reno.

SPEAKER_02 18:57

Really?

SPEAKER_05 18:58

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 18:58

Um, how's it how's everything traced back to Reno?

SPEAKER_05 19:01

So, okay, so we had good success in Vegas for EMS World. We had good success at CFED, but CFED's still close to home because it's Palm Springs. So everybody already kind of knew us, but they're like, oh, I'm here, I may as well grab this real quick. But Reno. So our first year in Reno, this was three years ago now, um, we met a bunch of different Rit crews.

SPEAKER_01 19:27

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 19:27

And so they took some of our stuff back to Florida, Miami, like in Miami Dade, and that's where we met um Captain Corey Apoe, who just retired actually. Um, and he and he's the one that invited us to Honolulu originally. And so from there, we we went and we ended up scoring a big deal with uh Honolulu fire department. We made um, I don't even know how many, but we're sending out I think 80 every quarter, um, radio straps and cases.

SPEAKER_02 20:00

80 radio straps and cases every quarter.

SPEAKER_05 20:03

So 320. So that was a that was a pretty big deal for our company. Wow. Um, and we met him in Reno. But they he took back um a set of suspenders and a radio strap and a radio case, and everybody loved him, and so they wanted the radio straps. Um and then from there, like we just met uh a bunch of guys, BA Shields, we met people from Fast Rescue Solutions, and both of those companies have really helped us to navigate other expos as well. Um and then so like we're gonna fast forward to this past year in Reno, um, getting closer to these guys, making better relate or more relationships. Um, and then so going back to Fast, we met Steve. I don't know his last name, and we told him that we were going to the firefighters memorial. And he's like, Oh, no way, like I live right there in SAC. I'm going to hit me up. And so I did. I'm like, hey, what's a good spot to eat? We're looking to go get a couple of drinks. And so he invited us to the rooftop with you guys. Oh, sick. Yeah. And so that's how we met you. So it all just like travels back to Reno every single time. Um, and then through Reno, again, we were in FDIC in April. And because of the guys at BA, Cody and Pat, they're incredible men. Um, they introduced us to Taylor from Taylor's Tins. Oh, what? And like, so and he knew me um or knew of us, which oh my gosh, I fangrolled because it's Taylor from Taylor's Tins.

SPEAKER_01 21:39

I love it.

SPEAKER_05 21:40

Um, and so now like he's cheering me on, and um, he's being he's so supportive, um, especially of like what we're what we're planning to release for next FDIC.

SPEAKER_02 21:53

Okay. Okay. Yeah. So FDIC is a is a pretty big one.

SPEAKER_05 21:57

FDIC is huge. Um, it's the big Fire show in the United States every year. And by golly, it's terrifying. There are so many people.

SPEAKER_02 22:07

What is it? It's terrifying because the people or it was so busy.

SPEAKER_05 22:11

Like there was no downtime. And we were in Lucas Oil. So it was just, it was crazy. We our legs were like shaking by the time we were done.

SPEAKER_02 22:23

Well, FDIC, that's is it um is it a week long or just the weekend?

SPEAKER_05 22:27

It was the whole week. And luckily we were in uh Lucas Oil because um BA and FAST they shared like a little space next to each other. They're in Firefighter Alley on their way to Lucas Oil. So people were coming in as they were setting up, and so they had to deal with setting up and having customers and making sales, all of that at the same time. And I'm like, oh my gosh, I can't even imagine that's gonna be us next year because we're gonna be in the um in the convention center. People are gonna be walking around during setup.

SPEAKER_02 22:57

Wow, you know, all these years I've been in the fire service, I've never been to FDSE.

SPEAKER_05 23:02

Do you want to go?

SPEAKER_02 23:03

I've I would actually love to go. What uh where's it at?

SPEAKER_05 23:07

Indianapolis.

SPEAKER_02 23:08

Is it in Indianapolis every single year?

SPEAKER_05 23:10

Every single year.

SPEAKER_02 23:11

Okay. I might have to go this next year.

SPEAKER_05 23:13

You should you should definitely go.

SPEAKER_02 23:15

Yeah, I I have I've never been, but I I know a lot of just from the podcast and teaching and other stuff involved in the fire service. I know a lot of instructors and a lot of them go there and they teach and they do stuff, but I've never I've never ever gone. I always just do like the there used to be um Firehouse World in San Diego.

SPEAKER_04 23:34

Yeah, I heard about that one.

SPEAKER_02 23:36

Yeah, that was a big one for a while. We used to go down there, and this is uh different, different days, different time. But we would go down there um and we would go to Firehouse World. It was usually a weekend, and then we would party pretty freaking hard.

SPEAKER_05 23:49

I feel like that's all FDIC is. Man, I cannot keep up.

SPEAKER_02 23:54

Yeah, yeah. I uh I don't drink as much as I used to, but uh I could see it being a pretty good time, especially like towards the end of the week. I'm sure it gets pretty, pretty, pretty fun.

SPEAKER_05 24:06

Yes. Um, and you would think the end of the week, but no, it's all in the beginning of the week. I feel like everything happens on Wednesday, Thursday, um, which is like in the midst of it. And I'm like, you guys are dumb.

SPEAKER_02 24:18

Right in the middle of everything.

SPEAKER_05 24:20

Right in the middle of everything.

SPEAKER_02 24:21

You gotta love freaking firefighters.

SPEAKER_05 24:23

Um, oh my gosh, so much. Um, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:27

What did you can you tell from going to FTIC do you get a lot more business from there? Exposure. I mean, is it worth the travel doing all these shows?

SPEAKER_05 24:36

It totally is. Um, because I mean, we may not always sell a lot of product, but that's never my main goal. My main goal is to meet people and to build relationships um because that's that's what we're here for. That is our purpose on earth is to build these lasting memorable relationships, you know? Um, and I'm gonna go back to Reno again. Like, no, we didn't sell a whole lot that year, but because of it, I've met you. I've met um people from BA, like some of my really close good friends I've met through all of these expos. And it's been such an incredible experience.

SPEAKER_02 25:19

What did I go to show you the importance of well, like you said, connection, but networking.

SPEAKER_05 25:24

Networking, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:25

Networking is a big deal if you're trying to get a product or even this, the pot like this podcast. Like it started out, and I I want to say, gosh, I was just bringing friends on. It was a plastic table down in my kitchen.

SPEAKER_04 25:38

Yeah, you gotta start somewhere, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:41

And we would just sit there and talk, and then it just started to grow, and then uh people were asking to come on. And just the just from this podcast, that networking that I've been able to do in the context has brought on so much more opportunity, not with yeah just this, but other things. Oh, absolutely. Pretty awesome. And it that right there showed me like it's it's very important to well, one, treat people with respect. Yes, that's huge, right? Treat people with respect because you don't you never know who you're going to meet and who could actually change your life and help your business and what you're doing.

SPEAKER_04 26:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:13

But two, that that connection because then it's like, hey, you should talk to this person who's involved here, and then that person, oh, you should talk to this doctor who does this. Yeah. Hey, this psychologist does this for first responders. And so it all just kind of starts to snowball and work, which is pretty awesome. But that's why

Social Media Burnout And Privacy

SPEAKER_02 26:30

I ask, gosh, how do you do all this running this business and also being a mom? And then you need to tend to yourself as well. And because now being a father of two, and you know, I want to make sure my family's first, I'm like, yo, I gotta really be careful how I'm spending my time. Like for me, especially before we had our kids, and then like with the podcast and other stuff, I would always be, you know, oh gosh, I gotta post, right? I gotta I gotta make something for social media. To be real with you, if I didn't have podcasts or other stuff I'm doing, I wouldn't have social media. I'm so burned out on social media.

SPEAKER_05 27:06

Me too. It's such a pain in the butt. Like it's I keep trying and I am so bad at it. Um, but yeah, I don't think so.

SPEAKER_02 27:16

I mean, you guys are posting pretty cool stuff.

SPEAKER_05 27:18

Thank you. I appreciate that. It's but when I remember to post. Yeah, that's the hardest part. It's so hard. Um, but yeah, I was like, so it's all about balance. Um, it's thank goodness everything slows down in the summer.

SPEAKER_02 27:33

Like, oh, I didn't know that.

SPEAKER_05 27:35

Yeah, so you guys, it's your busiest time of year. Yeah, you guys can't call me when you're busy.

SPEAKER_02 27:40

I mean, true. Or uh probably to vacation because kids, guys or people's kids are out and they're probably going out doing things.

SPEAKER_05 27:46

Probably. Um, I just know our entire state's on fire. And so I figured you guys are all there. I mean, that's so true.

SPEAKER_02 27:52

Yeah, we were always in fire season, but yeah.

SPEAKER_05 27:54

Yes, always in fire season, but it does get a little bit worse, it feels like in the summer. Um, so we start to slow down, and that's when I take the time to be with my kids. Okay. So um because I've been able to show Perla um what I used to do in production, and she's been able to show people what she typically did in production. Like she now can handle everything production-wise. So I come in, I'm still there in the morning. I get there at about 5, 5:30. Five, five thirty?

SPEAKER_01 28:30

Yeah. Let's go, dude. Go get her.

SPEAKER_05 28:33

God damn. Dude, it sucks though, because that means I'm in bed falling asleep at seven or falling asleep. I have done this. I have fallen asleep at the dinner table, and my son woke me up and I felt terrible.

SPEAKER_02 28:45

Um I laugh because I know what you mean, because now uh after my son was born, it's only well, I think it's been three weeks. Um in the evening, once both of the kids go down, like we'll sit in the couch. Like we used to always say, Oh, let's throw a show or a movie on. Or a lot of times um we'll just kind of hang out and talk, right? Do our thing. And now when we sit down, the next thing you know, it's like, all right, yeah, who's going to fall asleep first?

SPEAKER_05 29:11

Yes. And it's always me. Um, yeah, my kids, they won't even ask me to watch movies anymore because they're like, oh, mom's just gonna fall asleep. Like, sorry, guys.

SPEAKER_01 29:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 29:20

Um, but yeah, like the other day we went to Soak City. I think it was Tuesday. We went to Soak City with our with my tribe, the the two women from my baseball team or my son's baseball team, Ashley and Steph. They're I could not live without these women for my kids. Like, oh my gosh. Um, but we were all at Soak City and I was just working on my phone and walked right past them, and they're like, hey, we're over here. I'm like, oh shoot, you're right. There's the cabana, but in the lazy river, making a post on Instagram and all of those things. But like I'm still able to be there.

SPEAKER_01 29:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 29:55

You know?

SPEAKER_01 29:55

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 29:56

And then the kids are still having fun. I'm still being with my friends, um, and we're all still in it. Like it's balanced. Sometimes it's there's no give and take that. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 30:09

It's not, I've had to really learn that. So now um I will usually know everyone says, like, oh, well, you know, the algorithm and you need to post two times a day or every other day or whatever. At this point, I'm like, look, I don't care. You're either gonna listen and follow this stuff or you're not.

SPEAKER_04 30:28

You're not, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:29

Yeah, like it is what it is. Like you can be a part, you don't have to be part of what I'm doing. I I don't I don't care anymore. Like I have other things I need to do and get done and my faith in my family's first. So I've gotten to this point now. I post and ghost. Yep. I post and like, all right, I'm off, I'm doing my other thing. I'll look at it maybe a few days later. Yeah. And uh, you know, comment back, of course, people commenting and all that. But you know, there's a few people like, hey, you could really grow your your podcast to this and your following. And I'm kind of like, you know what? Like, that's cool, but it's not that important to me as far as having a lot of followers on Instagram. I and I get you want subscribers and people buying into what you're doing.

SPEAKER_04 31:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:08

But you know, I always say this on here at the end of the day, having a lot of followers on social media is like being rich in Monopoly.

SPEAKER_04 31:15

It doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_02 31:16

It doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_04 31:17

It doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_02 31:18

It doesn't mean anything, right? I mean, unless you're the top um, like three percent where I believe like maybe The Rock or Kardashians or some of these people, they get paid like $10,000 a post or a million dollars a post to post for a company, whatever. The reality is most of us will never get there. Maybe I don't know. I don't want to tell people they can't, yeah. But there's other things that are important to me instead of just trying to show off on social media, and I'm pretty strategic too on what I put up. I don't post, I do a lot of um store like on my stories, I'll post my family, yeah, but I don't post a lot of pictures of them. Yeah, like I'm real strategic as far as it'd be like firefighting or skydiving stuff or surfing or whatever madness I'm into for the for the day, but it's also I feel like we've kind of lost a little bit of privacy and where now privacy is a luxury, and people are realizing like you don't need to put everything out there. It's not it's actually not smart to put everything out there. Not at all, yeah. Especially with kids. Yeah. You know, so you know, there was um, I've said this on here before, but I read the story of a mom who was trying to get her daughter to be like famous on social media, have her own Instagram.

SPEAKER_04 32:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:30

And it was a little girl. I think she was, I don't know, two or three years old. Well, she started from when she was like a baby, but this happened after a couple years, and the FBI contacted her.

SPEAKER_04 32:39

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_02 32:39

Yeah, and they said, Hey, just to let you know, your daughter's pictures from social media are showing up on child porn sites. And I was like, dude, that's why if there's a photo of my child, like it's gonna be all of us together. Yeah. You know, oh absolutely. So that all I have to say is like social media, I it's such a love-hate relationship, but it's so necessary now with business and everything that you do, and even to the point where background investigators for police fire, whatever they're like, what you don't have an Instagram? Yeah, then they think something's wrong with you. What are you trying to hide? It's like, well, I'm not trying to hide it. Yeah, exactly. Like, uh, it's like pri so all I have to say, it's it's almost like privacy is a luxury now. Yeah, but it's it can be used as I don't want to say weapon, but it's so strategic in business, what you're doing, what others do who own private businesses. I mean, look at fire departments. Yeah, fire departments have Instagrams. Oh, massive, massive, massive followings. And at least when I first got on.

SPEAKER_05 33:41

What you do is cool, guys. Like, what you do is so cool. I got to riding a fire engine like recently. Oh my god. I didn't I didn't want to leave.

SPEAKER_02 33:50

It's a lot of fun, right?

SPEAKER_05 33:51

It's so fun. I got to do the sirens, like, oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_02 33:54

Okay, but here's the thing you need to come stay for like two or three days in a row and get up with us at I would love to stop it.

SPEAKER_05 34:04

Oh my god, I already don't sleep, Tim. Uh I can actually be productive. So hell yeah, count me in.

SPEAKER_02 34:11

That's the one thing I'm trying to like, I'm figuring out now, and I like kudos to all my fellow firefighters who have kids and families much uh farther along than I do because I'm starting at 40. But you know, you work, we work 48, 96, but really it's a 70, we work 72 hours or 96 on and come home for like two or three days. Yeah. And there's times, you know, you're up all night for days on end, and I come home and I'm like, dude, I'm pulling up. Like, I need to like, I still need to be a husband. I need to be a father. It's like, I still need I want to get to work on in. I gotta do this on the house, I gotta record this podcast.

SPEAKER_03 34:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:47

Oh man, this guy wants to go skydiving this day. Oh, I gotta go take this class, you know.

SPEAKER_05 34:51

Yeah, it's a lot, it's a lot, and I don't know how you guys balance it either, because like what you see and what you experience is so crazy. And then having to decompress and come home and separate all of that, and like it's it's so much. So kudos to all of you guys. Like you guys are incredibly strong people.

SPEAKER_02 35:12

It's uh it's an interesting balance as it is for you. That's what what I would say. Because I'm trying to find I I've trying to find the fine line of working overtime.

Time, Money, Overtime, And Family

SPEAKER_02 35:21

Um, like, what's enough? Right? That's that's my biggest question. Like, I remember my first 10 years, it's kind of like work as much as possible, make me, you know, and I get it, right? I'm trying to save, I'm trying to buy a house and establish myself. But then now with kids, it's like I can still work as much as I want, but now I'm trading my time for money. I'm losing that time with my children that I'll never get back. So where is the fine line, right? Because I can't take any of this with me when I die. Yeah. You know, you want to it's so that's why I say because we want to do well with what we have, be successful. And there's nothing wrong with doing well and having a lot of money.

SPEAKER_04 35:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:57

But there's a give and take. Yes. Do I want to give up that time with my children for an extra dollar? Or do I want to stay home, be with them, maybe cut back on spending or whatever we're we're doing, and have that time with my children that I'll never get back? Because what is it? Like someone said you truly have like 16 birthdays and holidays with your kids before they're off doing their own thing.

SPEAKER_05 36:20

Absolutely. Because I sat down with one of my friends, Steph, the other day, and um she looked at me and she's like, Can you believe we have nine more summers until the boys are 18?

SPEAKER_02 36:32

God, isn't that wild? When you think about that, it's so wild. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_05 36:36

It was awful. And I'm like, okay, but you also have to think about as soon as they're 16, 17 have a car, they're gone.

SPEAKER_03 36:43

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 36:44

We have less than that.

SPEAKER_03 36:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 36:46

And so, oh my gosh, she just ripped my heart out. And then I was not prepared. Um, but like honestly, I'm I'm the same as everybody else. I'm living paycheck to paycheck. I live in California. Um, I feel very successful, even though I don't necessarily have the money to keep up all the time. My I count my success. Um, I'm able to be there and coach my kids' baseball team. I'm able to make it to majority of the practices, majority of the baseball games. Um, when I am gone for those expos, I miss probably one or two. But thank God I get the other 10.

SPEAKER_03 37:24

Right.

SPEAKER_05 37:25

You know, like um I'm there for majority of dinners. I'm there, I show up. Yeah. And that's what counts. I'm there for the important school things. Like, um, and you'll you'll feel that when your kids get into sports or it's skydiving.

SPEAKER_02 37:43

It's a good time. I always tell people skydiving is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

SPEAKER_05 37:50

Oh my gosh, I love that. I still don't think I could ever do it.

SPEAKER_02 37:55

Oh, you can do it. Oh you could do it. My wife, she's well, she my wife, she's done two tandems.

SPEAKER_04 38:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 38:02

Um I told her, hey, I'll pay for you to go to free fall school. Like, let's do it. And she's just like, nah, I'm I'm good. The two times were we're good enough.

SPEAKER_04 38:11

So oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_02 38:12

But you could do it. You could totally do it. But yeah, the time, the time with our families is super important. Yeah. And it's um it's unique for us in the fire service. Because yes, we can work overtime, but there's also times where we get stuck at work because of the brush fires, or I think um like your biggest um um I don't know how to say it, not employee, but uh Calfire. Sorry. Yeah, Cal Fire. I mean, they do from my understanding staffing patterns, so they'll get stuck at work for weeks on end. Yep, you know, and what people don't understand in the fire service world is when someone calls out sick, it's not like, well, the work, you know, no one's there for the day. Somebody has to find out. Somebody has to come in, yeah. Somebody has to be on that rig.

SPEAKER_03 38:55

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 38:56

Uh, you know, so it's very different. So we do get stuck at work a lot, but it's hard, right? Because I don't want to complain with forces is what they call it, right? Yeah, overtime, because it has provided a lot. Um, but again, like you're exchanging something.

SPEAKER_05 39:12

Yes, right. And thank God your your family is able to come and visit you as well. Like, that's such a cool experience. Um, I mean, I love going and visiting my friends at their stations, and so I can only imagine like that child wonderment in their eyes, like, wow. Oh, yeah, getting to see the engines, getting to see all of the cool toys, and like, wow, my dad saved a life today. Like, you know, that's that is pretty cool. That's the coolest thing ever.

SPEAKER_02 39:38

Yeah. Yeah. It's again, it's unique. It's so unique, it's very unique to what we do. And but I always try to encourage a lot of these dudes, like, hey man, like if you don't have to work, don't go home, man. Go home. Because it kind of uh I'm getting into a really interesting area here because some guys get all bent out of shape when I say this. But they, you know, the fire service is great and they sell you this golden nugget, like this is amazing, job of a lifetime, blah blah blah.

SPEAKER_05 40:03

But you guys burn out too.

SPEAKER_02 40:04

Oh, yeah, yeah. And that's what they don't talk about, is the other side of it. And you know, they'll tell you when you first get on, you know, make sure you're involved, get on the burn cadre, make sure you teach at academies, you know, take on projects, this and that, but that's more time. If you have a family, right? Yes, when I was single, I was all on board, yeah. Right. But now when you have a family, it's different.

SPEAKER_03 40:24

Yes, right.

SPEAKER_02 40:25

I I want to be home as much as possible, but I also need to provide, but I want to advance my career. So it's this interesting shuffle of trying to okay, where do I get involved? Where do I step back? You know, what you know, how do I line this out so I do it properly? So, you know, I don't want to just give my best at work and then my family second best. Yeah. That's not fair. No, they don't deserve that.

SPEAKER_05 40:48

Yeah, but I mean, you obviously have a good head on your shoulders and you know your family's always gonna come first. But it's just like with any job, you get out what you put in.

SPEAKER_01 40:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 40:57

And I mean, same with your family.

SPEAKER_01 40:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 40:59

You get out what you put in, and I think that that's what they're trying to instill in these young guys or gals. Um, that you it's the same with that job.

SPEAKER_02 41:08

Yeah, it is um god, it's so interesting. Because there's times I'll be ready. There's times I'm like, God, I hate this job. And then there's times where I'm just like, I freaking love this. Right. You know, but let's be real, that's probably any job.

SPEAKER_05 41:19

It is. I hate I I have so much paperwork scattered all over my desk. And you know, it's still gonna sit there because I just I can't deal with it right now.

SPEAKER_02 41:28

Yeah, no, I feel you. No, I feel you, I feel you big time on that one. So when it comes to um what you're how long you've when did you take over? What year did you take over?

SPEAKER_05 41:39

Um, what what year is it right now?

SPEAKER_02 41:43

Mom core. That's mom core for you.

SPEAKER_05 41:46

Oh my gosh, I woke up today and I'm like, what day is it?

SPEAKER_02 41:49

We're in 2026.

SPEAKER_05 41:50

2020. Okay, so probably 22, 23. Um, I don't know. It's been about three or four years.

SPEAKER_02 41:56

Okay, okay. So was it like they came to you one day, we're like, sit down. We're gonna have a talk. You're gonna submit this paper.

SPEAKER_05 42:06

I would have shit myself if that were to happen, Tim. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_02 42:09

Or was it like a gradual thing? Like, hey, we're gonna start prepping you to get ready here.

SPEAKER_05 42:13

It's been gradual my whole life.

SPEAKER_02 42:15

Okay, throughout my entire life.

SPEAKER_05 42:18

Yeah, from when I started. Um, I worked there in high school. Um, I worked so for uh about maybe a year. I took a year off. I worked at Five Guys in Norco for a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 42:29

Hey, you went at Five Guys?

SPEAKER_05 42:30

I worked at Five Guys when I was in college. Crazy expensive. Oh my gosh, yes. Um, yes. So I was a manager at Five Guys.

SPEAKER_01 42:39

Okay, okay, respect.

SPEAKER_05 42:40

And then I was like, you know what? This sucks. And so I came back home and continued where I left off. I was uh 19. And I was like, you know what? I'm back. This feels right. This is what I want to do. This is where I'm comfortable, this is what I love. This is I've loved it since I was five. Um, and so from there on out, it was just like, all right, you're serious about this, we're serious about this. Um all right, put your big girl pants on, and this is what it is.

SPEAKER_01 43:12

So wild.

SPEAKER_05 43:13

So yeah, so from like I did manufacturing my whole life. Um, I still, every chance I get, I'm out there.

SPEAKER_01 43:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 43:22

Um, and then I started answering the phones and answering questions and think dealing with the customers, and um, then I started doing the payroll, and then I started doing the QuickBooks and keeping the books, and so it was just it was very gradual process. It wasn't just overnight, boom, here you go, here's the wolves.

SPEAKER_02 43:39

Well, that's really cool uh how that I think out happened because it seems like you work through every position, so you understand the front desk, answering calls, payroll, manufacturing, right? Instead of just going right into it. Okay, you're running it now, right? Yeah, it's just like if I were to get hired all those years ago. God, I sound like one of the old guys all those years ago. Um Then they make me the chief right away. Yeah. The fire department would fail. Yeah. I don't know the operator. You know, it's like because so many people now, uh and I hope I'm I'm not trying to be a jerk when I say this. And again, it's not like the okay. This seems like generation now, it's like they want to be at the top immediately because I have certs, I have degrees, and this is in any job. And you need to start at the bottom. You need to start at the bottom. You need to learn.

SPEAKER_05 44:22

You need to learn. You can't just immediately be at the top of the ladder. Like that's you gotta climb.

SPEAKER_02 44:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 44:28

Um, and that's where we do most of our learning. Like, and I said it earlier. I really feel like the like the leather princess because I grew up in it, I was groomed out in it for my entire life. That's all I know.

SPEAKER_02 44:42

Um, and so it's just you know, I read something the other day, actually didn't read, um, watch the video. Same thing, it's fine. Yeah, watch it.

SPEAKER_05 44:52

Why would you admit that? Like just say, Oh, I read this the other day. Sounds a little bit more astute.

SPEAKER_02 44:56

Yeah, I do, I do like to read, but no, it was um, it was really cool video, and and I look back on my life and I feel like it's kind of true. Where this guy said if you look at trust fund babies, most of them are a disaster and they're unhappy.

SPEAKER_04 45:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 45:13

And it was some study that he did. He's like, But if you look at people who started from the bottom and they had to work for everything they had, they are typically the happiest or happier people. Yeah. Because it really isn't the success, it's the journey and the climb and the fight along the way that ends up being hard but enjoyable. And you can look back and see, dude, I earned all this. Like you have purpose behind your drive instead of like uh this is you know, I just got a million, you know, 10 million dollars, it's given to me.

SPEAKER_05 45:44

Oh, absolutely. And those help build your character too. Like you can't just wake up and have everything handed to you because that's just gonna turn you into a huge dick.

SPEAKER_02 45:53

Yeah, 100%.

SPEAKER_05 45:54

You know, like no, you have to be beaten down in order to learn some humility.

SPEAKER_02 45:58

Yeah, yeah. I mean, I I part of me being a creative, if you want to call it that way, because I grew up doing music and and art and all that stuff. So I like to create. So I like seeing things come together and build up, right? See it work, yeah. Just like um when it comes to writing music or putting together a class or even the podcast, because I can look back on where we started to where we're at now, and you kind of like, this is rad. Yeah, this worked out really good. Like it was a pain in my freaking side, and it was frustrating, and things failed at times. And but now what we have and how it's just kind of streamlined and cut in this entire studio that's been built out, you know, it it didn't happen like that. We had to learn along the way, and that's the biggest thing I tell a lot of people with anything that they're pursuing or doing, because a lot want it to be perfect right away. Yeah, everything has to be set just right so we can go. It's like just go. Yeah, just take the first step and and learn. If you listen to our earlier episodes, it was a mess. Okay, and we were hammered. We were drinking way too much uh uh on there. But um, that's why I say like the the journey along the way and uh to get to where you want to go is where you're gonna meet people, the connections, um, those life lessons, the mistakes, the successes, and all that builds up to when you get to where you know you want to be at, whether it's success or maybe that failure is a setup for your next success. Absolutely. Absolutely. That's why I always think like the the it's really the path that you're on that people tend to to forget. Like, look around, like what you're doing, the people that are supporting you, what you're doing, and what you're working hard for. Like this is this is a part of it, right? It is, and it's it's kind of cool. That's what I think. You know, sometimes it's frustrating as hell. Oh, yeah. Frustrating as hell.

SPEAKER_05 47:48

And that's the perks. Like, I mean, Jordan's not here, um, but I'm sure he reminds you all the time, Tim, calm down. Like, look how far we've come, and it's gonna take some time. You have to take these steps. And because I know that's what Perla is for me, because my head always in the clouds, always in the clouds. I'm always dreaming of the next thing, and how can we get there like right now? And she's like, whoa whoa, we gotta take a step back. Let's do this, this, and this. Talk to this guy over here, and then we can get there in a month or two.

SPEAKER_02 48:18

Right, right, right, right. You know who that is for me is my wife. Yeah, she's the one who I bless her. She always she'll tell me, Hey, slow down. Yep, take a step back. It's not as bad as you think it's gonna be, or you don't need to have the sun, or just make this decision, do this right here. Calm down, it's good. Or Tim, like, you're we're doing great. Yep. What are you stressing over? I'm like, ah, because I'm always my thought is I think I've been successful successful in a lot of things, is because I'm very hard on myself and I'll always think I can do more. I can do better, I can do more, I can do more. But then it's like, okay, but you also gotta give yourself grace. Yes. So that's one thing that my wife slows down. It helps me slow down to remember, like, hey, chill for a second.

SPEAKER_04 49:01

Yeah, it's everything's gonna be fine.

SPEAKER_05 49:02

Good. Everything is gonna be fine, supposedly, right?

SPEAKER_02 49:05

Like, I mean, look, in my short 40 years on this earth uh of making good decisions, bad decisions, and things working out for the better or not, it's always been okay. Yes, you know, it is what it is, and people will come and go in your life, and that's fine. And that's something I had to also learn as an adult that not everyone's gonna be your friend for a lifetime.

SPEAKER_05 49:28

Yep. Some people only stay for a couple exits, other people are there for the road trip.

SPEAKER_02 49:33

Oh, I like that.

SPEAKER_05 49:34

I got you.

SPEAKER_02 49:34

I like that. Yeah, I mean, okay, you just summed that up perfect. I don't need to say anything else on that, but yeah, because I think before, I maybe I was saying, but it's like our friends, you're friends, and we're gonna be we're gonna be homies for life or for a growth, but people grow, their families change, move away, and it's it's okay, it it is what it is. And so learning that there's like phases and some people come in and come out, and it's a part of the just your growth as an adult, and it's not easy because I don't think personally, I don't know if you feel the same way, but there's nothing my parents could do uh to prepare me for real life. No, absolutely not. Real life is is brutal, it's unforgiving. People will smile on your face and stab you in the back. Yep. There's just a lot to it, and then learning to navigate socially with people, and then on top of that, now add in social media, right? Yeah, it's it's wild.

SPEAKER_05 50:26

It's crazy.

SPEAKER_02 50:27

It is, yeah. So it's all that to say, it always works out.

SPEAKER_05 50:32

It does.

SPEAKER_02 50:33

Any day above the dirt's a good day, is why I tell people.

SPEAKER_05 50:35

Oh, I like that.

SPEAKER_02 50:36

No matter no matter how much it hurts, any day above the dirt's a good day because life truly is a gift. Um, and that's something that I see unfortunately in this career field is a lot of people making a permanent decision to a temporary problem or having those ideations. And it's like, hey, slow down for a sec. Yeah. I know this hurts, I know this sucks. Whether it's you know from your own choice or it's out of your hands and something happened, but you take a breath, slow down, back up, breathe a little bit. Like sometimes it's gonna get a little dark, yeah, but it the best is yet to come.

SPEAKER_05 51:09

Yes. I read something the other day. It was like, I know it's been raining in your head a long time, but think of the flowers that are about to bloom.

SPEAKER_01 51:16

Ooh, I'm like, that is so cute.

SPEAKER_05 51:18

Okay, like, right?

SPEAKER_01 51:19

Yeah, I can't say it at the firehouse, but I mean that would be very gay. How much that would work out?

SPEAKER_05 51:27

That would be hilarious. Wait, can I be there when you say that?

SPEAKER_02 51:31

I'll I'll hit you up. I'll call you and uh put you on speakerphone. That's that's what I'll do. Uh one of my last things I do want to ask you though is what for you

Letting Go, Delegation, And Leadership

SPEAKER_02 51:40

in in D Alessio.

SPEAKER_05 51:43

Very good.

SPEAKER_02 51:43

I got it down. D Alessio. DLSio. What is the hardest part about running and owning that?

SPEAKER_05 51:50

Um the hardest part. My gosh, I don't even know. Um if it's multiple, then it's I think it's letting go, honestly. Um so I really, really struggle with allowing people to help me.

SPEAKER_00 52:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 52:18

Um and so it took a very long time for me to be able to let go of production and just trust that my team has my back. Um, which I would say, like absolutely, they're so good at what they do. I know logically they're probably more qualified than I am half the time. Um and but that was that was the hardest thing was letting go and allowing them their space to do well and do better. And they've I don't even have to step out into production anymore. If I didn't want to, I didn't I didn't even come into work on Tuesday. Um and so yeah, letting go, I think, is the hardest part and allowing people to help me.

SPEAKER_02 53:06

So don't you think that I feel like that's that's the hard part for a lot of leadership. Yes. I think in any facet is to step back, let go. Where because they you you used to be in that position, right? Yeah. And work and they're so used to you know doing their thing. Now you're you know looking at it from a higher level.

SPEAKER_04 53:26

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 53:27

Let them do their job, let them work, do your thing, let them do their thing, right? They're gonna figure it out. And of course, if there's stuff that you need to address later on, go for it and do what you need to do, but you don't want to be the micromanager.

SPEAKER_05 53:38

God exactly. That's the worst. And that was that was another really, really hard part. Was like, okay, I do it this way, but you're doing it this way.

SPEAKER_01 53:46

It's like folding the towels wrong, and it's just my wife, she doesn't let me feel that's oh my god. So she doesn't like how I load the dishwasher, fold towels, but still be like, hey, oh I'll because it's not her way, it's not the right way, I know that's why I said it specifically too.

SPEAKER_02 54:09

Well, okay, so it's because like the other day I was like, hey, I'll I'll uh don't worry about I got the dishes. Like I'll but she's like, no. I'm like, what? I'm trying to help out here. Like, I got it. Like you just gave birth. She's like, you don't load the dishwasher right. I'm like, what the then I was like, do the dishes get washed and done? Yes, right? And even to the point she's like, yeah, but even how you put them away, you don't know where anything goes. I'm like, the dishes are, you know, the plates with the plates. Is that she's like, no, the other stuff, you just throw things randomly anywhere. I'm like, okay, well, it's put away though, isn't it?

SPEAKER_05 54:39

No, it's not, Tim. It's not. Because when I expect my measuring cups in one drawer and they're not there, and I have to search my entire kitchen while I'm cooking dinner, the chicken's burning. Like, no. Oh my god. I get it. Team Tanya.

SPEAKER_02 54:56

She I love her. This is this was another thing that happened to us like when she uh first moved into my house. Uh you know, I was married once, divorced, but I still have my house kind of like my way, right? Yeah. And my things everywhere. Everywhere. And it was funny because she moved in, she's like, Your kitchen looks like a showroom kitchen. Do you use it? I'm like, Well, yeah. I mean, all I do is like cook eggs and some meat sometimes, but I mostly grill. And I had uh just a couple plates, I had a few forks, spoons, knives, and this and I'm like, I don't need much. I got my own thing here. And then my, you know, everyone kind of has like a junk drawer. Yes. Well, okay, so if you picture like you're looking at the stove where um I guess your spices and stuff are supposed to be. That was my junk drawer. I just had stuff filed in there.

SPEAKER_05 55:42

Timothy Fisher. Oh Jesus.

SPEAKER_02 55:46

Yeah, and I had like I had all my seasoning across the kitchen in a whole nother cabinet. And she came and she's like, What is going on with your kitchen? I'm thinking, what? It's fine. Like, I know where everything's at.

SPEAKER_05 55:57

But that's so illogical.

SPEAKER_02 55:59

Well, maybe, but I knew where everything was. Okay. And then I come home from work one day and I go to find like this random charger I needed for something. And I open that junk drawer, like where the spices, I guess, are supposed to be. And spices. Spices just lined up. They look good. And I I was like, and I start opening drawers. I'm like, dude, where is everything? She's like, Are we organized? We're we're good now.

SPEAKER_05 56:23

So she didn't reorganize it, she actually organized it.

SPEAKER_02 56:26

She okay, I will I stand corrected. Yes, she uh she organized it. So it was funny though. But and what I love about this is like it was kind of weird, like for me, it was a little uncomfortable at first because like you she even painted the the rooms and she redid my stairs. Oh, and that's what I'm gonna say. She she totally made it home. Like, I also have like a thousand candles in the house now, but the house smells good, smells great, yeah. It smells great, but she definitely made it home. She has like curtains up and all this stuff because I don't think I even had any of the walls painted. I mean, it was just white. I had like one catch.

SPEAKER_04 57:03

That's okay.

SPEAKER_02 57:03

Yeah, well, I mean, like I'm gone most of the day. Yeah, I don't have kids, like we're we're together, we were dating at the time, and um, yeah, she came in. I had like, I think I threw out like a couple couches, and I had a big chair and one couch, and then but she's she's like, Of course, you have like an 85-inch TV, but yeah, that's the most important.

SPEAKER_05 57:24

Yeah, hey, you didn't have folding chairs.

SPEAKER_02 57:27

No, that was my first house. I was poor as hell. But it all worked out, yeah. She she's she's got everything organized everywhere, so I love it. But no, I I liked that you said that and I like the honesty behind it because I think that's a that's a hard that's hard for a lot of leadership is to let go and just let your people work and do their thing because you can assess from afar and okay, let's address this, let's change that, and also how you approach your employees or your personnel that you're in charge of, right? How I mean perceptions 90% of the battle. So, because I I deal with that sometimes even at work, right? I don't like captains who are no-it-alls. Yeah, I don't like the captains who micromanage all day. You know, I always want to say, like, dude, all you gotta do is sit in that right seat, tell me where I'm going, where's my water supply?

SPEAKER_03 58:08

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 58:09

Let everyone do their thing, right? Now, that's of course, you gotta tell him like hoes or rescue, and he's gotta, you know, if we need more resources, he'll get all that. But a lot of times, if you have a really solid crew, a well-seasoned crew that's been on a long time, not gonna need much direction. But there's still captains out there that just like we're gonna do this, you gotta do that. It's like, dude, we know our job. Can you just chill for a second?

SPEAKER_05 58:30

Like, it's gonna be okay.

SPEAKER_02 58:31

We'll tell you if we need anything.

SPEAKER_05 58:33

Exactly. And and that's that's exactly what they've all told me. We will tell you if we need you. Yeah, I'm like sitting in my office. I mean, perfect.

SPEAKER_01 58:42

Yeah, let's go. I love it. I freaking love it.

SPEAKER_05 58:44

Yep. So sometimes I'll just walk out and try to like and just talk and hug and like hang out and just bother them.

SPEAKER_01 58:51

Freaking awesome. But yeah, so awesome.

SPEAKER_05 58:54

Letting go, letting them help me and asking for help if I need it. That's those are those are the hardest parts. Asking for help.

SPEAKER_02 59:04

Asking for help. I I've had trouble with that.

SPEAKER_05 59:07

Yeah, it sucks.

SPEAKER_02 59:08

I feel like my ego gets in the way. That's if I step back and look and try to analyze, like, okay, why didn't you ask for help? Or this of course you're gonna you feel like embarrassed, or I feel like the dumb person, whatever you you're feeling. But also it's like, okay, if you just humble yourself and ask for help, it'll probably get done quicker, quicker and possibly better. And yeah, or even better, or you're gonna learn a different way to do it. That's even even better, right? So I I don't know if you feel the same way, but I've always I I I've had trouble with that.

SPEAKER_05 59:36

Yeah, I don't know necessarily if it's ego or if it's just like, okay, I've asked so many people for help and it's never come through, like things like that.

SPEAKER_02 59:43

That's true.

SPEAKER_05 59:44

Could be both.

SPEAKER_02 59:45

Yeah. Trauma, trauma from people not coming through.

SPEAKER_05 59:47

Yeah, I know that one. Or you just fold the towels wrong. So I'm not gonna ask you for help holding the towels.

SPEAKER_02 59:54

Well, I mean, yeah, it's it's come to that thing because a lot of times that for me too, like uh if I try to depend on people to get certain things done, I'm not talking like in the fire service, whether it's you know, you're doing a side business or other things, it um people are lazy, man. People are lazy, people are crazy lazy, and I've learned so many times if I want to get stuff done, I'm gonna do it myself. And that's why uh for a lot of times people hit me up, hey, wait, we should do this or we should film that, blah, blah. And I throw it out there, I'm like, okay, well, what are you gonna do? Yeah, because so many times it ends up falling back on me because people are like, Well, I don't want to today, or I don't want to do this, or that's a lot of work, or we gotta, you know, it's like, look, to to build anything and to get to where you want to go, especially if you're filming or podcasting or any type of business, like you're gonna eat a shit sandwich for a hot minute. Oh, yeah, you're not gonna make money, it's gonna take time, but you have to sacrifice, you gotta learn your craft and what you're doing. Yes, and so many people don't want to do that. Yeah, they they love it. Immediately want to be good. Yeah, oh yeah. They love the hype of it all, but then they don't want to put in the the work and show up on time. Like, I can't stand when I'm trying to do something with people. Uh, and it's you know, okay, yeah, but we'll be here tomorrow at this time. And next you know, they're an hour late. It's like, dude, do you do that for work? Yeah, like come on, man. It's like, well, we're just filming, you know.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:18

It's like, dude, yeah, that's an hour. Like, we could have been done.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:22

Yeah, yeah. To me, I I always that right there shows me real quick, okay. If you can't show up and be on time, like we'll do this, I'm never gonna work with you again. Yeah, it just is what

Rapid Fire Questions And Laughs

SPEAKER_02 1:01:30

it is. So, but, anyways, I got some questions for you here.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:33

All right, shoot.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:34

Okay, so um, we do this at the end of the podcast. Oh, okay. Okay, uh, and I throw out the inappropriate questions because yes, there are a lot of inappropriate questions in this box of cards that we have, and I just don't ask them. So, the first one, you I will ask, you'll answer, and then I will answer. Okay, dope. Okay, okay, all right. If you could pick a fake name, what would it be?

SPEAKER_05 1:01:58

Jessica.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:59

That's it, just Jessica.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:02

Okay, okay, hold on, hold on. There is a whole thing. Um, so when my kids are especially irritating, and it's just mom, mom, mom, mom, mom all day, I'll look at them and be like, sorry, mom's not here. This is Jessica. I'm Jessica. Full alter ego, and man, Jessica's a bitch. Oh god.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:26

Jessica, be nice. Okay, yes, be nice. Okay.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:28

Um, so yeah, Jessica. She's my alter ego. Okay. When my kids annoy me. Mom's not here, Jessica's here.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:34

Mine would be David Arugula.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:37

Arugula?

SPEAKER_02 1:02:38

Yeah. So David. Like the lettuce? Yeah. All right. David is my middle name.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:43

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:44

And I always thought it would be funny. I'm like, yo, if I ever like, if I were to ever rap, my name would be Arugula. Now can you imagine, dude? You put out a hit and you're about to come out. Everyone welcome Arugula to the stage. Like, yeah. I don't know. All right. I just thought it was awesome.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:01

I like it.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:01

David Arugula.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:02

David Arugula.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:03

David Arugula.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:04

You know what I feel like if you add an A to the beginning of anyone's last name, automatically country singer name.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:10

Arugula?

SPEAKER_05 1:03:11

Arugula. A David? Yeah, why not? So, because like Do you like country music?

SPEAKER_02 1:03:17

Is that all you listen to?

SPEAKER_05 1:03:18

No. I don't like the new country.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:20

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:21

But yeah, like I think it was my dad that had said that to me one time, and I'm like, you know, you're not wrong. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:30

Okay. Uh, next question for you. This is a pretty good one. Would you rather have the ability to see through cards when gambling or get $150 million?

SPEAKER_05 1:03:44

Um I've never gambled, so I don't really know. So I guess I'll take the money.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:52

Yeah, you know what? I'm going with the money.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:54

Um, because I don't want to go sit in a casino all the time. I'd rather, now I would imagine taxes are gonna take half of that, especially being in California.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:01

Definitely.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:02

But half of 150 million, just you could live off the interest alone and be totally fine.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:06

There you go.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:07

Totally fine. So yes, I would take the 150 million. Totally take the 150 million.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:12

Totally take the money.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:12

Yeah, I'm totally in on that one.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:13

Because I mean, if you're gambling, you could still lose.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:16

Yeah, don't and don't get into gambling. I used to I used to go gamble a lot back in the day.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:20

That's all right. A lot. I don't know how to do it. I'm like, huh, I'm bad at mouth.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:24

Yeah, I mean, they were comping me rooms.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:26

Oh, dang.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:27

Yeah, the most I lost in one day was 40 grand.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:30

Oh yeah. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:32

And then I went back the next day, won 60.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:35

So you won $20,000.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:37

Yeah. And then the next day I won another 40 grand.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:40

Okay. All right. All right. Fair enough.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:42

Yeah, but after that, I was like, I need to stop this, dude. I'm I'm uh I'm pushing it here. I'm pushing it real hard here.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:50

Um, okay, and don't forget you gotta put that in your taxes, and they're coming for that.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:53

Oh shit, I didn't know that.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:54

Oh yeah. Oh, it gets locked. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:58

Oh yeah. You can get yourself in a lot of trouble.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:01

Okay. Um, let's do, let's see here.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:05

Okay, here we go. Who is your favorite movie villain?

SPEAKER_04 1:05:11

Oh, I don't know. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:15

Who is your favorite movie villain?

SPEAKER_05 1:05:19

Prince Humperdink.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:21

Wait, what?

SPEAKER_05 1:05:22

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:24

Great poll!

SPEAKER_05 1:05:25

Right?

SPEAKER_01 1:05:26

Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:27

Princess Bride is my all-time favorite movie. It's been my favorite movie since I was a kid. As you I love it.

unknown 1:05:36

I love it.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:37

That's a great movie.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:38

Yes. Great dude.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:39

Good poll.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:40

So dumb.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:41

Yeah, 100%.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:42

So stupid. Such a stupid man.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:44

I haven't heard that movie in a long name in a long time. Prince Humper Dink. Um, my favorite movie villain, Joker.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:53

Yes, that was that was up there, but then I pulled Humperdink.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:57

And I say Joker now because as an adult. I almost think he was kind of right.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:02

I was just about to say, you know what? I get it. Yeah. 100%. Which one?

SPEAKER_02 1:06:07

Oh, uh, I'm gonna Heath Ledgers is number one, and then number two is Walking Phoenix.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:13

Oh, he did great. I I that's the one where I like it clicked. I'm like, yeah, oh my God, I'm gonna snap one day.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:19

Yeah, yeah. I I I watched that and I I kind of side with the guy.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:26

I get it.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:26

You know, not to sound crazy, but you're like, dude, I get it. He was treated like crap. Like, what do you what do you expect? How would you expect for for people to act and what they're gonna do? Not to say that you should go like shoot somebody or kill people, but anyways, yeah, those the Joker now, as an a lot of villains, I should say, as an adult, you kind of look back and you're like, I think they're kind of onto something though, actually.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:46

Like Squidward from SpongeBob? Like I get it.

unknown 1:06:52

I get it.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:53

Oh my goodness. Okay, the last one for you. Last one. These are these are good. One more, one more.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:58

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:59

And we're done, okay? Okay. Would you rather only hear one song for the rest of your life or only watch one TV show or movie for the rest of your life? I'll say it again. Would you rather only hear one song for the rest of your life, or only watch one TV show or movie for the rest of your life?

SPEAKER_05 1:07:18

One TV show or movie.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:20

Which would it be?

SPEAKER_05 1:07:21

Um, probably friends. So I oh no friends! I love friends. But okay, because I switch it up between friends, how I met your mother, will and grace, and scrubs. Those are the four shows that I watch. Those are my comfort shows. I watch one of them like to go to sleep.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:39

Okay. So I see. Yes.

SPEAKER_05 1:07:41

I rotate.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:42

What do they call that when there's like there's noise in the background? ASMR? Is that what that is?

SPEAKER_05 1:07:46

Oh, I don't know. I call it anxiety.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:53

I mean, you're not wrong. Yeah, you're not wrong. You're not wrong. Um I like it.

SPEAKER_05 1:07:57

They're predictable and like they're comfy.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:01

Yeah. I get you on that one.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:04

I think uh for me, yeah, it would be TV show. I would do one TV show for the rest of my life.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:10

Which one?

SPEAKER_02 1:08:11

Uh and if it were to be, let me see here. Gosh, I have some really good ones. I think it would be uh, God, I don't even know. There's so many good ones. Oh. Are you afraid of the dark?

SPEAKER_05 1:08:30

Are you asking me, or is that the show? No, that's the show. I'm like, you know, I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:36

No, I mean if you look at it now, it's on Nickelodeon, right? I was when I was a kid watching it. Are you afraid of the dark? And they got like a new style now, but it's on Nickelodeon. And it was like the kids' scary stories, like campfire stories or whatever. Did you ever watch that back in the day? Like it lit a match at the end, and it would be like, Are you afraid of the dark? And they would tell scary stories.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:56

So we're only a couple years apart, but I think that that's our age gap.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:01

That really hurts.

SPEAKER_05 1:09:02

Sorry, bud.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:02

Yeah, it really hurts. Well, anyone listening, if you watched Are You Afraid of the Dark, you know what I'm talking about. But anyways, you can make me feel freaking old right now. I appreciate that. I got you.

SPEAKER_05 1:09:13

At least I didn't say how old the age gap is.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:16

What uh what are you 30, 39?

SPEAKER_05 1:09:19

31. You asshole. I know I had to do that.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:22

I had to do this. You don't look 39. I had to say, all right. You want to pull that one, dude? I'm 40. 39.

SPEAKER_05 1:09:33

I mean, I did say it was only a couple

Voices On The Frontline And Farewell

SPEAKER_05 1:09:35

years, so I did it to myself.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:36

Oh my gosh. I love it. Um, and so people know you do also have kind of a series or show on Instagram with your company, right?

SPEAKER_05 1:09:44

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:45

Go ahead and put that out there. What is that?

SPEAKER_05 1:09:46

Um, Voices on the Frontline. Um, so we have um, I mean, so far it's been my friends. They come in and they hang out, they talk about uh what it's like to be a firefighter or engineer or captain. Um, I had it or a chief even. Um they talk about their families, they talk about their experiences. Um, you spoke about your adrenaline junkiness. Um, and then I think I think on Monday, my friend Yasenia is is gonna drop. Um, and she spoke about what it is to be a mother in the fire industry. And oh my gosh, it was incredible.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:25

Awesome.

SPEAKER_05 1:10:26

Um, yeah. I think it's great. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:29

That's why I want to make sure we plugged it.

SPEAKER_05 1:10:31

Yes, yes, I love voices from the frontline. Um, and it's it's so great. Uh my social media gal Sarai, she came up with the idea. And because I do have such a good relationship with so many firefighters, um, she wanted to team up. And so I'm like, absolutely, I love that. Any chance for me to get to know my guys better, I'm in.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:56

Sarai is awesome too. She's super rad. Yeah. Um, and then how do people watch that? Or is it what's your social media handle?

SPEAKER_05 1:11:05

Uh so it's d'olessio underscore in C. Um, and we have a new one at the the last Monday of every month.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:14

Last Monday of every month. Okay. Last Monday of every month. Yeah, good luck spelling D Alessio. I I have every time I write it down, I spell it wrong.

SPEAKER_05 1:11:23

That's okay. It's exactly how it sounds.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:26

I'll tell you what, it's a unique last name.

SPEAKER_05 1:11:28

It is, it's Italian.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:29

Yeah, it's freaking real. Oh, I was gonna ask. So it's Italian.

SPEAKER_05 1:11:31

It's Italian. Ah, okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:34

No wonder you got so much spark. Good lord, dude.

SPEAKER_05 1:11:36

Yes, Mexican and Italian. Like, good luck. Your poor family god.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:42

Anyways, uh, Tori, thank you so much for coming on. Uh, I really appreciate it. You've become such a cool and great person in my life and friend. I'm chairing for you, rooting for you. I always point people towards your company and to get you business and everything because you're not just a good person, but you're a good business owner, worker. And thanks for what you're doing in the fire service and putting out the uh that series that you're doing because it is honest and people need to see the heart behind what you do in the fire service and that it's not just a a cool looking fire engine uniform. There's a lot more behind it.

SPEAKER_05 1:12:13

So absolutely, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:14

Thank you for coming on.

SPEAKER_05 1:12:15

Thank you so much for having me. This was a blast. I was terrified, but I had the time.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:19

It's easy. It's just a conversation.

SPEAKER_05 1:12:22

Yeah, you made it, you made it super easy.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:23

I was thinking we gotta get Sarai on here. Yes, be pretty cool. Yeah, I don't know where she lives, but I thought it'd be pretty cool.

SPEAKER_05 1:12:29

Redlands. So she's a bit from here.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:33

Whoa. Jeez, Redlands?

SPEAKER_05 1:12:36

Redlands. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:38

That's no problem. Okay, so we should do a let's go on three. You ready?

SPEAKER_05 1:12:42

That's a let's go.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:43

Uh what's that?

SPEAKER_05 1:12:45

What do you mean?

SPEAKER_02 1:12:46

We I count to three. Okay. I say one, two, three, and we say let's go.

SPEAKER_05 1:12:50

Oh, wait easier. I'm like, what are you talking about? Okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:55

Okay, you ready? All right, let's do this. One, two, three. Let's go. Bye, everybody.