The Start of Something Special

Starting a new chapter – whether it’s a business, hobby, or any venture – often brings a wave of inspiration, especially when you find yourself mastering a skill you once thought was beyond your reach.

silencing the inner critic

From the moment I silenced my inner critic and took the first steps toward launching this podcast, I’ve experienced countless moments of growth and discovery. For instance, despite having spent over 20 years in the advertising industry, I knew next to nothing about microphones, recording, or video editing just a few weeks ago. While I’ve long admired the work of art directors, graphic designers, sound engineers, videographers, and photographers, I’ve recently had to step into their shoes – and I’ve savored every minute of it. Let me be clear, when I say “mastering,” I mean I learned how to add adjustment layers to a clip in Premiere Pro. It sounds complex, but if I can learn it, you can to! But can they create a cool Pivot Table in Excel? I think not!

This week was particularly inspiring because I received feedback from viewers and listeners and they validated my belief that the content I’m passionate about resonates with others as well.

I had the privilege of sitting down with someone I’ve known for over 20 years and consider a friend: José Suaste, the Chief Creative Officer at Fluent360 and Cofounder of Tequila Honor. We worked together at Dieste, Harmel & Partners early in our careers, but we never truly got to know each other in all these years. For whatever reason, we didn’t engage in the meaningful conversations that matter even though I’ve PROVEN he’s the type of guy to leave the key to his place under the matt when you’re in Chicago and he’s out of town.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve noticed an increasing need for deeper, more vulnerable discussions—ones that go beyond the usual “How’s work?” or “Did you see the Cowboys game?” or even “Can you believe what this politician said?” (Often, that last question is just an unspoken plea for validation to ensure we’re still aligned with ‘our team’).

conversations meant to be had

While I’ve always admired José for his effortless, humble confidence, I realized I didn’t know enough about him. He generously shared his story, opening up about his family’s past, his passions, the factors that made him who he is, and ultimately, his successful career path. He also offered valuable advice for future generations of Bilingual, Bicultural Latinos like us, but honestly, for those willing to listen to the end, you’ll understand the universality of his advice.

It really has been inspiring to read the comments and direct messages I’ve received from viewers. Some are from mutual acquaintances, others are from people José knows, and some are strangers to us both. The overwhelming sentiment has been gratitude – “Thank you for having this level of conversation,” “I never knew that about him,” or “We don’t have conversations like this.”

It’s true – WE don’t. Especially as men. I have many friends, but outside of sports and careers, we don’t really know each other. And if men, in general, struggle with the lack of  deeper communication that leads to the formation of support systems, Latino men, particularly first-generation types like José and me, do so even more. Throughout this episode, we explored topics we likely wouldn’t have discussed otherwise.

I guess that’s the whole point – to ask, to learn, and to connect.

While José’s and my stories aren’t rare, they are unique, and it’s reassuring to know that I’m not alone in my need to learn more, even from those we thought we knew well.

So yeah, tell me más.