Podcast appearances and mentions of ray ramirez

World 11111Ok, so maybe Trident isn't exactly who he said he was. Maybe the whole "intern" gig wasn't what it was cracked up to be. Maybe it is a kind of stupid idea to have people bring their recycling to an amusement park.But hey, turns out there's a secret mad scientist lab off the cost of Rancho Pasillo where a villain thought to be vanquished is busy making a new army of hybrid fish people, and all that stand between her and taking over the city are a few teenage super heroes trapped inside said underwater lab, some of whom can't even swim.So that's something!What will they find under the waves' briny depths? What is actually going on under the sea? And is s the seaweed really always greener?This crossover event was organized by Vanessa Haas. You can find them on twitter as @ AlpacaMyBooks. You can find their work on Arcadia, CA and Breathing Space Fading FrontierBeastheart, an otherself of Rainy Woodrose Sunrise, was played by M German, you can find him on twitter @mekkitymekJuni “Mystic” Harraway, the Nova, is played by Siobhan. She can be found on twitter at @ spellboundmage, as Direct Impact of Splinter Division on Protean City Comics, or at twitch.tv/runawaysorceryRayzer, an other self of Ray Ramirez was played by Thomas Fleming. You can find more stories about Ray on Outstanding! and Thomas on twitter @ DorkseidVORiptide, an otherself of Sunburst, was played by Vic Collins. You can find him on Twitter at panelbeatervaViridian Vigilance, an otherself of Violence Violet, was played by Dana Lexa. You can find her on SuperIdols! RPG and on Twitter @authorx---Click here for more information on the city, our heroes, and the multiverse.It's played in Masks: a New Generation, by Magpie Games.Our theme music is composed by Michael Freitag and features Beau DalleoAdditional music provided by Kevin MacLeod, and sound effects provided by https://www.zapsplat.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

World 11111Pacific Park's Summer Daze event happens every year on the last weekend in July, when the city is so hot the asphalt of the roads begins to melt, and brownouts brought on by the cumulative effect of too many overworked air conditioners roll across neighborhoods. The breathless inland heat makes the siren call of the beach, and the pier's seaside attractions inescapable. And the park always rises to the occasion, with shows, rides, contests, and spectacles that are almost enough to make people forget the heat.This year, the highlight of Summer Daze will be a series of shows featuring Rancho Pasillo's own aquatic ace, Trident, who has been set up with his own trailer, merch, and "interns" from the Sidekicks Program.And of course there's the yearly Summer Daze recycling drive hosted by the Ambassadors for a Greener Reality & Ecological Engagement, a club from the local high school, spearheaded by student council president Chris Rey, who's managed to recruit the elusive exchange student everyone's wondering about.But who is that shadow figure lurking in the pylons under the pier? Why is the seaweed washing up on the beach such a brilliant shade of green? What is the truth about the rumors that there are some inaccuracies in Trident's origin story? And is the shimmering shape where the sea meets the sky something more than just a trick of the light on the water?There's only one way to find out.This crossover event was organized by Vanessa Haas. You can find them on twitter as @ AlpacaMyBooks. You can find their work on Arcadia, CA and Breathing Space Fading FrontierBeastheart, an otherself of Rainy Woodrose Sunrise, was played by M German, you can find him on twitter @mekkitymekJuni “Mystic” Harraway, the Nova, is played by Siobhan. She can be found on twitter at @ spellboundmage, as Direct Impact of Splinter Division on Protean City Comics, or at twitch.tv/runawaysorceryRayzer, an other self of Ray Ramirez was played by Thomas Fleming. You can find more stories about Ray on Outstanding! and Thomas on twitter @ DorkseidVORiptide, an otherself of Sunburst, was played by Vic Collins. You can find him on Twitter at panelbeatervaViridian Vigilance, an otherself of Violence Violet, was played by Dana Lexa. You can find her on SuperIdols! RPG and on Twitter @authorx---Click here for more information on the city, our heroes, and the multiverse.It's played in Masks: a New Generation, by Magpie Games.Our theme music is composed by Michael Freitag and features Beau DalleoAdditional music provided by Kevin MacLeod, and sound effects provided by https://www.zapsplat.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Floresville High School Tigers and Jaguars golf teams traveled to Uvalde to compete in the District 29-3A golf tournament March 27-28. After two days, both teams finished third in the standing, but seniors Blake Mainz and Gabrielle Perez both finished as individual District runner-ups, in second place, and qualified for the Regional tournament in a few weeks. Both Mainz and Perez, along with Ray Ramirez and Brooke Jackson, finished with all-District honors. wcnsports@wcn-online.comArticle Link

On this episode of Flushing Dreams, "Dr." Gabe gives us his most important Ray Ramirez injury report yet! Vito introduces a brand new segment the "Opening Pitch of the Game", the Michael Conforto season ending injury, Yankee fans tossing garbage and an argument about a bag that holds a special place in Gabe's heart. The fellas also make sure to talk about the hot start, the Phillies coming to town this week and a few Twitter questions as part of the "Call to the Bullpen". Flushing Dreams Social Media Instagram: @FlushingDreamsPod Twitter: @Flushing_Dreams This Week's Flushing Dreams Twitter Relief Pitchers: @Albanian_Angry @BaseballGods17 @Top_S21 @Patrick_MLB @ceJustinCase @GregTallDude534 Thank you to everyone who participated in our giveaways and Twitter Q's this week. We will be answering questions we didn't get to throughout the week! #LFGM

Welcome to Isla Obscura World 11111 Ok, so maybe Trident isn't exactly who he said he was. Maybe the whole "intern" gig wasn't what it was cracked up to be. Maybe it is a kind of stupid idea to have people bring their recycling to an amusement park. But hey, turns out there's a secret mad scientist lab off the cost of Rancho Pasillo where a villain thought to be vanquished is busy making a new army of hybrid fish people, and all that stand between her and taking over the city are a few teenage super heroes trapped inside said underwater lab, some of whom can't even swim. So that's something! What will they find under the waves' briny depths? What is actually going on under the sea? And is s the seaweed really always greener? This crossover event was organized by Vanessa Haas. You can find them on twitter as @ AlpacaMyBooks. You can find their work on Arcadia, CA and Breathing Space Fading Frontier Beastheart, an otherself of Rainy Woodrose Sunrise, was played by M German, you can find him on twitter @mekkitymek Juni “Mystic” Harraway, the Nova, is played by Siobhan. She can be found on twitter at @ spellboundmage, as Direct Impact of Splinter Division on Protean City Comics, or at twitch.tv/runawaysorcery Rayzer, an other self of Ray Ramirez was played by Thomas Fleming. You can find more stories about Ray on Outstanding! and Thomas on twitter @ DorkseidVO Riptide, an otherself of Sunburst, was played by Vic Collins. You can find him on Twitter at panelbeaterva Viridian Vigilance, an otherself of Violence Violet, was played by Dana Lexa. You can find her on SuperIdols! RPG and on Twitter @authorx Click here for more information on the city, our heroes, and the multiverse. Like this content? Leave us a review! Otherwhere is produced by Law of Names Games. It's played in Masks: a New Generation, by Magpie Games. Our theme music is composed by Michael Freitag and features Beau Dalleo. Additional music created by Kevin MacLeod, sound effects provided by https://www.zapsplat.com

Welcome to Pacific Park World 11111 Pacific Park's Summer Daze event happens every year on the last weekend in July, when the city is so hot the asphalt of the roads begins to melt, and brownouts brought on by the cumulative effect of too many overworked air conditioners roll across neighborhoods. The breathless inland heat makes the siren call of the beach, and the pier's seaside attractions inescapable. And the park always rises to the occasion, with shows, rides, contests, and spectacles that are almost enough to make people forget the heat. This year, the highlight of Summer Daze will be a series of shows featuring Rancho Pasillo's own aquatic ace, Trident, who has been set up with his own trailer, merch, and "interns" from the Sidekicks Program. And of course there's the yearly Summer Daze recycling drive hosted by the Ambassadors for a Greener Reality & Ecological Engagement, a club from the local high school, spearheaded by student council president Chris Rey, who's managed to recruit the elusive exchange student everyone's wondering about. But who is that shadow figure lurking in the pylons under the pier? Why is the seaweed washing up on the beach such a brilliant shade of green? What is the truth about the rumors that there are some inaccuracies in Trident's origin story? And is the shimmering shape where the sea meets the sky something more than just a trick of the light on the water? There's only one way to find out. This crossover event was organized by Vanessa Haas. You can find them on twitter as @ AlpacaMyBooks. You can find their work on Arcadia, CA and Breathing Space Fading Frontier Beastheart, an otherself of Rainy Woodrose Sunrise, was played by M German, you can find him on twitter @mekkitymek Juni “Mystic” Harraway, the Nova, is played by Siobhan. She can be found on twitter at @ spellboundmage, as Direct Impact of Splinter Division on Protean City Comics, or at twitch.tv/runawaysorcery Rayzer, an other self of Ray Ramirez was played by Thomas Fleming. You can find more stories about Ray on Outstanding! and Thomas on twitter @ DorkseidVO Riptide, an otherself of Sunburst, was played by Vic Collins. You can find him on Twitter at panelbeaterva Viridian Vigilance, an otherself of Violence Violet, was played by Dana Lexa. You can find her on SuperIdols! RPG and on Twitter @authorx Click here for more information on the city, our heroes, and the multiverse. Like this content? Leave us a review! Otherwhere is produced by Law of Names Games. It's played in Masks: a New Generation, by Magpie Games. Our theme music is composed by Michael Freitag and features Beau Dalleo. Additional music created by Kevin MacLeod, sound effects provided by https://www.zapsplat.com

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Kevin Snow, Founder and Chief Sales Strategist of Time On Target. Kevin helps businesses close more sales by better understanding their sales process and identifying how to make the process more effective and faster.  If your CRM and Email Automation aren't helping you close more sales or shorten your sales cycle, you need to listen in and connect with Kevin. Episode Highlights: Kevin shares his story and how he started his company. (4:36) Kevin talks about his insights regarding the BNI model and business networking. (8:59) Kevin talks about the reason behind his passion to start his career. (12:00) Mike asks Kevin what his advice would be to people who are always switching to the newest technology. (14:55) Kevin shares his favorite CRM platforms. (16:25) Kevin talks about the industries that he is currently focusing on. (18:22) Kevin explains where he thinks the future of communication is going. (19:53) Kevin talks about the services that he is able to deliver to his clients. (25:09) Kevin shares his thoughts on the development of chatbots. (27:55) Kevin answers the question of what his ideal customer looks like. (32:13) Key Quotes: “I want my marketing automation, my process tool, to be really good at automating processes. Give me cool tools to keep those workflows going.” - Kevin Snow “My ideal client is a business owner that is working 80 hours a week, and needs to figure out how to start offloading stuff.” - Kevin Snow “Start small, just get one thing, you know, a lot of business owners will go and they'll have these grandiose visions of what they're going to do.” - Kevin Snow Resources Mentioned:   Kevin Snow LinkedIn Time On Target Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez discuss the growing trend known as "THE GREAT RESHUFFLE," which is the movement of employees and laborers to new employers. How does a business owner combat this and keep their key people? Listen in for tips! Episode Highlights: Mike and Ray share their experience over the weekend. (0:41) Mike and Ray talk about the struggles that clients are dealing with now as employees and laborers move to new employers. (1:30) Mike talks about working conditions and how they are changing. (3:04) Ray talks about a hybrid work environment. (4:42) Mike talks about Key Performance Indicator (KPI's). (8:16) Mike shares more about Team Business. (12:58) Mike shares the advantage of using LinkedIn to attract new employees. (14:26) Key Quotes: “What we did is I kind of played a reactive role and realized that, hey, we have to give people the option and the opportunity to work where they want to work.” - Mike Fusco “I mean, speaking for myself, as a consultant, and what I do, I've been doing this for a little while, it's like, I guess that I like that little old school method of being in the office, getting up in the morning, getting ready to be somewhere.” - Ray Ramirez Resources Mentioned:   Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, Emily Williams joins co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez to speak about her desire to help female entrepreneurs in their business journeys. As a Money Mindset Expert, Emily talks about creating a mindset to make money and not feel guilty about it. Listen to learn more great information from an experienced podcaster, author, CEO, and success coach. Episode Highlights: How did Emily get started as a mindset expert and a success coach? (1:28) What made Emily focus on female entrepreneurship? (6:45) Emily discusses how she identifies a potential client. (9:21) Emily shares how The I Heart My Life Show Podcast turned into a lifestyle. (12:10) Emily explains how she helps her clients overcome some of the challenges from the pandemic. (18:22) Why should you work with Emily? (21:41) Emily shares more about her The I Heart My Life Show Podcast and her book. (23:33) Emily talks about the mindset blocks or limiting beliefs business owners have to move through in order to make money in their business. (26:43) Emily mentions that one of the core concepts that they talk about with their clients is that money is actually the coach. (31:03) Key Quotes: “What I help people do is uncover what's stopping them from creating wealth.” - Emily Williams “Create a life better than your dreams.” - Emily Williams “We always have a choice, and I feel like so often we think we're stuck, but we don't have to be.” - Emily Williams Resources Mentioned:   Emily Williams LinkedIn The I Heart My Life Show Podcast Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Insurance Haus podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez are joined by Natasha Fericelli, HRIS Software Consultant at Paylocity. Natasha discusses how Paylocity is helping business owners streamline their recruiting, onboarding, benefits administration, payroll, timekeeping & scheduling, expense reimbursements, performance, compensation, gathering employee feedback, learning and more.  Episode Highlights: Natasha shares her background story. (2:04) Natasha explains what HCM & HRIS stand for. (4:20) Natasha discusses the benefits of HCM for small businesses. (5:09) Natasha discusses Paylocity's ability to integrate with other platforms that business owners may want to use. (7:00) Nathasha explains how Paylocity helps business owners with their processes. (10:31) Why is it that Paylocity might be a solid fit for those larger clients? (14:34) How does Paylocity handle multi-state clients? (17:50) Natasha explains what PEAK stands for, and how it helps business owners. (19:04) Natasha explains what PEO and ASO stand for. (20:21) How does Paylocity help business owners during Covid? (21:50)  Natasha mentions that some of their competitors don't use their own software. (28:13) Key Quotes: “We really believe in a best of breed model, one system is not always the best fit for every client. And you see that in all different parts of our lives, even grocery shopping” - Natasha Fericelli “We're a single database. So we have everything in one system, but we're not going to box you in and we're going to give you the flexibility to use the vendors and carriers that are the best fit for your organization.” - Natasha Fericelli “Paylocity is not going to be the answer to all your prayers. You've got to have the right leadership in place and culture and all of that. But our engagement tools can play a big part in that.” - Natasha Fericelli Resources Mentioned:   Natasha Fericelli LinkedIn Paylocity Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn 

It's "Business Talk" on the Team Business podcast!  In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez discuss the state of the labor market and trends in hiring for small and medium-sized businesses. They also share valuable information and advice on how to attract top talent to your firm. Listen in for great information. Episode Highlights: Mike mentions that he and Ray talk with small to medium-sized business owners on a daily basis. (1:11) Ray mentions that they have heard a lot of conversations and dialogue about what owners have been experiencing in the market over the last two months. (1:39) What does Ray observe happening in the business's employee benefits side? (2:45) Ray mentions that they always advocate for employers to take care of their employees because they are the business's most valued resource. (3:48) Mike and Ray talk about blue-collar and white-collar businesses. (4:55) What should or might a small business owner feel about folks sitting at home receiving extra unemployment benefits and not going to work when they could? (6:32) Ray discusses what company owners can do to get people back to work. (8:43) Mike adds that on the PNC side of the business industry, keeping employees safe and offering a safe and healthy work environment may help business owners bring people back to work. (9:30) Mike explains that they are leveraging their business knowledge to help others understand what they are doing to enhance the workforce. (11:02) What was Ray's strategy for finding new employees? (11:37) Mike and Ray discuss using LinkedIn and other platforms to find great talent. (12:23) How can a company know if their service and benefits packages for workers are competitive? (13:21) Mike mentions that this is a great time for business owners to attract a skillful workforce who can help fill out the company and organization. (14:09)  Key Quotes: “We're just using our experience in our business to kind of help you and help our audience understand some of the things that we're doing here to enhance our workforce.” - Mike Fusco “Don't try to do everything. Don't try to wear all hats. I think now's the time to really attract some top talent and improve your business.” - Mike Fusco “We're all about cost management. I mean, outside of the traditional market, there's a multitude of funding options to how you fund your claims. And we were able to leverage that, depending on where you are in the admin flow of your business and the size your business. So we have solutions for a small group, mid-market and large group.” - Ray Ramirez Resources Mentioned:   Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Dr. Kim Sandberg, DNP, CRNA, Chief Executive Officer at Aloha Integrative Health. Dr. Sandberg is an experienced Nurse Anesthetist with a demonstrated history of working in the military and Military Executive Medicine. She is highly skilled in customer service, public speaking, simulation education, patient safety, and healthcare information technology (HIT). Dr. Sandberg is a strong healthcare leadership services professional with a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Healthcare Leadership. You will learn more about her practice and how they help treat patients with mental health illnesses using treatments that you may not have heard about previously. Episode Highlights: Dr. Kim explains her designations to the listeners. (1:35) Dr. Kim gives insight into her professional background. (3:00) Dr. Kim explains what Aloha Integrative Health is all about. (5:30) What was the biggest impact that the pandemic had on Dr. Kim's practice? (9:51) Dr. Kim shares her thoughts on telehealth. (11:56) Does Dr. Kim think that the pandemic is slowing down? (15:40) Dr. Kim mentions one of the things that some of their patients don't know. (18:31) Dr. Kim shares how she continues to learn and stay updated on the most relevant and beneficial treatments available. (23:30) Dr. Kim gives a piece of advice when it comes to mental health. (26:52) Key Quotes: “Our goal is to provide people with choices, because not everyone will fit into the bill of medication management, or they may have to look for alternative therapies. And so, this is just giving patients options and choices.” - Dr. Kim Sandberg, DNP, CRNA “I don't think everything can be done on telehealth. I think there are still some things that you have to come in and be seen in person. But, I think that there can be a nice balance and I think for the benefit of both the patients as well as the providers that we should continue to be able to have the option to have telehealth.” - Dr. Kim Sandberg, DNP, CRNA “If you're sick, stay home. I think some of those little simple things that we did during the pandemic are really things that we just have to sort of make everyday life.” - Dr. Kim Sandberg, DNP, CRNA Resources Mentioned:   Dr. Kim Sandberg, DNP, CRNA, LinkedIn Aloha Integrative Health Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Johan Eide, Founder and Owner of Region. Sonoma, a company changing how wine is being experienced and shared. Johan joins Team Business to talk about innovation in the wine industry and, like other industries, how he is disrupting the hospitality industry. Episode Highlights: Johan shares some of his background. (2:28) Johan mentions how My Patent Guys started. (4:16) What were some of the bizarre stories that Johan has heard, being a patent agent? (6:56) Johan explains what makes Region. Sonoma different and successful. (9:50) Johan mentions the type of platform they want to achieve. (14:47) What makes innovative startups disruptive? (17:19) Johan shares his thoughts about the word ‘disruption', in general. (20:05) Johan explains what today's consumers are looking for when it comes to hospitality. (22:48) Johan mentions why social authenticity as a brand is so important. (26:46) How does comparing Johan's business to others in the same industry hurt the innovation and growth of the industry itself? (27:49) Key Quotes: “Some folks think that their idea is the best idea since sliced bread, and that's a fine line to walk. Because, it's not my position to tell them that their idea is or isn't going to be successful, or isn't the right thing to do.” - Johan Eide “As long as you give everything 100%, over time, there's a trend line there in the direction you really want to go.” - Johan Eide “We have so many options in front of us and so many things to draw our attention in different directions. If we have to work at it, at all in a certain direction, that's a negative checkmark on our box. We want to discover it on our own and feel like we're a part of it.” - Johan Eide Resources Mentioned:   Johan Eide LinkedIn Region. Sonoma My Patent Guys Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Lucas Caneda, Global Team Lead at Uniqorn Incubator. As the largest rural incubator-accelerator of its kind in the world, UNIQORN features an eclectic team of seasoned professionals with a proven track record in taking technology startups from inception all the way to exit. Episode Highlights: Lucas shares his background. (1:48) Lucas explains his position and what he does at Uniqorn Incubator. (4:00) Lucas shares what Uniqorn Incubator is all about. (5:41) Lucas mentions the focus of their company. (7:11) How does their team go out and find companies that are suitable at Uniqorn Incubator? (8:17) Lucas explains what “sports tech” is. (10:26) Lucas shares the sports platform they built, called Challenger X. (12:23) How does Lucas help scale committee membership and engagement via digital and traditional marketing? (14:11) Is it true that the size of the club's market dictates the amount of revenue they can make? (18:50) Lucas shares what the sport of rugby, has taught him. (24:57) Key Quotes: “What we tell our clients is, you don't need to reinvent the wheel, but, you need to be different from the others. Because if not, there's just thousands of people pitching the same thing, and then you just don't stand out, right?” - Lucas Caneda “There are lots of relationships that you need to be doing and that's one of the things that we also have a nice network of investors for instance, whenever it's important to do so, we can bring to the table whenever we think there's a good fit.” - Lucas Caneda “To finish, you need to be able to take a punch and stand back up. Because that's part of the game. You need to be able to push further, there's always a little bit extra that you can give that can make a difference. Well, it's up to you to do it or not.” - Lucas Caneda Resources Mentioned:   Lucas Caneda LinkedIn Uniqorn Incubator Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

Success-driven visionaries don't want their goals to be held back by physical and emotional limitations. They want to strive for and achieve their biggest stretch goals. In this episode of the Team Business podcast, hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez welcome James Williams, CHPC™ of The Growth Edge. Since 2016, James has been a Certified High-Performance Coach, and worked with hundreds of driven entrepreneurs to become who they need to be to succeed in their business and life goals. Episode Highlights: James shares what leadership and ‘team performance expert' means. (1:27) James explains what the CHPC after his name means. (3:19) James gives the five key pillars of a high performer. (4:38) James shares his background with the listeners. (6:16) James mentions the difference between being an entrepreneur, a business owner, and a person working for a company. (10:42) James explains what The Growth Edge is all about. (11:43) James gives his thoughts about the saying, ‘Putting others first and not paying attention to yourself is selfish.' (14:03) James shares the concept he wanted to create for business owners. (17:40) What can people do to show up and consistently deliver at a higher level? (20:58) James explains what business owners are thinking about. (25:33) Key Quotes: “The leader in a company has an influential role across the entire company, and I think there are a lot of companies big or small, who have forgotten what that word means... leadership. It's not a dictatorship, it's not my way or the highway. It's a collaborative, influential position, and inspiring position.” - James Williams, CHPC “There's that point where you want to turn around, you want to give up, but, you also know that's like an edge, it's a growth edge. You get the opportunity at that edge to turn back, and say, I gave it a go, but, I don't want this enough. Or, you go over the edge and you just give it everything because the dominant force is your purpose, your goal, to get to that destination.” - James Williams, CHPC “What people fail to recognize is that the only reason you don't have time is you're working inefficiently, because you're not giving quality output, right? Being a high performer is that you get to work less, achieve more, and be happier, and have more energy, and not be stressed.” - James Williams, CHPC Resources Mentioned:   James Williams, CHPC LinkedIn The Growth Edge Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Greg Hasty. Greg, a market research video strategist joins Team Business from his creative media production agency, Hasty Storytelling. With over 10 years of research experience, Greg has worked closely with several Fortune 500 clients including Facebook, Toyota, and Amazon to define and further develop studies for a wide range of brand developments. Episode Highlights: Greg shares his background and how his business got started. (1:36) Greg mentions the concept he pitched to his first client. (4:14) How did Greg come up with the name for his agency? (6:07) Greg shares the types of industries and businesses Hasting Storytelling serves. (7:22) What's one of the most valuable things Greg can receive from his client? (9:26) Greg mentions why he hires people with better skills than him. (11:38) Greg shares how the pandemic changed his business. (13:20) Greg explains why he does his market research in different countries. (18:05) What does Greg think is the future of qualitative storytelling? (19:53) Greg explains the importance of having someone with research expertise on your creative team. (25:22) Key Quotes: “You can get lost if you don't have your niche or know the right people. I was just lucky enough to find a market that needed it and still uses it.” - Greg Hasty “It only gets better as technology gets better, things get faster. We could do a lot more with just two people, one person, than 10 years ago when I needed multiple people to help out and figure things out.” - Greg Hasty “Despite the hurdles of the pandemic and the disappointment of not being able to be in a bunch of different countries, something kind of beautiful came out of it and I've got to be happy about that.” - Greg Hasty. Resources Mentioned:   Greg Hasty LinkedIn Hasty Storytelling Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

For many employers, self-funded (or partially self-funded) health insurance plans are a great option to utilize as part of a benefits offering.  In this episode of The Insurance Haus, insurance brokers Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez welcome Jason Youngs, President of OneSource Stop Loss Insurance Marketing, and a self-funded health plan insurance guru. Jason answers several critical questions about self-funded plans and clears up lots of confusion surrounding them.  If you're a Chief Financial Officer or Human Resource partner looking for a solution to help gain more control over your group medical program, this episode is for you! Resources Mentioned: Fusco Orsini & Associates Risk and Insurance Services Follow Fusco Orsini & Associates on Instagram Follow Fusco Orsini & Associates on Twitter

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Travis Bottoms, owner of Polite Pest. Travis started his business at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic but still found great success and growth through hard times. Listen as he explains how and gives some great tips on Team Business! Episode Highlights: Travis discusses different aspects of his job. (1:36) Travis explains how he and his business partner, Eric, feel about working in confined spaces. (2:10) Travis shares a bit of his background. (3:01) Travis shares stories about some of the pests he's come up against. (4:11) Travis explains how Polite Pest started. (7:37) How did they come up with the name, Polite Pest? (9:38) Travis shares some of the tactics they've used to grow the business. (12:07) Travis gives us a piece of advice when it comes to starting a business. (19:39) Where does Travis envision the company going? (15:37) Key Quotes: “The most humane way to kill a rodent is quick and easy, and most people don't want to hear that to be honest...because you are killing something. But, the most humane way is quick so that they don't obviously suffer.” - Travis Bottoms “My business partner and I have legitimately become friends with a dozen of our customers...where I go out to dinner, and hang out on a regular basis. That's kind of the connection that we wanted to bring to the service company. Because, you want to feel comfortable with the person that's inside your house. You don't ever want to feel uncomfortable with them.” - Travis Bottoms “You never take advantage. If somebody has any issue whatsoever, we made sure that it was right. Because, at the end of the day, that's all we can kind of live up to is our work at that point. So, it's always just doing the small things.” - Travis Bottoms Resources Mentioned:   Travis Bottoms LinkedIn Polite Pest Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

"Are you confident in your company's safety policies and procedures? Do you sometimes think your industry is exempt because you hold office jobs and “the worst thing that can happen is a paper cut”? Does everyone on your staff know what IIPP is? In the latest episode of The Insurance Haus, we dive into a very important discussion: risk management and safety during a global pandemic. Hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez welcome to the show esteemed guest Steve Thompson, senior vice president of Aspen Risk Management and ERGOhealthy."

In our latest episode of The Insurance Haus, Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez welcome special guest Michael Payton, senior vice president of sales and account management at Choice Administrators, the nation's leading developer and administrator of private health insurance exchanges. If you're asking yourself, ‘what is a private health insurance exchange?', we've got you covered!

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Tim Fitzpatrick, President of Rialto Marketing. At Rialto Marketing, they help businesses simplify marketing so they can grow with less stress. They do this by creating and implementing a plan to communicate the right message to the right people. Episode Highlights: What surprised Tim when he decided to major in math? (8:51) Tim gives us insight into his background. (10:11) Tim shares how Rialto Marketing got started. (11:25) Tim mentions the primary goal of their company. (12:57) Who are Tim's ideal clients? (14:15) Tim shares their team-building process in hiring people. (15:22) Tim explains how he's able to communicate with his employees from different countries. (17:53) Tim shares how the pandemic affected their company. (19:48) Tim mentions the project management software and communication systems they utilize on a daily basis. (21:29) How does Tim help businesses track the results of their marketing plan? (25:15) Key Quotes: “If you really want to look at the data from a marketing standpoint, to determine what's working and what's not... you need to be able to understand numbers and interpret what the numbers are telling you.” - Tim Fitzpatrick “If you don't have the fundamentals in place, which lay that foundation, you're going to waste time and you're going to waste money.” - Tim Fitzpatrick “What creates stress for people in their marketing, and frankly in anything, is planning. When we do not have plans, we do not have our priorities outlined. And, when we don't have our priorities, we have no clarity. And, when we don't have clarity, our stress goes through the roof.” - Tim Fitzpatrick Resources Mentioned:   Tim Fitzpatrick LinkedIn Rialto Marketing Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

We're pleased to announce the launch of The Insurance Haus with Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez, a new podcast focused on dispelling myths and providing information related to wellness and insurance decisions. On this first episode, Mike and Ray had the honor of hosting Sharp, a not-for-profit health organization that delivers patient care and health insurance within San Diego and Riverside Counties. During the one-hour conversation, Sharp representatives dispelled misconceptions about COVID-19 and shared what they are doing to innovate and build upon the Sharp Experience.

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Andrea Yoder Clark, CEO of Predictive Portfolios and professor at the University of San Diego. Andrea joins Team Business to discuss how to use data in business. Want to start becoming more data-driven, but not sure where to start? Join us for the first of three segments relating to this important topic! Episode Highlights: How do business owners utilize data across their business? (1:52) Andrea shares common problems that their clients have. (3:31) Andrea mentions why most companies are struggling with shipping, at present. (4:16) How has Andrea had to adapt during the peak of COVID, up until now? (6:24) Andrea explains the four stages of how to respond to a crisis environment. (6:45) What platforms does Andrea suggest to help businesses create a solid roadmap? (10:12) Andrea shares what KPI is all about. (12:25) Andrea mentions the case study that she has had on sales. (15:20) Andrea explains the importance of data. (23:02) Key Quotes: “Each business is unique. You have your own customers, you have your own imprint in your industry, your own niche of organizations that you sell to. And, it's really important to combine your own historical data with market research to be able to give you a good blueprint around where to go next.” - Andrea Yoder Clark “Regardless of what area of the business we're looking at, there's going to be a system that you're using to track what you're doing. And, we'll be able to pull data out of that system to give you what you need.” - Andrea Yoder Clark “Regardless of whether that's an up or down spike, you need to be ready for it. And, if you can look and analyze your data, slice it, and dice it in all these different ways, whether it be by product, by a customer, by distribution site... then, that gives you the tools you need to plan ahead and prepare.” - Andrea Yoder Clark Resources Mentioned: Andrea Yoder Clark LinkedIn Predictive Portfolios Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

Jake Brown and Nelson Figueroa open the show talking about the Mets taking two of three games from the Padres. They discuss Luis Rojas pulling Joey Lucchesi early after a strong outing, his mismanagement of the bullpen, Jacob deGrom's injury and the series ahead against the Cubs. (22:41) Former Mets head athletic trainer Ray Ramirez then joins the pod. Ramirez talks about working in South Korea now for the Air Force, his time with the Mets, some fans putting blame on him for players getting injured, why it's not the trainer's fault, getting booed on Opening Day, managers he worked with, why there are so many injuries and a message to the Mets fan base. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Ruth King of Business Ventures Corporation. Ruth King is a profitability master, giving businesses the processes and tools to get and stay profitable, and build wealth. Ruth joins Team Business and provides lots of excellent tips to small business owners. Episode Highlights: Ruth shares her career background. (1:23) Ruth mentions how she got the name, profitability master. (2:36) Ruth shares what HVACChannel.tv is all about. (2:59) Ruth explains her target markets. (3:45) Ruth mentions her book called, The Ugly Truth about Small Business. (4:15) Ruth gives us the three types of business she works with. (5:09) Did the pandemic affect Ruth's business model? (7:30) Ruth shares what she focuses on in her business. (10:15) Ruth mentions why she's a total believer in direct mail and direct mail marketing. (14:01) Key Quotes: “My goal has always been to help customers or help you know, business owners get and stay profitable... give them the tools and processes to do that, so that they build profitability, then build wealth, and then give back.” - Ruth King “My favorite arena to work in is what I call the ‘tool businesses.' You started a business, you want to grow it, you want to grow profitably, and you want an exit plan.” - Ruth King “I am a total believer in direct mail and direct mail marketing simply because social media is great. It's part of a marketing plan, but so is direct mail because nobody's doing it these days. And if you do it right, it will get noticed and people will pay attention.” - Ruth King Resources Mentioned:   Ruth King LinkedIn Business Ventures Corporation HVACChannel.tv Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez welcome Dr. Charles Redd, D. Min to the show. Dr. Charles is a Fortune 500 executive, life coach, professor, speaker, mentor, and transformational leader. He has over 30 years of experience in his field and brings a wealth of knowledge to our audience.  Episode Highlights: Dr. Charles shares his career background. (8:50) Dr. Charles mentions his book entitled, Don't Stop Now. (9:20) What type of clients does Dr. Charles serve? (10:36) What molded Dr. Charles to get to the career path he's currently in? (12:31) Dr. Charles shares his podcast called, Dr. Charles Speaks. (16:06) Dr. Charles shares the challenges he faced in setting up his company. (19:41) Dr. Charles mentions one of the valuable lessons he learned. (20:50) Dr. Charles explains the acronym called MVP. (22:48) Key Quotes: “What I'm really passionate about is life coaching and mentoring. The life coach piece...It really is a focus on helping people really uncover their purpose for life and their passion. We all have something of value to offer.” - Dr. Charles Redd, D.Min “I served as an adjunct professor, as well as teaching business subjects, teaching salesmanship...And so, teaching is my heart. And so, I have this tendency of wanting to give back and help grow. And, that's really the essence of what I've been doing my whole career.” - Dr. Charles Redd, D.Min “I believe in everybody's life, we should always be looking up to somebody that has more insight, is smarter, more experienced than us. And, then someone who's on a more horizontal plane that can help encourage us and work with us along the side.” - Dr. Charles Redd, D.Min Resources Mentioned:   Dr. Charles Redd, D.Min LinkedIn Dr. Charles Redd Website Dr. Charles Speaks Don't Stop Now Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Matthew Parvis, Co-Founder, and CEO of Fresh Clean Tees. Mike and Ray urge their listeners to enjoy this episode with Matthew as he drops major knowledge on us as a successful entrepreneur. If you want tips on running a business with your spouse, on what it takes to win online sales, and on never quitting when facing challenges, you must spend the next 30 minutes listening in. Episode Highlights: Matthew shares his background and how Fresh Clean Tees started. (2:21) Matthew shares the products they have in the business. (7:36) Does Matthew's company have a 100% e-commerce business? (9:24) Matthew shares the challenges they faced during the first year of their business. (10:52) Matthew explains how he was able to build a team within his company. (14:46) Matthew mentions the two key components in building a team. (16:12) How did the pandemic affect Matthew's business? (18:52) Matthew shares their upcoming plans for Fresh Clean Tees. (22:29) Key Quotes: “I'm just so fortunate to not only have been working on something that I love to work on, but to be working on it with my wife. We can kind of share that side, our business side, and the personal side... which does get a little complicated from time to time, I'm not gonna lie. At the same time, it's something that we're both very, very proud of, and I think that our relationship as a couple has really been the catalyst for a lot of our success.” - Matthew Parvis “Things sometimes don't always work out long term, and that's okay. Because, it probably was the right decision when we made that decision a year and a half ago, when the business was a certain size. And, now the business is a different size and has different needs. And so, I do think it's really, really imperative to always be flexible and kind of look at those issues as positives versus negatives.” - Matthew Parvis “I think you can have someone that is like, extremely skilled, but if they don't have a lot of will to get better or to learn, they're going to be stuck in a spot where they're like, okay, you're good at your job but, you might not be the perfect fit for our brand.” - Matthew Parvis Resources Mentioned:   Matthew Parvis LinkedIn Fresh Clean Tees Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Andrew Bartlow, growth company advisor, a chief people officer, an author, and advisor. He joins us from the mecca of company startups in California's Bay Area. Andrew speaks about his vast experience, in addition to his focus on helping high-growth startups scale for success. Episode Highlights: Andrew shares his career background. (6:22) Andrew shares the services he brings to the clients. (7:40) What made Andrew pursue his career as a Chief People Officer? (8:42) Andrew mentions how he came up with the name, Series B Consulting. (10:14) What made Andrew decide to write a book? (11:15) Andrew mentions the publisher of his book. (12:51) Andrew shares the issues when prioritizing high-growth organizations. (13:46) Andrew gives a couple of tips on how to promote a high-growth business. (15:05) How does Andrew leverage data to get the company from point A to point B? (17:36) Andrew shares the strategy he changed for the company due to the pandemic. (19:20) Key Quotes: “The HR piece was always really awkward, and so that's where I've put a lot of my attention, and where this exact development program came from. I'm trying to help up-level the function trying to help people understand what the real opportunity is in the work.” - Andrew Bartlow “You're not so big that you already have somebody with my experience onboard full time. You're not ready for that, yet. But, you probably want somebody more than running payroll, and delivering benefits to think about how you operate your organization.” - Andrew Bartlow “You can certainly appreciate and think fondly of the past, but you've got to be willing to evolve along with your business. Otherwise, you're apt to get in your own way.” - Andrew Bartlow Resources Mentioned: Andrew Bartlow LinkedIn Series B Consulting Scaling for Success: People Priorities for High-Growth Organizations Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Jackson Dalton, MPH, CSP, and President of Black Box Safety. Jackson speaks about his career in occupational safety. His company, Black Box Safety, started in 2017, and he now has 14 years of experience in the field. In 2020, he worked with several First Responders and essential workers to keep them safe from COVID-19. Episode Highlights: Jackson shares how he got into the insurance industry. (4:56) Jackson mentions the services they offer at Black Box Safety. (8:05) What made Jackson decide to build his own company? (10:21) Jackson mentions how he came up with the name for his company. (12:02) Jackson shares how the pandemic increased their sales. (15:30) Jackson shares the type of culture they have at Black Box Safety. (18:22) What were the challenges that Jackson experienced during the pandemic? (20:42) Jackson shares his plans for Black Box Safety this year. (24:02) Key Quotes: “The traits that we look for are someone that is driven, outspoken, competitive, confident. But, those are all the ‘nice to haves'. The ‘need to have'...the most important trait, that is an absolute non-negotiable, ‘need to have', is a high level of figure it out factor.” - Jackson Dalton “I'm a perfectionist. So, there's always going to be that. Don't show it to me because if you do, I'm going to find some ways that we can improve it. But, the overall arching mission is to take the hill, get it done, figure it out. You have the autonomy to figure out how it is that you're going to do that.” - Jackson Dalton “My love language is words of affirmation. I'm a cheerleader. I like to encourage them, prop them up. My other love language is constructive criticism.” - Jackson Dalton Resources Mentioned: Jackson Dalton LinkedIn Black Box Safety Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Andrea Yoder Clark, CEO of Predictive Portfolios. Mike and Ray speak to Andrea about her path to becoming a data scientist. They discuss her new firm, her clients, and the creation of her team. Episode Highlights: Andrea shares her background. (5:28) Andrea shares what their typical client profile looks like. (7:03) Does Andrea utilize her own tools to analyze other company's data? (8:13) What inspired Andrea to start her own business? (9:44) Andrea shares the challenges she had when she started her firm. (11:07) Does Andrea think that biotech is a natural fit? (12:02) Andrea shares the innovations and workflows she changed during the pandemic. (14:11) Andrea describes her workflow at Predictive Portfolio. (19:31) How does Andrea keep her new hires complete? (21:13) Andrea shares the technology she implemented when the pandemic happened. (23:15) Key Quotes: “I felt like I could add more value if I was on my own, getting to work with more companies. I also just get bored a little easier. So, it's more fun for me to have different projects happening ongoing, versus kind of working on the same thing all the time.” - Andrea Yoder Clark “I actually got to apply what I was learning into the world in a way that was really making a difference. And, that to me, was super powerful to be able to see the impact of how these skills could be used to generate interest in a company, and/or impact in a community if I'm working with a nonprofit.” - Andrea Yoder Clark “What I did as the CEO, was really make an effort to be understanding and compassionate with all my employees. Now, we all have life interfering in a way that we had to separate a little bit differently in the past.” - Andrea Yoder Clark Resources Mentioned: Andrea Yoder Clark LinkedIn Predictive Portfolios Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez welcome Brett Putter, a leading expert on startup and high-growth company culture. Brett is also the author of 'Culture Decks Decoded' and 'Own Your Culture.' Episode Highlights: Brett gives a little background on the Culture Gene platform. (6:27) Brett explains what got him into talent acquisition and culture building. (8:05) Brett shares what makes company culture significant. (9:44) Does explains how emotional intelligence ties into culture building. (10:54) Brett mentions his first book, entitled, Culture Decks Decoded. (12:40) Brett tells us about his second book, entitled, Own Your Culture. (13:18) Does Brett think that remote work is here to stay? (18:16) Brett mentions huge issues associated with post-COVID work. (20:05) Brett shares the advice he gives to his clients. (23:35) Key Quotes: “I set up Culture Gene to focus on company culture because I'd seen the light. The penny had dropped. And, I realized that culture was the missing link for most companies. I was really fortunate to get that opportunity to step out and work on my passion.” - Brett Putter “The thing about company culture is it's largely invisible, subconscious, and intangible. So, you know, people don't get it. They can't touch it, they can't feel it often. The best leaders make it visible, conscious, and tangible. - Brett Putter “If I'm working remotely, I don't want to feel not included. I don't want to feel like I have to advocate for myself and my work. I don't want to feel like I experience a different work culture, I don't want to feel like my promotion opportunities are hampered. So, if you're going to run a hybrid business, you've got to work this out. Because, the people who feel like second-class citizens are going to go to a company, where they can feel like first-class citizens.” - Brett Putter Resources Mentioned: Bretton Putter LinkedIn Culture Gene Own Your Culture Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez are joined by Marc DeLeonibus, Co-Founder and Director of Bold Penguin. Marc chats about the history of his company, the reason for the name, his background, and the team. Episode Highlights: Marc tells us the history of Bold Penguin and what they do. (6:15) Marc shares where the name Bold Penguin originated. (9:02) Marc shares his background. (11:09) Why did Marc choose the insurance industry? (14:05) How did Marc find the right people to advance the technological side of his business? (15:44) Marc shares how the pandemic has affected his agency. (17:25) What does Bold Penguin's work culture look like in the wake of COVID-19? (19:40) What's next for Bold Penguin? (2:42) Key Quotes: “Penguins, they work together as a team. You always see them in their colonies. They might look slow on the surface, but under the water, they're incredibly fast. And, that's everything that our technology is built around... being fast, efficient, to the point.” - Marc DeLeonibus “I think insurance is absolute. In my opinion, the best business to be in… particularly commercial insurance, because there's so much ability for agents. I can leverage technology now to really get an edge and grow quickly.” - Marc DeLeonibus “Understanding what I think we all understood from early on, is we need to look at what the seats are on the bus, and figure out how to put those people in those right places. Don't sacrifice ever, on people. Make sure every single person is truly an A player that brings a complementary skill set to the team.” - Marc DeLeonibus Resources Mentioned: Marc DeLeonibus LinkedIn Bold Penguin Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Jon Diamond. He started, grew, and exited an extremely successful HVAC company in Northern California. It took lots of great people to propel Moore HVAC forward, and Jon was the glue that kept it all together. Now, Jon has a new passion for teaming up with operators to help them advance their businesses and careers. Learn more by tuning into Team Business! Episode Highlights: Jon shares his background. (4:52) Jon's process for choosing the perfect employee. (8:18) Jon discusses what's important to prospective employees.  (10:08) What motivated Jon to start over again? (13:05) Jon shares valuable lessons he learned in team building. (13:33) Why are many business owners afraid to train their talent? (16:14) What are Jon's future goals? (19:36) How did the pandemic affect Jon's business? (23:13) Key Quotes: “I just love the challenge that business brings. Every day, it's something new. Even though we've been doing this a long time, I still learn new things every day. It's been a really good experience to be able to surround myself with people smarter than I am.” - Jon Diamond “I love finding people better than I am. Because, I feel like it does nothing but elevate my talent and my ability... and make me have to work to be better.” - Jon Diamond “If I don't have value to bring I don't want to partner with them. But, if I have value to bring, then that's what excites me.” - Jon Diamond Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Todd Cooper, the owner and founder of Waxelene. Todd discusses how he operates and grows his business with the help of outsourcing. Episode Highlights: Mike and Ray discuss the types of things Todd outsources in his business. (2:49) Todd talks about the history of his company, the services he offers, and the type of clients he serves. (4:21) What are the challenges Todd faces as he builds his team? (7:54) Todd shares how he manages to keep the momentum and progress going within his work structure, as a CEO during Covid. (11:36) Todd talks about the big transition of their digital presence about five years ago. (14:58) If Todd wasn't an entrepreneur, what would he be pursuing? (16:00) Todd shares where to find Waxelene natural personal care products. (24:41) Todd talks about the importance of supporting local businesses. (25:45) Key Quotes: “The main thing for team building is having a clear plan and setting it out.” - Todd Cooper “The take-home message is that the business model works really well because it's very plastic...You know, it's very flexible. You can mold it to whatever it needs to be” - Todd Cooper “Instead of bringing everyone in, you can just outsource what you need. They have all the professionals that you need right there. They say, it's really all about the relationships. You're still establishing those relationships with them...But, they're not your employees, you know?” - Todd Cooper. Resources Mentioned: Todd Cooper LinkedIn Waxelene Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Daniel Seong, the Owner and Founder of Great Park Insurance. Daniel talks about his journey in the insurance industry and the factors that have led to his success.   Episode Highlights: Daniel shares a little bit about his childhood and time in the Marine Corps. (6:38) How did Daniel get into the insurance industry? (7:31) Daniel shares how he started his own agency. (7:45) What is Daniel most proud of? (11:41) How did the Marine Corps impact who Daniel is today? (13:08) What's the main element that got Daniel through his journey? (17:23) Daniel explains why he always teaches people to operate with the end in mind. (21:10) Daniel mentions the most important part of a person's life. (22:43) The perfect transition that happened two weeks before the pandemic hit. (34:14) Key Quotes: “I tell everybody in the business, or just in anything, stay faithful to yourself, stay true to yourself and carry yourself with dignity.” - Daniel Seong “The mirror doesn't lie. So you can lie to everybody else, to your boss, your team members to your clients, you can tell them that you're trying and doing everything you can right to hit your goals. But when you go home, and you look in that mirror, the mirror doesn't lie.” - Daniel Seong “I believe salespeople are King in any organization. I love sales. I just love it. Because it's just like sports, right? It's great analogies, examples, and it really tells me who you are and how tough you are mentally.” - Daniel Seong  Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Daniel Seong LinkedIn Great Park Insurance

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview David Munoz, the Co-Founder and Managing Director of the Mission Legal Center. David talks about their goals and services, and how they pivoted with COVID, and how he manages his team. Episode Highlights: David shares his background story and how he got into his career. (7:05) David mentions that he started off working at a bigger firm. (8:37) David shares how he started his own company in California. (8:53) David shares that one of the things he learned from his parents is to not give off the importance of education and just continuing on. (10:46) David talks about what Mission Legal Center specializes in and what services they offer. (12:48) David mentions that they have other attorneys that work within their office that do other types of law. (13:13) After the initial foundation was built, how did David start to elevate his team? (14:18) David says that the most significant thing to do before anything else is to build a reputation. (15:02) David says that he's thankful that they haven't had to lay anybody off in 2020. (15:36) David shares that his goal for his team is to grow all together. (16:25) David shares that he's doing his best to try and guide his team in a way that shows the importance of things and the reason why they do it that way. (18:32) What has David been doing to pivot because of COVID? (19:15) David mentions that their goal is to take all the stress away from their customers. (20:53) David mentions that he is thankful because they've implemented cloud computing, zoom meetings, and teleconferences in 2018. (21:56) David thinks that social media and commercials are probably the best way to get a lot of visibility nowadays. (24:12) Key Quotes: “You can't always make the perfect hire, but you do your best.” - David Munoz “There are no bad students, there are only bad teachers. And so, I kind of take that to mind when I have employees.” - David Munoz “The number one cause of bankruptcy in the United States is medical bills, So we want to make sure their medical bills are paid, and then make sure that they're compensated for aspects of their life that might never be the same.” - David Munoz “Small businesses need to help each other… I'd love to find ways to collaborate and work together. And I'm sure that there's a way we can find a way to do that.” - David Munoz Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Reach out to: David Munoz Mission Legal Center

In today's episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Michelle Flores-Gonzales, COO & VP at Flores Financial Services. Michelle talks about the financial services that they offer, the dynamics of working in a family business, and the importance of their company culture. Episode Highlights: Mike introduces Michelle Flores-Gonzales. (7:53) Michelle mentions that Flores Financial Services is a family business, and she has been working there since 2002 when her father acquired and took over the company. (8:24) Michelle shares that they're an outsourcing company that specializes in accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, human resources, and they recently added consulting services to their business portfolio. (8:34) Michelle mentions that they have a high focus on the hospitality industry. Therefore, most of their clients are the restaurant business with a high focus in the San Diego markets, and grocery stores as well. (8:46) Michelle shares that what kept her to continue working in the company was her passion to continue the family business and build upon what her father has started, and also the entrepreneurial side of it. (10:43) Michelle shares that over the past few years, she tried to hire team members that would fit in their core culture, have a passion and drive to partner with their clients, and to be a valuable part of their team members. (12:11) Michelle thinks that they have a passionate investment in the services that they offer to their clients, and making sure that they're doing a good job. (12:29) Michelle mentions that finding the dynamic with her father and making sure its balance, is something that they're working on. (13:10) Michelle mentions that their main focus was on finding the resources that were available to help their clients. (14:30) Michelle mentions that this year, they focused on and pivoted to consulting services. (15:10) Michelle shares that they developed the HR COVID handbooks to help employers get back to business, and ensure their employee's safety in the workplace. (16:11) Michelle mentions that today is a great time for new clients to reach out. Because it's time to start preparing, advising, and planning for the next year. (25:03)   Key Quotes: “We have a core focus, we are a family business. But no matter how big we grow, we don't want to go to that corporate mentality. So we try and treat all of our employees as family members, that's one of our core values.” - Michelle Flores-Gonzales “So, just making sure that we're available and letting our clients know that we're there to support them, and get through this with each other. So, that was the big portion of our services.” - Michelle Flores-Gonzales “I'm in this, and I enjoy the entrepreneurial side of it, as hard as it is. There's also something very rewarding, and you guys know this as well, of owning your own business and being part of something and being able to provide for team members.” - Michelle Flores-Gonzales Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Michelle Flores-Gonzales Flores Financial Services, Inc

In today's episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Brad Wise, the Executive Chef and Owner of Trust Restaurant Group. San Diego's Chef of the year in 2019, Brad talks about his journey in the culinary industry, how their company survived amidst the pandemic, and how their campaign has helped small businesses and the local economy. Episode Highlights:   Mike introduces Brad Wise. (7:20) Brad shares that when he finished culinary school, he moved out to San Diego in 2006 and worked at Eat, Drink, Sleep Hospitality Group for 10 years. (8:18) Brad mentions that when he decided to step up his career, he partnered with Steve Schwab and built the Trust Restaurant Group. (8:45) Brad mentions that they opened Cardellino on February 7, six weeks before the shutdown. (10:24) Brad shares that he's a risk-taker and he always encourages his team to try new things and new projects. (11:29) Brad shares that his job is to bring out the best in every employee and let their talents be recognized, and make them successful. (12:02) Brad mentions that in this industry, everyone has an opinion, and if you hire the right people, they're going to have educated opinions. (14:21) Brad shares that gathering ideas and information from his team is where a lot of inspiration and creativity comes from, and they make sure that each dish hits all the elements. 14:45) Brad shares that when they reopened due to the shutdown, they followed the necessary guidelines and put measures in place that they felt comfortable doing to make their workflow easier. (19:22) Brad mentions the biggest element that helped them is their teamwork. (24:31) Brad shares that they try to be optimistic as much as possible, and complain as little as possible because everyone is in their worse positions than they were. (25:23) Brad explains how they created the event with the help of their wine director and how he became a huge part of the team. (26:06) Brad shares that Trust Restaurant Group was built off of industry people that are near and dear to their hearts. (28:17) Brad explains how the Rare Society Industry steak night donations have been helping a lot of people amidst the pandemic. (29:49)   Key Quotes:   “I can't do anything without the people that are working for me. But with me there, everyone is individually talented in their own ways. They all have great strengths, trustworthiness, and the name of why we got into this.” - Brad Wise “My job is solely to extract the best in everybody, recognize their talents, and try to use that as best as I can to make them successful, and we always like to use your success as our success. So, a lot of times people don't even know their strengths until they're shown what they are.” - Brad Wise “If you put the time and effort, I'm going to let you work on ownership, I'm going to let you work on all these things that are going to eventually make you successful. So, we kind of have that common goal and it's a two-way road, people want to be here, as much as we want and need them to be here.” - Brad Wise “I always say, this is the best. The best way of creativity is when your back is up against the wall, right? Oh, yeah, you have to fight your way out to make sure you survive.” - Brad Wise   Resources Mentioned:   Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Brad Wise Instagram Trust Restaurant Group  

In today's episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Ryan Sisson, the CEO of Moniker Group. Ryan talks about his role in the company, and how his leadership approach in business gives an opportunity for impact. Episode Highlights: Mike introduces Ryan Sisson. (8:48) Ryan mentions that he studied at San Diego State University and earned a business degree. (10:04) Ryan shares that Moniker Group has been in the industry for about 10 years, and they have 7 different business units. (10:26) Ryan shares that what they do is to bring people together because that's what's valuable and vital to them. But unfortunately, due to the pandemic, everything has been challenging. (12:36) Ryan mentions that their company is run by 50 employees and they have a total of 6 physical locations, with different types of products and concepts. (13:10) Ryan shares that the businesses work together when they need to, but they all have their own story. (16:36) Ryan mentions that its structure as the parent company holds the key to all the back end operations. (16:55) Ryan shares that he sees size as an opportunity to find ways and to grow, without him as the producer. (18:54) Ryan shares that they have intentionally invested in culture with the team and care about each other's success and well-being in life. (21:04) Ryan mentions that the key elements of success are seeing individuals that are willing to stick with you, through thick and thin. (23:04) Ryan mentions that they're not a technology-driven business because most of their team requires physical interaction to function. (26:49) Key Quotes: “My job is to make sure that the people that are great at what they do have everything they need to be successful. So I compare my leadership approach to that of a bulldozer driver. I don't make things pretty, I just get stuff out of the way.” - Ryan Sisson “As a generalist, like you kind of want it, you just have this innate desire to have your hands in everything, because there's nothing that you're specifically passionate about enough to just be focused on that.” - Ryan Sisson “There's a realization that everyone that works for you is never going to work for you forever, is a big one, and I think what that does is it releases the pressure to make this person, the person. So, we've always kind of had open hands with the way that we brought people on.” - Ryan Sisson “I think just not putting too much pressure on certain people to be the end all be all for your company and, championing them over the long haul to do what is it that they're bes att, and if that's not within your business, that's okay.” - Ryan Sisson “Look around your neighborhood and find those businesses that are trying to make it to that finish line and go and figure out what you can do for them. That would be a huge lift for us as a company as well.” - Ryan Sisson Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Ryan Sisson LinkedIn Moniker Group

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Matt Sedlock, the Owner of Western Lighting & Energy Control Solutions. Matt talks about his knowledge and expertise in the lighting industry and how the culture they've created has made an impact on their business. Episode Highlights: Mike introduces Matt Sedlock. (3:32) Matt shares that he graduated from Central Michigan University in 1988, with a degree in Marketing and Sales Management. (8:54) Matt mentions that his first job was in Cooper Lighting as an outside sales representative, focused on the electrical distribution channel. (9:22) Matt mentions that working in the lighting industry was his dream job since childhood. (9:52) Matt shares that he was challenged by not having any experience and minimal training, but he realized that it was an opportunity for him to educate himself and learn the industry. (11:01) Matt mentions that he's looking for individuals that have a strong work ethic, individuals that can work efficiently with others and they must be willing to be part of the team. (13:33) Matt thinks that their employees enjoy working at Western because of their culture, and the transparency that they manage. (13:57) Matt shares that they want their employees to learn the financial side of the business, to understand the inner workings, and not only about going out and acquiring the next sale. (13:46) Matt shares that the biggest product on the market right now is a product by Lutron, called Ketra, and it's currently the most advanced lighting product on the market. (20:52) Matt mentions that they're currently focusing on adding more structure to the company, and it takes every individual to speak up and share their ideas about how they can be better at what they're doing. (27:08) Key Quotes: “We learned a lot through this COVID situation, and we hope to be a better company coming out of it than when we went into it, we found efficiencies and some of those efficiencies will forever remain part of our company moving forward. We learned how to run the business differently, and better.” - Matt Sedlock Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Matt Sedlock LinkedIn Western Lighting & Energy Control Solutions

In today's episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Paolo Pirjanian, the Founder and CEO at Embodied, Inc. Paolo talks about his passion and love for technology and how he developed a robot called Moxie that helps children promote their social, emotional and cognitive skills. Episode Highlights: Mike introduces Paolo Pirjanian. (9:12) Paolo mentions that he studied in Denmark, got his master's degree, then got a Ph.D. in computer vision and robotics. (10:06) Paolo shares that he moved to the US 20 years ago, to achieve his dream job, which was working for NASA JPL. (10:16) Paolo mentions that in 2012, they got acquired by iRobot, which is a company that created a robotic vacuum cleaner. (11:48) Paolo thinks that he's always been driven by his curiosity for the unknown. (12:30) Paolo shares that they have a culture document in their company which has become the foundation for everyone in the company. (18:04) Paolo mentions that the trust between the team members is significant. (19:49) Paolo shares that Moxie is an animated companion robot that can interact with you, using eye contact when you sit in front of it. (20:34) Paolo shares that Moxie's core purpose is to help children promote their social, emotional, and cognitive skills. (21:40) Paolo mentions that Moxie's other feature is their companion app for the parents that runs on a smartphone, which enables the parents to keep track of how their child is doing, on various metrics that they're measuring. (27:47) Paolo mentions that they're still currently doing the beta testing with families. (29:29) Paolo shares that they have been developing Moxie for the last five years, and having the ability to share what they have built is exciting. (39:06) Key Quotes: “I think that core talent required by anyone wanting to build a company is team building. It starts and ends with a team, the success of a company, I believe. So, over the years I have developed a lot of my skills around understanding how to build a motivated team and expand the team to grow, to thrive together, to pursue missions that seem impossible.” - Paolo Pirjanian “What brings success in life is having those soft skills. So, we are trying to help children with promoting those social, emotional cognitive skills that are essential for having a successful personal life, as well as successful career life.” - Paolo Pirjanian “I love technology. That's the muscle I've trained myself on over the years. But also, it combines with the fact that we can have an impact on many children. And beyond that other parts, our society can benefit from the technology we have developed as well.” - Paolo Pirjanian Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Paolo Pirjanian LinkedIn Embodied, Inc. Moxie

In this episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Grant Botma, the Founder of Culture Course and Stewardship. Grant talks about his knowledge and expertise in the financial services industry and how to establish genuine relationships with people. He also shares their online course that helps in hiring the right people, and he also shares his book, entitled The Problem Isn't Their Paycheck: How to Attract Top Talent and Build a Thriving Company Culture. Episode Highlights: Mike introduces Grant Botma. (3:32) Grant shares that he's been in the financial services industry for about 20 years, and they have stewardship, which includes home loans, insurance, and investments with wisdom and love. (7:33) Grant mentions that he built Stewardship because of arrogance and hate. He also explains the reason behind it. (8:16) Grant shares that to build a better team, humility is one of the keys. In other words, he had to recognize and figure out that he couldn't do all the things. (10:30) Grant shares that he would certainly relate the competition and goal to what they do at Stewardship, they have to compete, to genuinely put other people's needs ahead of our own. (11:29) Grant mentions that the unique part about Stewardship is what they call, a unified purpose. (12:05) Grant shares that he never thought their company has done better than what they did and they have completely broken records, on every single line of business, and every single one of his producers is nationally ranked as a top performer. (14:09) Grant shares that there are a lot of elements that he teaches in the Culture Course, and what he did together with his team is significant. One of the things that are more motivating to employees than money, is freedom and autonomy. (15:40) Grant mentions that a lot of people wanted him to teach culture. Because the way he teaches was different and unique than what's taught in management school. (18:07) Grant discusses his book entitled The Problem Isn't Their Paycheck: How to Attract Top Talent and Build a Thriving Company Culture. (19:35) Grant shares that one of the bigger things that he would advise people when building a team is to make sure that they're going to be a culture fit first. (23:42) Grant mentions that the core of every business is serving other people. If you're not serving other people, you don't have the business. Therefore, if you're selfish, you're going against the core of what makes a business fundamental. (26:44) Key Quotes: “I wanted to create a place where people get their finances handled in the best way possible, whether they knew it or not. And in my arrogance, I thought that I had the right answers to everything, and I could fix it and I could figure it out.” - Grant Botma Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Grant Botma LinkedIn Culture Course Stewardship

In today's episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Christopher Lynch, Co-Founder of Everyday California. Chris talks about how they built their business from a small kayaking tour company to the ocean adventure and lifestyle brand it is today. He also shares how their business has adapted to the pandemic and working remotely.  Episode Highlights: Mike introduces Chris Lynch. (5:22) Chris mentions that his first job was at a pizza parlor. (6:59) Chris shares how him and his business partner obtained the permit to start their kayak tour company. (7:50) Chris mentions that his mother was one of the first-ever Navy female salvage divers. (9:42) Chris shares that they officially took ownership of the OEX Dive and the permit, on November 1, 2010. (10:44) Chris explains that during their first year, they built a little store in La Jolla, near the beach. (11:06) Chris shares that they came up with the name Everyday California in 2012. (11:49) Chris explains that the bear in their logo was originally from OEX Dive and the bear was in a kayak. Since surfing is popular in California, they moved him out of a kayak and holed into holding a surfboard. (12:16) Chris mentions that they launched their ecommerce store in 2014 and everything has grown from there. (12:41) Chris shares that they were planning to launch a sunscreen this spring, but the pandemic happened. Therefore, they decided to launch it in March 2021. They have created a fully custom formula, using blue algae and kelp. (13:38) Chris mentions that his team works with three to four separate agencies that are running their Facebook ads, SEO, and Google AdWords. (16:16) Chris explains that the business has grown steadily and organically. (17:29) Chris shares that they had a record-breaking month in August and September, and they are on pace to break records in October, as well. (21:34) Chris mentions that from a communication standpoint, Slack has been very useful for them to keep the team together. (24:05) Key Quotes: “I do not hover, I'm not micromanaging anybody. Because there is so much going on, that I think it's important to give everybody their space and trust that they're going to take care of their end of the business.” - Christopher Lynch “We've always grown pretty slowly and very organically. We do spend a lot of money on advertising, Facebook, Instagram, Google, and all those good things. But we do it in a way that is not a loss leader, we're always looking for the profitability side.” - Christopher Lynch “Every guy I talked to has learned so much, changed so much, and adapted. And you're gonna have to adapt to survive. You know, it has always been that way no matter what it is, there's always something new, there's always a new technology, there's always a new marketing platform, and there's always something that's going to happen.” - Christopher Lynch Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Christopher Lynch LinkedIn Everyday California

In today's episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Chase Birky, CPA, President and Co-Founder of Dark Horse CPA. Chase talks about the significance of technology in the CPA and accounting industry. He also shares the business model they created that allows them to have the best of both worlds. Episode Highlights: Mike introduces Chase Birky. (3:58) Chase mentions their vlog called This Week This Morning that they release every Friday morning. (8:54) Chase shares one of the things that they did before the pandemic was they realized the opportunity of an online presence, being searchable on Google, and a great website that's useful for potential clients. (9:41) Chase mentions that the vast majority of small firms use their website as a business card. (10:08) Chase shares that it's significant for them to have an online presence and reviews that clients use to vet a business before reaching out. (11:08) Chase shares that technology is beneficial for them because they know that the accounting industry is going to automate furthermore compliance-related work. (12:13) Chase mentions one of the things that's been sorely lacking is the focus on a forward-looking advisory for their clients. (13:14) Chase thinks that there are very strong parallels between team sports and business. (16:57) Chase shares that what motivates him is the business model that they created, which allows CPAs to come in and build a book of business in six months, and leverage the resources they have, from technology to staffing standpoint. (17:28) Chase shares that Microsoft Teams and Zoom is their way to keep in touch and have conversations. It has been a huge tool for them and has become the backbone of their communication. (22:56) Chase mentions that from their standpoint, there is a moral imperative for them to give their best in a situation where all of the information isn't available. (26:37) Key Quotes: “Our real philosophy on all this is that you can't do anything to slow technology down, we all know that and you can't bury your head in the sand. So you got to embrace it and for us, it became about, okay, let's find ways to make technology improve our work-life, by doing and automating the things that we don't like doing.” - Chase Birky “Team sports are not the only way, but it's one of the best ways to learn how to be a good team member at a company, how to be a good employee, and how to be a good leader.” - Chase Birky “I think everything is a perception, and that's based on whatever data and whatever experience a given person has. So I tend to change my focus more from what people don't know about us, to let's just lead by example and show them.” - Chase Birky Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Chase Birky LinkedIn Dark Horse CPA This Week This Morning

In today's episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Brian Morales, Founder and CEO of Pro-Cal Lighting Inc. Brian shares his knowledge and expertise in the lighting industry and how he built Pro-Cal Lighting. Episode Highlights: Mike introduces Brian Morales. (4:37) Brian thinks that hiring people with skills and qualified attributes are a huge part of helping your business grow. (11:14) Brian mentions that he started Pro-Cal Lighting over 5 years ago, and he's been in the lighting industry for 15 years. (12:44) Brian mentions that your weaknesses can become your strengths. (17:17) Brian shares that they started with energy efficiency because there was a huge push on their national infrastructure and local infrastructure to be more energy efficient. (17:52) Brian mentions that one of his biggest ventures is trying to get into the LA Olympics. (20:57) Brian shares that their culture is summed up in an acronym called SHINE, and it stands for Safety, Honesty, Ingenuity, Nobility, and Excellence. (22:57) Brain shares that as a business owner, there's great marketing that can happen around participating in the community. (26:37) Brian hopes that after the election, the small businesses get noticed and help them survive during the pandemic. (29:44) Brian shares that they brought in software that will help their means of communication during the pandemic, and they started having directors meetings every Friday. (32:05) Brian mentions that being able to participate, and help other agencies to survive and grow, allowed them to enjoy their work better. (41:57) Brian mentions that they're currently working on creating an agency for content creators. (42:37) Brian shares that he's creating opportunities beyond what Pro-Cal Lighting can do, and there are other aspects of the lighting industry that he's trying to develop further. (43:08) Key Quotes: “As much as I want to have everybody in great synergy and sync together, it is hard work to keep everybody in line, and to make sure that we have the same vision that I'm promoting, encouraging, and getting everyone to do their best. That takes up 99% of my time as a CEO.” - Brian Morales “We all have the right timing when it comes to what we plan to do. So a big thing I tell everybody is if you tried it out and it failed, don't give up. There's going to be a time when it's perfect.” - Brian Morales “Honesty, that's such a common thing. But it's one of those things that if we're not constantly reminding ourselves that, that's a part of our culture, not just a value, but a part of our culture, that we always need to be honest, even when we mess up.” “We understood early on that if we were going to do anything and be successful at it, we had to make sure that it wasn't just a money success. It was beyond that it involved our community and created a positive movement for our nonprofits around us.” - Brian Morales Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance Services Mike Fusco LinkedIn  Ray Ramirez LinkedIn Brian Morales Pro-Cal Lighting Inc

Team Business podcast has officially launched! Team Business uncovers the everyday entrepreneurs why, how, and the road to now. Join us to learn how game-changing founders act on their vision and build a team for success! In the first episode of the Team Business podcast, co-hosts Mike Fusco and Ray Ramirez interview Dylan Mathias, owner, and CFO of First Response Solar. Dylan shares his background story, how he got into the solar industry, and what drives him to be successful.  Key Quotes: “I think sports is a great teaching tool, especially for youngsters, it basically teaches camaraderie, teamwork, discipline, focus, and consistency. And those are all traits that anyone needs in order to succeed in business.” - Ray Ramirez (3:47) “I've always had financial goals…a lot of things are very goal-oriented in a financial mindset.” - Dylan Mathias (9:56) "You can train everything else, but you can't really train who someone is and how they're going to be at a company.” - Dylan Mathias (12:01) “The greatest scare is also the greatest opportunity our company has this year.” - Dylan Mathias (13:17) “I have a good balance between a work-life balance.” - Dylan Mathias (13:54) “A lot of business owners are focused too much on the size of their business, rather than the bottom line...it's all about the margins, right? The profit margins. You can't get to the same profitability or scale the business to the same profitability by just adding people, or just taking on more jobs.” (14:38) “The biggest project that we've done this year was a 102 panel installation.” - Dylan Mathias (20:15) “I am career-oriented, motivated, and have a long term outlook on life.” - Dylan Mathias (24:05) “Back when I played sports, I wasn't the biggest guy out there. I wasn't the strongest guy out there. I wasn't the most athletic guy out there. But I think the one thing I did have going for me was, I was probably the hardest worker out there.” - Dylan Mathias  (26:23) Resources Mentioned: Fusco & Orsini Insurance ServicesMike Fusco LinkedIn Ray Ramirez LinkedInDylan Mathias LinkedInFirst Response Solar

Episode Notes Introduction voiced by Peter DeGiglio Theme music was composed by Jim Malloy Masks: A New Generation is a game by Brendan Conway and published by Magpie Games This podcast is created thanks to the financial support of backers on Patreon Join us at in our Discord or follow us on twitter @OutstandingPod To make sure you always get Outstanding! episodes, subscribe to Protean City Comics on iTunes or anywhere podcasts are found. Join us every other Tuesday for more outstanding stories! Find out more at http://proteancity.com

Fiddy's brother joins the Cez n Fiddy podcast to discuss social distancing, his beliefs on how it started, growing up in Amsterdam, and other topics. Enjoy! Please like, rate, and subscribe!

This week Ray Ramirez comes on for a Raider Fan Therapy Session. Then we talk about the late season power rankings in the AFC and NFC, Lakers Talk, and the State of Boxing.

God doesn't have dementia. He will never forget you. He thinks about you every second of the day. You will always be on His mind. Jesus Christ dying on the cross is the proof of His thoughts towards you. We are His treasured possession. He spoke it and it is settled in heaven. God placed this word on my heart and I prayed this message blesses you. ~ Elder Ray Ramirez

Ray Ramirez started by cooking a form of BBQ that he was seeing in the middle of America but when he went to Austin for the first time, that all changed. He tasted the slow cooked, wood fired, buttery perfection that is Texas barbecue and he never looked back. Now he sells more Texas BBQ than anyone else in LA. I first met Ray at the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest where he was chewing on a bone from a tomahawk steak. He's a true #meatman and even competed with us for that hashtag all over social media. He now owns the idea of the meatman burrito, which is just a bigger version of the regular burrito that used to be on his menu. He's a hustler, a family man, and an all around great part of the worldwide BBQ family. In this episode we talk about how he decided to add the word "Texas" to his name and what it was like serving the BBQ Snob. One of the reasons Daniel Vaughn was there, was because Ray's #meatman burrito has been taking social media by storm. If you follow any food accounts, you've probably seen the cross section of brisket, sausage, macaroni and cheese and more that makes up this 2 pound burrito. In Los Angeles there are a few choices to get Texas BBQ. A lot of them are pop-ups and underground, but Ray's is located conveniently in Huntington Park. You can just walk in and order as much meat as you can eat. Plus maybe a little extra to take home. He slow cooks his meat just like many of the restaurants here in Texas. He's even getting an offset pit straight from a builder in Austin, which he'll be pulling with his Tesla... Follow Ray's BBQ and tag any of the pictures you love with #meatman! Website Facebook Instagram As always, follow us on social media and tag @bestbarbecue in your #meatman photos!!!! Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Tag #meatman and don't be stranger!! Thanks, Yoni

It’s a party in the conference room this week! Rob is joined by Kyle, Ray Ramirez, and all three Gump brothers to talk NFL week 14, NBA flavors of the week, The Heisman, and the Angels and Yankees both landing big fish. Additional garbage time talk about real Christmas trees vs. fake and cell phone game addiction.

Marc Carig (Newsday) and Rich MacLeod (MLB.com, BP Mets) joined us for a twofer on a very special Ghoul Fundies. After Roger was wished a Happy Scareadays season from a very old ghoul (01:40), Brian and Roger talked about new Mets manager Mickey Callaway (08:30), and the details of the not so smooth purchase of the Triple-A Syracuse franchise you probably don't know about (13:00). Then Marc Carig joined the Good Fundies boys and discussed the latest news on Asdrubal Cabrera and Jerry Blevins' options (34:15), what it was like to walk into the Mets clubhouse the day after his now famous piece on Terry Collins (38:45), Mickey Callaway(46:42), how TC handled his players (52:20), why the team released Nori Aoki (56:30), not writing about this year's World Series(57:35), how he would have approached writing about the crazy Game 5 (59:25), his Series prediction (01:02:50), if the balls are juiced or not (01:08:00), and how he's celebrating Halloween (01:11:40). Then Rich MacLeod stepped up to the plate. After Roger kept asking him what the MLB replay hub is really like (01:16:00), he talked about having to edit videos of the Mets stinking (01:17:00), why he still bothers with #MetsTwitter (01:23:00), how late MLB employees work during the postseason (01:26:00), what Ryan Church told him about his concussion and missing third base(01:27:30), Church's reaction to Ray Ramirez's dismissal (01:32:00), and of course his World Series prediction (01:37:45). In the mailbag, the boys were asked if the Mets should go trade for Dee Gordon (01:46:30), if Brian would rather live alone with Jay Bruce on a deserted island instead of TC or Rafael Montero (01:49:40), and if RA Dickey should return to Flushing (01:51:15). You can now prove to us you have good fundamentals by donating to our Patreon page at patreon.com/goodfundies Thanks to Bobby "Boris" Pickett and George Michael for the music.

First Roger talked about the Mets related Halloween costume he's working on (01:24) before the boys of Good Fundies chatted about the secret real reason why Ray Ramirez was fired days after the rumor was he was staying (05:00), whether it's okay to root for the Nationals never getting past the Division Series round (16:10), how the Nats and the rest of the NL East are looking now (22:10), their most to least favorite NL East teams (25:40), the latest on the Mets search for a manager (35:50), David Wright's latest surgery (38:30), and if Jose Lobaton should have been called out during that NLDS Game 5 (41:45) before finally presenting The Fundies awards to the most deserving Mets (57:05). Brian and Roger then wrapped it all up with a quick mailbag segment debating why Sandy got to stay and Terry had to go(01:55:28). Thank you to Ray Watts and the Questions for the music. Note: David Wright's return dinger in Philly was on the 3rd pitch, not the 1st or the 2nd. Brian and Roger deeply regret their errors, even though they were ruled hits.

Rob is joined by Brian, Kevin, and Boxing Guru, Ray Ramirez, to talk the Canelo vs GGG fight, call a bunch of athletes "pieces of shit", week 2 in the NFL, NBA offseason drama, and the final month of MLB.

Hey there, sports fans! It's hard to be enthusiastic, considering how much the Mets have lost recently, and this is one of the most pessimistic FTLT's of all-time, but it's still fun. - First we talk about the injuries. There's so many that they're not even allowing Asdrubal Cabrera to sit out! - Then, the Braves. They'd better win this series, or I'm going to be packing my lip with skoal out of anger until I throw up. - And finally, Terry's injury lingo? What does it all mean? Plus, we briefly talk about Ray Ramirez, why he's the worst, and why he's killing the middle class! It's all here on the latest First Time, Long Time.  Enjoy, and Let's Go Mets.

Brian was hopping mad over Yoenis Cespedes playing golf while he was hurt, as Roger pictured Cespedes in funny golf hats. The two talked about the Jay Bruce and Jonathon Niese trades. Also about how Terry Collins can't say no, and how much he is to blame for everything in life. They held funeral proceedings for Lucas Duda, and while they're at it they threw in Cespedes and the 2016 Mets season into the six foot hole too. In the mailbag segment, Roger and Brian counseled two depressed listeners who don't understand why they continue to be Mets fans before figuring out if the team can fit in Yasiel Puig and how Ray Ramirez is still employed. It's a more fun episode than it sounds.