In this episode host Erika Audrey is joined by Heath Ladnier and Champ Hammett, owners of Guilty Party. Delve into a lively discussion covering topics like drumming, Japanese denim, Taco Bell and the journey of starting a retail business. Tune in for a diverse and engaging conversation.

Shop Guilty Party here

I have bangs.

2

Hello and welcome to Clover club.

3

Thank you for tuning in today.

4

This is Erica.

5

We are on our second Kelly free episode,

but she's going to be back really soon.

6

And I decided to take advantage

of having three microphones.

7

And so I've got two dudes up in

the studio with me today that

8

I'm so excited to introduce you

all to, so let's get into it.

9

I hope you enjoy this episode.

10

I am so excited to be

sitting here with, uh,

11

Keith.

12

Um, no, I'm here with champagne.

13

Damn it and that Heath.

14

And it all needs.

15

Yay.

16

Um, These guys have just opened up the

guilty party right next door to me and I

17

had to get them on here to, to chit chat.

18

And so y'all thank you so much for.

19

Taking the time to sit down with me.

20

You bet ya.

21

Thanks for having us.

22

Thank you.

23

, so, okay.

24

, I actually, I recently learned

something that we have in common

25

that you shared with me, Heath.

26

Okay.

27

And this is like a big deal.

28

Champ.

29

I don't think you know this yet.

30

So I'm excited.

31

So the three of us have a mutual friend.

32

And drum roll.

33

Oh, is it taco bell?

34

Oh, yes.

35

Yes.

36

Yes.

37

Okay.

38

I have a deep passion for taco bell,

and I learned that he also had a deep

39

passion for talk about, and he said

that you champ also share this passion.

40

That is actually not accurate.

41

Oh, Is it a former bastion?

42

It's a former passion.

43

Okay.

44

, I, they got rid of the double Decker taco.

45

And I just, I haven't fully recovered.

46

Oh, man, that was a years ago.

47

Yeah.

48

As a long time ago and well, to be

fair, I married a girl from California.

49

Okay.

50

So we've become a Del taco family.

51

Ooh.

52

A real piece of shit.

53

Right.

54

Hey, I love.

55

Getting French fries with tacos.

56

I don't know if you've ever

had French fries of tacos.

57

That's why you're still in a relationship.

58

To talk about with them.

59

Taco is good, but it

will never be bell taco.

60

And.

61

I just, I, I ate taco bell.

62

366 days in a row.

63

when I was 20 years old.

64

And I'm better for it.

65

Can I also say that every taco

bell in the city of Atlanta sucks.

66

Yeah.

67

Not the one on ponds.

68

Tear rubble.

69

Are you going in the daytime?

70

Yes.

71

That's your problem.

72

We just had it.

73

We just had it.

74

Two weeks ago.

75

I mean, and all we could go probably.

76

It was.

77

Is it inedible or unedible.

78

In Adam A.

79

Little bit.

80

That's incorrect.

81

Um, You were eating it and you said,

I don't even know what this is.

82

This is bad.

83

Oh, no.

84

I said, I don't even know what this is.

85

I would never say this as, but I love it.

86

But the issue, the issue was we basically

just kind of got a grab bag of random.

87

Burritos.

88

Okay.

89

None of which were what I think I ordered.

90

Luckily it all tastes generally the same.

91

Yeah, I like that general taste one

was just nacho cheese and crispy rice.

92

It was not going to lie.

93

I eat that.

94

In a tortilla.

95

Yeah.

96

One was just two delicious ingredients.

97

Sponsor me taco bell.

98

Okay.

99

How, how do y'all know each other?

100

I don't know the story.

101

It's almost, I mean, at this

point, We pretty much do every

102

single waking activity together.

103

Oh, , it's more.

104

I guess curious that we

didn't know each other longer.

105

Okay.

106

Signed to do.

107

All the exact same things.

108

What are those things?

109

Well, we both play drums.

110

Woo.

111

We both play golf.

112

Oh, I didn't know that.

113

Yeah.

114

, we both grew up going to

punk rock and hardcore shows.

115

Fuck.

116

Yeah.

117

Honestly, we were probably actually, we

know we were at a lot of the same shows.

118

Just didn't know each other.

119

Different groups.

120

That's cool.

121

We're both realtors.

122

Okay.

123

We're slaying houses.

124

Cool.

125

, and then we then learned that he married

a girl that went to my high school.

126

Really.

127

In a high school that has eight people.

128

Yeah.

129

Oh, wait, it's a town with one

red light in a dairy queen.

130

What town is it?

131

Where are you from?

132

Well, it's bike.

133

It's so smallest by county.

134

Wow.

135

It's a pike county.

136

Is that in Georgia?

137

Yeah.

138

Okay.

139

W how close to Atlanta.

140

60 miles.

141

Yeah.

142

Okay.

143

Way off the highway.

144

Are you, where are you from Heath?

145

Uh, swabs.

146

Yeah.

147

The swamps.

148

Uh, a town called Pascagoula.

149

I've heard of that my

friend Carly's from there.

150

It's a Carly Monroe.

151

Oh my God.

152

Yeah.

153

, so I dated Carly's sister in high school.

154

Oh, wait.

155

Really?

156

This is literally how he

euthanized conversations go

157

where it's like, what the fuck?

158

You know, this person?

159

Oh my God.

160

Well, we have mutual friends.

161

I didn't know, there were

more, this is like crazy.

162

So Carly now lives in

Gulf shores, orange beach.

163

For my parents now live.

164

Oh, my God.

165

Yeah.

166

I grew up in about a half

mile from Brittany and Carlin.

167

Oh, how funny?

168

, God, it's a small world.

169

Okay.

170

So how old were you when

your paths finally crossed

171

or like when did that happen?

172

Hm.

173

I don't know if this is the first

time, but I distinctly remember.

174

I was eating breakfast at taco bell.

175

He wishes.

176

I know.

177

At a little place that we all

know called Rhea's Bluebird.

178

Yeah.

179

Which is just across the street.

180

Yes.

181

. I was eating breakfast with

another real estate agent.

182

And we were just shooting the shit.

183

And Heath was our waiter.

184

Oh, and.

185

He says like, Hey, you sell houses.

186

Right.

187

And I was like, yeah.

188

He said I'm, uh, I just got licensed.

189

What should I do?

190

And I was like, well, let's get together.

191

We'll.

192

We'll just talk about it

and figure it all out.

193

And then we just.

194

Started peeling back

the layers of the onion.

195

Oh, my gosh.

196

That was seven years ago.

197

Yeah.

198

Seven eight.

199

How kismet.

200

That's amazing.

201

True love ever since.

202

Um, platonic soulmate.

203

Yeah.

204

So cute.

205

Okay, so you connected at Rayez, you did

some real estate, uh, coaching, I suppose.

206

It was more so just went

to lunch and drum jobs.

207

Yeah.

208

That's great.

209

I basically was just like, you

know, all that professional

210

stuff they tell you to do.

211

Don't do that.

212

Do this.

213

Yeah, that's been my experience

in business a lot is , listen to

214

the experts and then do the exact

opposite and you'll be solid.

215

The coaches are doing or

telling because they can't do.

216

Ah, That was when you started on that.

217

Yeah.

218

I'm going to do a whole episode

on coaching, um, predatory

219

coaching, the whole thing.

220

Yep.

221

Especially in real estate.

222

Oh, God.

223

And that's what I would do.

224

It's a smart business move.

225

You go and teach and that grows.

226

Right.

227

And then you teach people

to do things wrong.

228

Therefore, they never steal your

lie and they keep coming back.

229

The prey on people, you create

problems you can conveniently fix.

230

Ooh, they think, well, I

must be doing it wrong still.

231

And they pay you more

money for more coaching.

232

Very smart.

233

It's like a drug dealer.

234

Hey, religion's been doing it forever.

235

The show works.

236

It's going to sell a

tiny little bit of hope.

237

We only need 10%.

238

Ah, you are not wrong.

239

, so tell me, okay, so you've

both had careers as musicians.

240

I wouldn't say career.

241

No.

242

I got a lot of free travel.

243

A lot of years of free

travel all over the world.

244

Okay.

245

Yeah, that's great.

246

Where's the craziest place

your drumming has taken you?

247

, I have done two tours in Russia.

248

Oh, wow.

249

Yeah.

250

The first one was two days.

251

Okay.

252

Went back, which I thought was

going to be for another two days.

253

And it was 12 days.

254

Okay.

255

And I was in places that I

Couldn't tell you where it was.

256

Yeah, we were close to Kazic Stan.

257

Cool.

258

So I've done Russia.

259

I've done.

260

Southeast Asia, China.

261

Australia a couple of times,

Europe, a bunch of times.

262

Never got to go to

south America or Africa.

263

Okay.

264

Yeah.

265

Yet.

266

But, yeah, that's very cool.

267

I think you got into

Russia at the right time.

268

Yeah.

269

I'm not playing.

270

I don't plan to go back.

271

I've never been.

272

What about you, Heath?

273

What's your.

274

Drumming history.

275

Um, I mean, I grew up playing, I

moved to Atlanta from Pascagoula.

276

because my little shitty punk rock band

got signed and there was a surprisingly

277

not a huge punk rock scene and ASCA.

278

Google and Mississippi.

279

So we came up here, just,

uh, Be around more.

280

Uh, the music scene and

a little more diversity.

281

That quickly fell apart with,

you know, for 18 year olds away

282

from home for the first time.

283

Yeah.

284

You know, champs.

285

involved in the hardcore scene.

286

Just a lot of overlap with punk

rock and there's a movement

287

within that called straight edge.

288

I was involved on the other

swing of the pendulum, which is

289

called drug abuse and alcoholism.

290

So, um, a lot of that.

291

Had to do With why that

fell apart, but that's fair.

292

Uh, what on the tour with, a handful

of other bands and, never went

293

to half the places champ with.

294

So not nearly as.

295

Adventurous, I guess I don't think

you were traveling mentally stressful.

296

Uh,

297

I slept on floors all over the world.

298

Yeah, it was it sound when you say you

toward, it sounds a lot more interesting

299

than coming to find me seven days without

a shower in the back of a bus, you know?

300

Sorry.

301

That is a visual by bus.

302

I mean 12 passenger van.

303

To be clear.

304

Right.

305

You said something to me once that I

had not heard it before, but I liked.

306

And you were like, my issue is that I was

just a little too good at doing drugs.

307

And I was like, oh,

308

Um, I think a lot of people get into all

that and it kind of ruins your life and.

309

they have really bad experiences.

310

Yeah.

311

Can say that that is the case

with booze, but with drugs.

312

I was very good at it.

313

It was always a great experience.

314

Hey, I hear him tell stories and I'm

like, honestly, cocaine sound sick.

315

Sounds awesome.

316

Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

317

Like I could be so wasted.

318

I drink a handle of vodka a day.

319

And, you know, you drink that much booze.

320

You're either going to pass out

or, you know, And then I just

321

throw some blow in there and I'm

like, Give me the fucking SATs.

322

I got this.

323

I'm so much smarter than

I was 10 seconds ago.

324

Oh, my God, that that would be actually

hilarious to watch you take the, let.

325

No, he can't go back to that.

326

I don't know, I'm five years removed.

327

And, uh, life is exponentially better.

328

I am sure I am.

329

Sure.

330

And you are literally on the

other end of that spectrum,

331

you've never partaken and correct.

332

Nope.

333

Have you ever smoked a cigarette?

334

Yeah, I smoked a cigarette.

335

I smoked cigarettes in seventh

grade when it was cool.

336

What a baddie.

337

I used to sneak off into

the woods and I did that.

338

Some ciggies.

339

Yeah, I stole my friend's

grandma's cigarettes and we

340

like went into the woods.

341

Like took like two puffs.

342

That's how I started smoking in the woods.

343

Me like building forts and shit.

344

Yeah.

345

Yeah.

346

And there was a neighbor

who she was probably 14, 15,

347

and she was a real bad ass.

348

I'm talking like chain wallet.

349

Bad-ass.

350

And which we sell a guilty party.

351

We caught her smoking and she

literally tied me to a tree.

352

Like with a extension cable.

353

Made me smoke cigarettes and then gave

me a little travel tube of toothpaste.

354

But basically she said, now that you've

smoked, you can't tell on me for smoking.

355

And now she did dominate tricks yesterday.

356

Probably.

357

But, uh, I've got the details of this

story getting real good, real fast.

358

To like six months, I would

carry toothpaste in my pocket.

359

Just to smoke cigarettes.

360

And then that's how I started smoking

menthol cigarettes, because I was like,

361

well, it's already got mint in it.

362

Fuck it.

363

I don't need to go buy toothpaste anymore.

364

No one will know.

365

Always a bargain hunter.

366

Every.

367

But, you know, every day my mom would come

in and like, you smell like cigarettes

368

and I'm like, man, well, you're stupid.

369

The claim Bryant.

370

So.

371

Uh, back and forth.

372

Um, I don't know if y'all know this.

373

I also have a little bit

of a musical background.

374

Well, we'll bring it on.

375

Do you play drums also?

376

I don't play drums.

377

. Um, I play the guitar and when I was in

middle school, I actually wanted to play

378

the drums and I started taking drumming

lessons, but I was again in middle school

379

and I had like big tits in middle school.

380

And my drum teacher, his handle love

to find its way, like up my thigh.

381

And I was like, mom, I don't

think drumming through me.

382

And I know, so then I retired.

383

Tits tits.

384

Oh, sorry.

385

Yeah, that's what he said.

386

Um, so I dabbled in drumming

with a it's not good, not good.

387

Sorry.

388

Can I add onto that?

389

Sure.

390

So in middle school, I did

not want to play drums.

391

Oh, this was the peak

of the Skoll revival.

392

I wanted to play trumpet.

393

I can see you throw it down

on the trip and actually.

394

But, uh, your boy had asthma

when he was a little boy.

395

I had to play drums.

396

Worked out pretty well though.

397

You guys took you to Russia.

398

I mean, my God, where would

the trumpet have taken you?

399

God only knows the moon.

400

Maybe.

401

It could've been a real big fish.

402

They actually made it.

403

That's true.

404

R I P M what my biggest, uh,

musical career moment was

405

singing with the Atlanta opera.

406

Cool.

407

Hold on.

408

So you want it to be a drummer,

you're a guitar player.

409

You skipped all that.

410

And now you're singing in the opera.

411

Well, not currently, but I did,

I think three operas with the

412

Atlanta opera, and then I retired.

413

But that's my Russia.

414

You major, major millions

and you've retired.

415

I made my millions and I bounced.

416

Yeah.

417

You know, That's fucking cool.

418

I still turn on calls every day.

419

I'm just getting.

420

But I do.

421

I play the guitar and I say

again, but I like, I fuck around.

422

I don't do anything like, uh, for

public consumption anymore.

423

Well that's, I mean, My drums

or furniture in my house.

424

Are they cool furniture?

425

I mean, they're cool.

426

I just got to keep my kids off of them.

427

Really?

428

You don't want to, you don't end

up create some baby drummers?

429

Uh, no I do, but just not.

430

Not when I'm trying to do something else.

431

Yeah, that's fair.

432

Yeah.

433

I like those.

434

I'm like electronic ones where

it just is like the little pad

435

and you hear it in the headphone.

436

Yeah.

437

Like as a parent, I would think

that would be the way to go.

438

Yeah, man.

439

I think you're kind of, especially in the.

440

The scenes championed I were in.

441

You kind of get a negative

outlook on, electronic drums.

442

Yeah, I can totally see that.

443

You know, creeping into your forties

and having kids, you really see

444

how good those damn things must be.

445

Yeah.

446

That is like a whole new horizon.

447

Oh, also another thing that

he and I had in common, we

448

both worked at guitar center.

449

Yeah.

450

And like he, or we must've

just missed each other.

451

Really like the same location, same

location in the same department.

452

Yeah.

453

Yeah, that's a really, like, I believe in.

454

I believe in all of that.

455

We are.

456

We are John Cusack and,

and Kate back and sell.

457

Serendipitous.

458

Our ice skating together.

459

Missing a glove.

460

Um,

461

do you sell gloves?

462

Next door.

463

No.

464

Not yet.

465

We may, but Atlanta seems to

be the new, uh, Serengeti.

466

So I'm not sure it's ever going

to get cold enough to have gloves.

467

That's true.

468

Unfortunately.

469

Oh, man.

470

Okay.

471

So y'all are obviously good friends.

472

You've got a million things in common.

473

You a.

474

I assume your primary source

of income was real estate for

475

the last, however many years.

476

Yes.

477

Okay.

478

And so then fast forward to.

479

January you sign a lease on a

brick and mortar space, literally

480

mirror image of mine next door.

481

Um, Matt, and now you are an amazing.

482

Retailer.

483

And now we have no income.

484

Yeah.

485

And our main source of

income is still real estate.

486

Walk me through.

487

Like, how did you even

decide to, uh, Do this.

488

So in my, in my travels, , I started

going to stores in New York and Japan.

489

And they sold a particular type of denim.

490

Called salvage denim, which.

491

Basically is they make it on

vintage shuttle looms, the way

492

that Levi's used to make it.

493

Back before they started.

494

Churning them out and

creating a shit product.

495

And.

496

I just.

497

Fell in love with it.

498

I fell in love with like kind

of heritage inspired clothing

499

and just really well-made.

500

Pieces that didn't make you

look like you were dressing

501

up, but the quality was there.

502

Yeah.

503

And.

504

So my background before.

505

Real estate was retail.

506

And so in between tours, I was

like, man, I just want to open

507

a shop that sells this stuff.

508

But at the time it was in New York.

509

In San Francisco.

510

And then not even in LA, you know,

it was Atlanta, wasn't ready for it.

511

And that was my excuse.

512

So I put it off.

513

Got into real estate.

514

I never stopped, like being into.

515

That denim culture and, you know, not

fashion, I could give two shits about

516

fashion, but like just well-made clothing

that like, I thought it was cool.

517

And then.

518

One day.

519

He was like, Hey, you always

seem to have nice jeans.

520

What kind of jeans should I buy?

521

And I was like, To be honest,

I mean, This is what I have.

522

I don't know if you want

to start with it, but.

523

Go ahead.

524

I mean, I think his response was something

along the lines of like, I'm not sure

525

you want to open that bag of worms and.

526

So he gave me.

527

A litany of information and, and,

and just kind of narrowed it down and

528

said, you know, here's four brands.

529

Go look.

530

Whatever.

531

Yeah.

532

So I probably spent a

week looking at those.

533

Genes from those brands and then seeing,

okay, well they exist in this shop.

534

They exist here.

535

They exist here.

536

Why have I never heard about this shit?

537

But.

538

Uh, my natural inclination.

539

In any of those situations is to

just buy the most expensive thing.

540

Yeah, it's gotta be good.

541

It's gotta be the best.

542

And so I did, um, I bought

a pair of iron heart.

543

James.

544

And how much has the

pair of Ironheart jeans?

545

For people who don't

varies from right now.

546

I think everything, they have

varies from 3 25 to 4 75.

547

Okay.

548

Okay.

549

So a lot, but not inaccessible.

550

There's no common.

551

If your norm is target.

552

It's a lot.

553

Yeah.

554

But if you're used to buying quality

clothing, it's, it's like, oh,

555

noticeable, but it's not, it's not insane.

556

Yeah.

557

Uh, so I got those genes.

558

Um, And.

559

Instantly.

560

Was changed.

561

Um, he got it.

562

I didn't have anyone to really

talk about that with yeah.

563

Uh, and so I like dove in,

in a very, almost shamefully

564

nerdy way, , to the point.

565

I think I spent somewhere

in the neighborhood of 10 to

566

$12,000 in like 10 months.

567

Okay.

568

On everything, iron heart sold

and you know, champs and the.

569

The peanut gallery saying, Hey, there

are other brands slow down also.

570

Also, I said stop buying stuff.

571

Yeah.

572

The point is to buy less stuff.

573

And I w I was buying and

selling and buying and selling.

574

Um, but.

575

My wife came in once and I was

on a laptop and I'm typing away

576

and she comes in and I shut it.

577

And so instantly she's like,

what the fuck are you doing?

578

Yeah, she's obviously thinks I'm being.

579

Uh, shady and it turns

out I'm on a denim forum.

580

Talking about, uh, Chain stitch hemming.

581

With a, another grown ass gentlemen,

somewhere in, I think Delaware.

582

Uh, I believe her exact words

were, I'll never be wet again.

583

Wow.

584

Um, But that's so.

585

Yeah.

586

And so with that, I think.

587

You know, Champ's been

into it for 15, 16 years.

588

I've been into it for five.

589

And so you had catching up to do that's.

590

Why not only.

591

Catching up, but you know, the passion

that, about it that got lit at me.

592

Yeah.

593

You, I use that to bug

the shit out of him.

594

Like, you know, cause I, the, over those

five years I traveled, I went to a lot

595

of the shops that are here in America.

596

And that was what I wanted to

do when I landed, Hey, my wife

597

wants to, where are we eating?

598

Where are we going?

599

Where are we staying?

600

And I'm thinking, how close are

we to selfish or to blue and

601

green or standard and strange.

602

And.

603

So knowing champs.

604

Retail background.

605

I really was just like, why

the fuck aren't we doing this?

606

Why aren't we offering

this here in Atlanta?

607

And yeah, finally I think he.

608

Throw up his hands.

609

Was that conversation like

five years ago or no, this was

610

a year and a half ago maybe.

611

Yeah.

612

So this is a quick like

seed to fruition story.

613

Yeah.

614

I mean, it was, it was wow.

615

You know, because my initial reaction,

when he was like, why isn't this here?

616

Why, why don't we just do it?

617

I was.

618

You know, I don't think Atlanta.

619

Can sustain it.

620

You know, because it's very niche.

621

Absolutely.

622

You know, but then, you know, we.

623

So Heath and I are also on

the same real estate team.

624

Okay.

625

Um, shadow groundwork Realty group.

626

Um, But, you know, we would be

having real estate meetings and

627

quickly just be talking about.

628

Well, maybe it would work because

of this, you know, for the past.

629

10 years, especially during COVID.

630

We helped so many people move to Atlanta.

631

From New York.

632

From San Francisco from LA, from Seattle.

633

From all over.

634

Yeah.

635

So those people.

636

Had already had.

637

Places like that shit to shop.

638

Then we're like also, we're the

number one film industry city.

639

Yeah in the world.

640

So.

641

That's bringing people here.

642

Countless industries are moving here.

643

And finally, it was just

like, You know what fuck it.

644

If no one else was going to do it.

645

Let's just do it.

646

Yeah.

647

And I, for me, it was, you know,

15 years of like wanting to do it.

648

Once I was like, Hey, fuck it.

649

I'm down.

650

Are you down?

651

He said yes.

652

I was like, well, then

we're just going to do it.

653

I got.

654

It can't be two years

of planning cause isle.

655

I'll just move on.

656

You.

657

You got to ride that momentum.

658

Yeah.

659

Yeah.

660

And, uh, it was quick and it was,

I mean, we wanted it to be quicker.

661

Yeah.

662

You know, we, we, we.

663

Basically about a year, not

a year and a half, I guess, a

664

year and a couple of months ago.

665

We entered the fuck it let's do it stage.

666

And we're like, let's be open by spring.

667

Okay.

668

We quickly learned not possible.

669

Yeah.

670

Negotiating a commercial lease.

671

So that was forever.

672

It's fucking crickets.

673

It's like, Hey, what color is the sky?

674

I'll get 12 days.

675

Yeah, it says I got your email.

676

I'll be right back.

677

Let me ask ownership.

678

Yeah.

679

That's brutal.

680

And so we quickly learned that

just that wasn't possible for many

681

reasons, the most important reason.

682

Is.

683

Most of the items that we sell.

684

Our made to order.

685

Yeah.

686

So we quickly learned.

687

Okay, well, let's aim for.

688

Fall time, you know,

late summer, early fall.

689

And even then it was are, we have to rush.

690

So.

691

You know, we signed a lease.

692

And I think.

693

Do we, did we sign a lease

before going to New York?

694

Uh, in January, no, we

didn't have at least.

695

Yeah.

696

So we flew to New York to meet with

brands from all over the world.

697

And we started establishing

relationships and.

698

Committing to hoarders before

we ever signed a lease.

699

Oh my God.

700

Yeah.

701

Did you had you seen this space?

702

We had seen the space.

703

But, I mean, it was moving.

704

Like lava.

705

Well, it was, and there was also like

some non-negotiables that we had not.

706

You had agreed on.

707

You know, These things

had kitchens at them.

708

Yup.

709

We didn't want a kitchen

in a retail store.

710

Yeah.

711

So it was basically like we picked the

space, but if they won't let us remove

712

the kitchen, we don't have a space.

713

Right.

714

So.

715

It will get pushed back on that request.

716

Uh, we just got vague

noncommittal answers.

717

Yeah.

718

Um, yeah, I don't think

that'd be a problem.

719

I don't think the, no, I

don't think they'll mind.

720

Is that a yes or a no.

721

They would never know who they were.

722

I mean, it was just, it was.

723

It was, yeah, it was very vague throughout

the entirety and it still remains vague.

724

Yeah.

725

So we basically knew in January, Hey,

if we don't commit to this inventory,

726

We're not going to get it until.

727

March of next year.

728

I don't want to open a

store heading into summer.

729

Right.

730

So.

731

Yep.

732

All that to say, once

we were like, fuck it.

733

Let's do it.

734

It was balls to the wall.

735

Yeah.

736

Oh, I love that.

737

And we were very, very lucky.

738

To have, you know, our.

739

Everything that's been done.

740

There has just been our very tiny circle

of friends that have jumped in and

741

basically made the whole thing possible.

742

Yeah.

743

Well, these are the times when you

call on your networks and call in

744

all the favors and it's like, you

got to pull out all the stops, if

745

you want to do it and do it right.

746

, I opened this business

almost 10 years ago.

747

And I went through that

whole build-out process.

748

I'm on my own.

749

I don't have a business partner and I had

just been fired from the job that I was

750

at before, because they had heard whispers

that I was wanting to go out on my own.

751

I had just broken off an

engagement with my fiance.

752

And so my build-out time

was like, not enjoyable.

753

It was like, Panic, just every day,

just I got to get money happening out of

754

the space as quickly as I possibly can.

755

And, uh, It's been interesting

watching, y'all go through this

756

and it's reminded me of that time.

757

And there's so many things

that I already know.

758

There's stuff that I think

that I like blocked out.

759

Because it was such a like trauma response

that I was doing it, but I think it's

760

such a beautiful and enjoyable experience.

761

When you're talking about a brick and

mortar business, because there's a

762

visible, tangible, Um, like cause and

effect, like you literally see this thing

763

you're creating, growing in front of you.

764

And, , it's really easy to

talk about opening a business.

765

Not a lot of people

follow through with it.

766

So it's like, it was nice little

reminder for me to be like this.

767

Isn't like a very big deal

to have a dream and implement

768

your dream and fucking do it.

769

And you've done such a good job.

770

Like.

771

If you're listening, you've

got to stop by guilty party.

772

They've done an amazing

job with their spaces.

773

Beautiful.

774

Thank you.

775

Yeah, well, and it was also kind of

crazy to think that we were opening a

776

brick and mortar clothing store and 2023.

777

Um, but that was that to me,

that's the most important aspect.

778

We wanted to create a experience

well, and experience a space for

779

people to come and like be around

this thing that wasn't here before.

780

You know, brands that have

never been here before and.

781

And also just people who have like, I

don't understand why this thing costs,

782

what it costs and we've already seen it.

783

We've been open for two weeks.

784

Where people come in and they touch it.

785

Yeah.

786

And they're like, holy shit.

787

Okay.

788

Tell tell me more.

789

Cause I, I, I'm starting to understand.

790

And you can't get that by

looking at a computer screen.

791

No.

792

Not at all, you know?

793

And it's, it's easy to write

like fancy words about.

794

All of this cost, this because of

this, this, this, but eventually

795

you have to experience it in person.

796

Absolutely.

797

And I think.

798

People don't want to take that.

799

Uh, initial, you know, $400 risk

just buying something online.

800

Yeah.

801

It, you know, you buy the wrong thing.

802

It fits like shit.

803

Then all of a sudden you're

like, I don't like that stuff.

804

It fits bad.

805

And, you know, I've helped.

806

Countless friends, like take that

initial leap and luckily enough,

807

we've gotten the fit rider.

808

Or something.

809

So like, You know, it's just been, that

has been the most important part to me.

810

Like the e-commerce part.

811

Is cool.

812

Yeah.

813

You know what I mean?

814

Like yeah, you have to,

you have to get your reach.

815

Going, but I wanted to

create a space where.

816

People could come and be

around and experience.

817

The good shit.

818

Yeah.

819

I think that's very important.

820

I think the online aspect is

supplemental because once people

821

know, oh, I'm this size of this brand.

822

I like this cut or the style

they can replenish from you.

823

They don't necessarily have to

make every purchase in person.

824

But I totally agree with you

when you're at that price point,

825

you've got to give people the

opportunity to, uh, Experience it.

826

Yeah, well, and we wanted

to, I'm sorry, go ahead.

827

We, we just, we want to be there to help.

828

And like, you know, there's already

been times where people have

829

come out of the dressing room.

830

And Heath, and I've been

like, That ain't the one.

831

Yeah.

832

Let's appreciate that honesty.

833

Let's let's try this.

834

And, uh, I, you know, it, same way, same

thing with when we're selling houses.

835

Is, we're not trying to sell you

some shit and get you out the door.

836

You know, we want you to love what

you get and know that we're we want

837

you to look good and feel good, right?

838

Absolutely.

839

Yes.

840

Deion Sanders, baby.

841

That's right.

842

That's what's been the most

surprising aspect of, uh, becoming.

843

Brick and mortar, small business owners.

844

I don't know that I'm surprised at all.

845

It's kind of.

846

Gone.

847

The way that I thought it was, uh, or

would, um, I do think the initial pop.

848

Was surprising.

849

What do you mean?

850

Um, well, let's say, I mean, we've

only been open for the, in the

851

grand scheme of things, 30 minutes.

852

So.

853

It's very, very.

854

It's in its infancy, but you know,

the initial opening and that,

855

that week of shopping was far

better than I thought it would be.

856

That's fabulous, but it.

857

The most surprising thing for me is

that there really are people here.

858

Who want this stuff?

859

You know, it's not just me and

champion a handful of other

860

people who, you know, just kind

of think we had this underground.

861

Clothing knowledge.

862

I mean, there's a lot of

people here who really want.

863

Quality clothes and that's.

864

It's got to feel good.

865

Phew.

866

I think the most surprising

thing to me is that a.

867

Landlords in Atlanta, don't give a shit.

868

If they're leased, if their

spaces are leased or not.

869

That's another thing.

870

Yeah, they don't give a shit.

871

Don't give a fuck.

872

It is the worst part of like,

if I could have the same.

873

Revenue I do online only.

874

I would not have a brick and mortar.

875

Just based on my experience, dealing

with these assholes for 10 years.

876

Shout out, shout out pizzas.

877

Properties.

878

I don't give a fuck.

879

Um, and bran fucking management.

880

But like,

881

That added component of we don't

own these spaces and there's this.

882

Intermediary level that you have

to deal with and it's annoying

883

and it's inefficient as hell.

884

Yes.

885

Um, And y'all had a bunch of, of

leaks recently, did that get resolved?

886

There were nine.

887

Uh, during one.

888

Rainstorm.

889

And mind you, it's not like.

890

It hasn't rained and you know that

we just had other links repair.

891

Yeah.

892

Like within six weeks.

893

To be fair.

894

This was a fucking down.

895

It wasn't torrential down.

896

It was, it was crazy.

897

We were leaking from both sides

down the entirety of this beam.

898

I mean.

899

It was, it was rough.

900

And whenever, you know your

livelihood for that store, Are.

901

Decently expensive.

902

Garments that are getting rained on.

903

They're made to order.

904

Yeah.

905

And like, if, you know, say, say

this pair of jeans gets ruined.

906

It might be, it might be three months.

907

It might be six months.

908

It might be a year before

I can get more of those.

909

Yeah.

910

Luckily we, we merchandise the store.

911

Knowing that okay.

912

There have been leaks here before.

913

Yeah, so we merchandised around it.

914

So it was, it was fine.

915

Okay.

916

This is good, but, uh, yeah, we we're.

917

We're too polite, little Southern boys.

918

But, but not that day.

919

You can not put up very strongly worded

email oh, I wanted to tell you all this.

920

I have a crazy story of the first

time I learned about Japanese denim.

921

Okay.

922

And this is how I know that

people are so passionate about it.

923

, I was on a first date and de.

924

You know that abandoned parking lot

across from the old Turner field.

925

And how they do those, like carnivals

they're a couple of times a year.

926

Yeah.

927

And they also do the black circus.

928

Oh, really?

929

Oh, yeah.

930

I bet that the fucking blast

it is, I've been twice.

931

Ooh, I'm going to go.

932

, so me and this guy, we go

it's the middle of the day.

933

And we went to this carnival and he was

wearing a pair of Japanese set of jeans.

934

I don't remember the brand.

935

, but I think I was just like, oh, you look

nice or whatever, like casual bullshit.

936

You say on a first date.

937

Um, he's like, can I

tell you about my jeans?

938

And I was like, oh, sure.

939

That's better than him

saying, can I take them off?

940

Wow.

941

Just wait.

942

Um, but he go, I mean, I swear it has

to have been like 30 minutes of like

943

in-depth Japanese denim knowledge and I.

944

I actually do think it is interesting, but

like when you're first meeting person, I

945

was like, all right, calm down, rain, man.

946

I'm like, got it.

947

, we had a lovely date, um, and we saw

each other a couple times after that.

948

But then like, Stuff just

started to not add up.

949

And I did a little investigative

journalism and I found

950

out this man was married.

951

And so I found his wife.

952

On Instagram.

953

And I told her.

954

About his denim.

955

Your husband likes expensive.

956

No.

957

I said, I've been on a couple

of dates with your husband.

958

Um, and like, I didn't know,

he had a significant other and,

959

you know, sorry to bother you.

960

Uh, If you want to know my heart more

like happy to share, if not like.

961

Have a good day and she likes.

962

Hawkins of Clover.

963

Oh, you're at it.

964

No, but she was like,

can we have a phone call?

965

And I was like, yeah.

966

Um, we had a two hour phone call and

she was like, I knew that motherfucker

967

was a liar, but I thought it was like

hiding taco bell, not cheating on me.

968

And she was like, can

you send me screenshots?

969

I have not had an affair with you.

970

Um, no, but I sent her

screenshots of everything and

971

she used them and divorced him.

972

So, well, okay.

973

Disclaimer things.

974

Sorry about that.

975

I don't care.

976

Because this dude's still wearing denim.

977

He's probably going to be, he's

probably one of your customers.

978

Let me just.

979

Japanese denim does not lead

to divorce all the time.

980

That's true.

981

Just half the time.

982

It's true.

983

Just when you're a piece of shit,

just when you're a piece of shit.

984

But I just thought that was so funny.

985

I was like, Tiffany said, I was like,

I know I've heard of this before.

986

Oh, yeah, that that little date.

987

This is forever.

988

Nevermind.

989

Reminding you about all the fun stuff.

990

I got a book therapy after this.

991

Now.

992

Um, well, okay.

993

Uh, do you want to ask you about this?

994

, As the, as a hairdresser, I hear

people all the time talk about

995

business ideas and I watched them

not actually follow through on them.

996

So, uh, other than I know we talk

about kind of just like the stars

997

aligning and you, you whittled

away the reasons not to do this.

998

Was there like a thing or a

specific moment where it was like,

999

we're going to fucking do this.

00:34:34,053 --> 00:34:36,632

I mean, mine was Heath

kind of reigniting the.

00:34:37,503 --> 00:34:38,583

Hey, this still isn't here.

00:34:38,612 --> 00:34:38,943

Why?

00:34:39,063 --> 00:34:39,513

Yeah.

00:34:40,322 --> 00:34:40,862

Uh, yeah.

00:34:40,953 --> 00:34:42,873

And that's basically, I

think it kind of started.

00:34:43,263 --> 00:34:45,632

Kind of like a, Hey, why

aren't we doing this?

00:34:45,693 --> 00:34:46,652

We need to do this.

00:34:46,683 --> 00:34:50,733

And I think once I saw the champ,

Had wheels turning and what's

00:34:50,822 --> 00:34:52,203

even really considering it.

00:34:53,132 --> 00:34:56,943

Uh, we kind of started just like

meeting up once a week just to talk

00:34:56,943 --> 00:34:59,133

about it and then we'd go play golf.

00:34:59,133 --> 00:35:02,193

And that's what we talk about the

entire time we were out there.

00:35:03,003 --> 00:35:04,203

Uh, and then I think.

00:35:04,563 --> 00:35:09,063

Casually talking about it enough

in front of our wives and them not

00:35:09,093 --> 00:35:12,423

shutting it down immediately was

kind of like let's green light.

00:35:12,453 --> 00:35:12,543

It.

00:35:13,833 --> 00:35:16,683

Also my, my wife, Marissa was

basically like, Hey, you've

00:35:16,683 --> 00:35:17,763

wanted to do this forever.

00:35:17,853 --> 00:35:19,293

Yeah, just fucking do it.

00:35:19,683 --> 00:35:21,303

But if you're going to do it, do it right.

00:35:21,633 --> 00:35:21,933

Fuck.

00:35:21,933 --> 00:35:22,023

Yeah.

00:35:22,203 --> 00:35:22,563

Larissa.

00:35:22,593 --> 00:35:22,803

Yeah.

00:35:23,253 --> 00:35:24,063

She's a bad-ass.

00:35:24,573 --> 00:35:24,993

1%.

00:35:25,203 --> 00:35:25,893

That's awesome.

00:35:26,313 --> 00:35:27,843

, How did you, I don't know.

00:35:27,903 --> 00:35:29,643

You don't have to share this if you

don't wanna answer this question,

00:35:29,643 --> 00:35:32,513

but like, Financing, , had you

been planning for a long time?

00:35:32,513 --> 00:35:33,353

How did you go about that?

00:35:33,353 --> 00:35:36,233

Because I think that's a stumbling

block that a lot of people can't

00:35:36,233 --> 00:35:38,273

get past when they're talking

about opening a new business,

00:35:38,303 --> 00:35:39,893

especially something that requires.

00:35:40,313 --> 00:35:41,693

A lot of upfront expense.

00:35:41,993 --> 00:35:42,773

Inventory.

00:35:42,773 --> 00:35:45,503

Um, luckily we are both homeowners.

00:35:46,253 --> 00:35:49,883

So, you know, we, we looked

at every possible avenue.

00:35:49,883 --> 00:35:50,393

We had.

00:35:51,263 --> 00:35:52,673

Uh, lists of people.

00:35:52,673 --> 00:35:55,343

We were going to do friends

and family investments.

00:35:56,093 --> 00:35:59,123

You know, Heath and I are not ones

to want to borrow money from people.

00:35:59,243 --> 00:35:59,633

Same.

00:36:00,203 --> 00:36:01,793

Um, we knew that.

00:36:02,213 --> 00:36:04,133

Nobody was going to loan us money on a.

00:36:05,153 --> 00:36:06,503

Brick and mortar clothing.

00:36:06,773 --> 00:36:07,553

Retail store.

00:36:07,613 --> 00:36:07,883

Yeah.

00:36:08,423 --> 00:36:11,993

Um, So luckily, you know,

we both owned our homes and.

00:36:12,803 --> 00:36:13,253

We're like.

00:36:13,253 --> 00:36:15,053

Hey, you know, let's better ourselves.

00:36:15,203 --> 00:36:15,893

And so we did.

00:36:16,193 --> 00:36:17,663

Home equity lines of credits.

00:36:18,263 --> 00:36:19,793

Well, he lost, he's called a hilar.

00:36:19,823 --> 00:36:20,063

Yeah, we.

00:36:20,303 --> 00:36:21,233

He locks and.

00:36:21,863 --> 00:36:24,173

And so we did that and,

and, you know, we've.

00:36:24,173 --> 00:36:27,623

We've leaned on friends, you know,

to, as far as like the build-out.

00:36:28,253 --> 00:36:29,783

And we, you know, obviously paid them.

00:36:29,783 --> 00:36:31,493

Paid them fairly and, you know, but.

00:36:31,493 --> 00:36:35,783

We tried to also go back to like what

it was like touring all the time, where.

00:36:35,783 --> 00:36:37,283

Hey, we have to do everything.

00:36:37,283 --> 00:36:39,173

As creatively and.

00:36:39,743 --> 00:36:42,443

I don't want to say cheaply because

I don't think we did anything cheap.

00:36:42,653 --> 00:36:43,853

Yeah, no, but you have to be mindful.

00:36:43,883 --> 00:36:43,943

You.

00:36:43,973 --> 00:36:44,783

Have to be mindful.

00:36:45,413 --> 00:36:47,003

And, uh, you know, I mean, it's still.

00:36:47,603 --> 00:36:49,313

Like, I mean, it's it.

00:36:49,853 --> 00:36:53,363

Kind of fucked me in the head of like, Oh,

you were supposed to be like making money.

00:36:53,513 --> 00:36:53,963

Yeah.

00:36:54,113 --> 00:36:54,683

You know what I mean?

00:36:54,683 --> 00:36:55,913

Like this eventually is.

00:36:56,813 --> 00:37:00,143

This is eventually going to, like,

there's going to be money coming

00:37:00,143 --> 00:37:01,703

in that helps pay for this stuff.

00:37:01,763 --> 00:37:02,063

Yeah.

00:37:02,063 --> 00:37:03,623

And, uh, that's the fun part.

00:37:04,673 --> 00:37:05,453

I'm still waiting for it.

00:37:05,453 --> 00:37:06,443

It's still a little weird.

00:37:06,683 --> 00:37:07,703

You know, once.

00:37:08,513 --> 00:37:11,393

We look at the end of the

day of what we've sold and if

00:37:11,393 --> 00:37:13,193

there's a profit dollar there.

00:37:13,253 --> 00:37:13,583

Yeah.

00:37:13,823 --> 00:37:17,723

It's still very odd to me

because we've spent almost a

00:37:17,723 --> 00:37:19,733

year just shelling out money.

00:37:19,823 --> 00:37:20,513

Absolutely.

00:37:20,543 --> 00:37:21,683

So it'll come back.

00:37:21,923 --> 00:37:22,493

It'll come back.

00:37:22,583 --> 00:37:22,763

Yeah.

00:37:23,333 --> 00:37:27,443

How did you decide on your division

of labor between the two of you?

00:37:27,653 --> 00:37:30,623

Because I think that there's a huge, I

mean, going into business with somebody

00:37:30,623 --> 00:37:34,133

versus being a solo entrepreneur, I

mean, two very different experiences.

00:37:34,493 --> 00:37:35,603

, has it been an organic thing?

00:37:35,633 --> 00:37:36,983

Has it been an intentional thing?

00:37:37,013 --> 00:37:38,903

Who does, what, how did you decide.

00:37:39,413 --> 00:37:41,183

It's been organic.

00:37:41,183 --> 00:37:44,573

And now that we are up and running.

00:37:44,573 --> 00:37:47,993

it's getting more and we'll

become more intentional.

00:37:48,173 --> 00:37:48,833

And laid out.

00:37:48,833 --> 00:37:53,453

I think champ, uh, has by and

large done the heavy lifting.

00:37:54,203 --> 00:37:55,943

A knowing about retail.

00:37:56,663 --> 00:37:58,613

Um, But B.

00:37:58,613 --> 00:38:01,013

I don't know if you can

tell my hair is white.

00:38:01,463 --> 00:38:05,153

Uh, so, you know, The beautiful silver.

00:38:05,183 --> 00:38:07,013

I'm still getting used to the online.

00:38:07,103 --> 00:38:10,073

You know, so he's gone and like really.

00:38:10,523 --> 00:38:15,743

The nuts and bolts of like our

website of, um, uh, getting,

00:38:15,773 --> 00:38:17,633

uh, an internet presence there.

00:38:18,143 --> 00:38:20,663

Um, I do more of the, Hey.

00:38:21,263 --> 00:38:24,263

The toilet paper roll fell

off the wall, put it back on.

00:38:25,043 --> 00:38:26,693

Um, Brains and brawn.

00:38:26,753 --> 00:38:26,993

Yeah.

00:38:28,643 --> 00:38:31,253

So we just actually had

a discussion about this.

00:38:31,253 --> 00:38:35,603

So we're, we're going to

figure out our lanes, I think.

00:38:35,633 --> 00:38:35,993

Yeah.

00:38:36,533 --> 00:38:37,553

Uh, as we go.

00:38:37,973 --> 00:38:40,793

It's it's all about solid communication.

00:38:41,033 --> 00:38:41,573

Oh yeah.

00:38:41,603 --> 00:38:42,713

You know, Good relationship.

00:38:42,803 --> 00:38:43,223

Exactly.

00:38:43,613 --> 00:38:48,443

And, you know, I think we want to make

it a point to like, Not let things just.

00:38:48,443 --> 00:38:50,843

Fall by the wayside and

then eventually blow up.

00:38:51,983 --> 00:38:55,103

So it was just solid communication

and like, And we'll figure out.

00:38:55,103 --> 00:38:56,243

Designated roles.

00:38:56,933 --> 00:38:59,483

Yeah and stuff, but right now,

like, You know, I think we'd like

00:38:59,513 --> 00:39:03,683

to make sure the other person is

involved in almost every decision.

00:39:04,373 --> 00:39:06,623

Because, you know, there's two of us.

00:39:06,983 --> 00:39:07,943

You know, I mean, we're.

00:39:07,943 --> 00:39:10,733

Multiple brands, multiple

seasons of stuff.

00:39:10,763 --> 00:39:11,063

Like.

00:39:11,063 --> 00:39:12,623

It's not just going to be one person.

00:39:12,983 --> 00:39:14,063

Making all the orders.

00:39:14,123 --> 00:39:16,163

So we get together and we're

like, do you like this?

00:39:16,163 --> 00:39:16,883

Do you like that?

00:39:17,603 --> 00:39:19,313

Do you think Atlanta will like this?

00:39:19,403 --> 00:39:21,413

You know, so curating.

00:39:21,893 --> 00:39:22,733

A selection.

00:39:22,776 --> 00:39:25,273

It's a lot of, you know,

Conversations back and forth.

00:39:25,843 --> 00:39:28,003

I did lean on Heath and be like, can you.

00:39:28,003 --> 00:39:29,173

Can you do the finances?

00:39:29,203 --> 00:39:30,853

Because that ain't my strong suit.

00:39:30,943 --> 00:39:31,333

Okay.

00:39:31,333 --> 00:39:32,683

It ain't our strong suit.

00:39:33,013 --> 00:39:35,353

I think that I'm just a touch.

00:39:35,353 --> 00:39:36,403

More scared of.

00:39:36,403 --> 00:39:37,273

Of debt.

00:39:39,043 --> 00:39:41,263

I don't mind carrying a

balance on a credit card.

00:39:41,383 --> 00:39:41,503

They.

00:39:41,503 --> 00:39:42,493

It keeps him up at night.

00:39:42,793 --> 00:39:43,213

Oh man.

00:39:43,393 --> 00:39:44,203

Well, the key yet.

00:39:44,473 --> 00:39:47,113

This is so I didn't take out any loans.

00:39:47,113 --> 00:39:48,673

I'd sell finance, all of this.

00:39:48,723 --> 00:39:52,203

, Which was there's pros and cons of, um,

but I'm a big fan of the interest free

00:39:52,203 --> 00:39:54,123

credit card for like 18 to 24 months.

00:39:54,123 --> 00:39:55,743

And I just load that motherfucker up.

00:39:56,193 --> 00:39:59,103

Do all my inventory shopping

and then like pay it off slowly.

00:39:59,253 --> 00:40:02,403

So my thing is like, if you can avoid

interest, it's technically free money.

00:40:02,853 --> 00:40:05,343

Are you doing that under your

name or under the business?

00:40:07,293 --> 00:40:07,503

Yeah.

00:40:07,593 --> 00:40:12,513

Well, our main credit card is ju

is, you know, we have no business.

00:40:13,233 --> 00:40:13,953

To put it under.

00:40:13,953 --> 00:40:16,233

So hopefully we can parlay.

00:40:16,713 --> 00:40:20,403

You know, doing that in the future,

but right now we have a business

00:40:20,403 --> 00:40:22,713

to put it on, or you're saying we

don't have, we don't, we don't have

00:40:22,713 --> 00:40:24,333

the clout for them to be like, sure.

00:40:24,333 --> 00:40:25,413

We'll give you a bunch of money.

00:40:25,473 --> 00:40:25,503

You.

00:40:26,043 --> 00:40:27,393

Right now they're like, oh, cool.

00:40:27,393 --> 00:40:29,313

You been open for five minutes?

00:40:29,373 --> 00:40:29,583

Yeah.

00:40:29,913 --> 00:40:31,413

So, yeah.

00:40:31,533 --> 00:40:33,873

Eventually we'll, we'll

definitely explore that.

00:40:33,963 --> 00:40:34,803

Yeah, absolutely.

00:40:35,043 --> 00:40:38,373

I try to keep my personal business stuff

separate as much as I can, but I mean,

00:40:38,373 --> 00:40:40,593

it's, there's a lot of cross-pollination.

00:40:40,883 --> 00:40:43,523

but as you know, like, you can write

off fucking everything like your

00:40:43,523 --> 00:40:45,713

cars, every trip you take, like, bro.

00:40:45,713 --> 00:40:46,553

It's so good.

00:40:46,583 --> 00:40:47,303

Hey, don't forget.

00:40:47,303 --> 00:40:48,683

We're both realtors.

00:40:49,253 --> 00:40:50,663

We already write off everything.

00:40:50,723 --> 00:40:50,993

Yeah.

00:40:50,993 --> 00:40:52,043

You already know you already, you.

00:40:52,073 --> 00:40:53,063

You got every coffee.

00:40:53,063 --> 00:40:53,843

I get every.

00:40:54,173 --> 00:40:55,823

Isn't this 100%.

00:40:56,153 --> 00:40:58,253

I've never had a meal that

wasn't a business expense.

00:40:58,283 --> 00:40:58,463

Yeah.

00:40:58,973 --> 00:40:59,393

Because.

00:41:00,413 --> 00:41:01,943

My wife, also a realtor.

00:41:02,123 --> 00:41:04,043

Yeah, every meal.

00:41:04,283 --> 00:41:07,133

Yeah, real estate is talked

about, of course business.

00:41:07,193 --> 00:41:07,523

Yeah.

00:41:07,733 --> 00:41:09,293

But that also literally is true.

00:41:09,293 --> 00:41:12,053

Like when you're in that type of

industry, your friends become your

00:41:12,053 --> 00:41:13,343

clients, become your colleagues.

00:41:13,523 --> 00:41:16,643

It's there's so much intermixing of that,

but it's like, we're going to talk about

00:41:16,643 --> 00:41:18,323

work well, and that's, that's how we run.

00:41:18,743 --> 00:41:22,283

Run our real estate business and

also with guilty party is it's.

00:41:22,433 --> 00:41:22,943

It's all.

00:41:23,033 --> 00:41:24,113

Uh, Our sphere.

00:41:24,863 --> 00:41:27,173

You know, it's

relationship-based, it's not just.

00:41:27,773 --> 00:41:29,513

Casting the widest net and just.

00:41:29,513 --> 00:41:30,923

You know, get a bunch of stragglers.

00:41:30,923 --> 00:41:32,243

It's fuck those stragglers.

00:41:32,783 --> 00:41:33,413

Yeah, dammit.

00:41:33,533 --> 00:41:34,013

I agree with you.

00:41:34,013 --> 00:41:37,793

I think you have to be niche and

the more clear about who you are.

00:41:38,963 --> 00:41:40,673

Chuck has iced coffee.

00:41:43,793 --> 00:41:46,283

Um, I think there was a misconception.

00:41:46,283 --> 00:41:49,193

Uh, like I think if you go to college

and like, learn about business, it's

00:41:49,223 --> 00:41:50,813

like, you've got to study the market.

00:41:50,843 --> 00:41:52,253

You've got to be everything

to everybody entered.

00:41:52,523 --> 00:41:54,773

And it's like, I have found in

10 years of doing this, that

00:41:54,773 --> 00:41:56,033

that's completely incorrect.

00:41:56,273 --> 00:42:00,503

I want people to come to my shop, go to

my website, go to my Instagram, listen to

00:42:00,533 --> 00:42:04,193

this podcast and be like, Nope, not for

me, because what that means is that I've.

00:42:04,703 --> 00:42:07,403

Put my stake in the ground and I've

made it clear about like who I am

00:42:07,403 --> 00:42:08,663

and why I'm doing what I'm doing.

00:42:08,723 --> 00:42:08,753

Yeah.

00:42:08,783 --> 00:42:10,403

Yeah, you don't, you can't

be everything to everyone.

00:42:10,713 --> 00:42:13,263

, so why try, like I look to be real niche.

00:42:13,683 --> 00:42:14,193

I like that.

00:42:14,853 --> 00:42:15,693

Oh, that's your home.

00:42:16,563 --> 00:42:18,353

Um, I can't remember.

00:42:18,383 --> 00:42:21,143

I already asked you this has

anything gone, colossally wrong.

00:42:22,643 --> 00:42:23,453

Other than the flood.

00:42:24,833 --> 00:42:29,753

I mean, as bad as that was, it

could have been so much worse.

00:42:29,963 --> 00:42:30,593

That's true.

00:42:30,653 --> 00:42:30,863

Yeah.

00:42:31,373 --> 00:42:32,033

Positive.

00:42:32,873 --> 00:42:34,613

That's the only positive

thing I'll say all day.

00:42:37,553 --> 00:42:39,443

Um, my little Ray of sunshine.

00:42:40,403 --> 00:42:40,643

No.

00:42:41,003 --> 00:42:45,233

So far everything has,

has run fairly smooth.

00:42:45,233 --> 00:42:45,593

That's great.

00:42:45,623 --> 00:42:49,043

Um, but we've, you know, I think

with 10 years worth of, not that

00:42:49,043 --> 00:42:50,003

they're the same thing, but.

00:42:50,003 --> 00:42:53,183

You know, doing real estate

deals, you kind of learn that.

00:42:53,693 --> 00:42:54,683

You have to be fluid.

00:42:54,953 --> 00:42:55,373

Oh, yeah.

00:42:55,613 --> 00:42:56,093

You know what I mean?

00:42:56,093 --> 00:42:59,393

If you line everything up

like a, a game of dominoes.

00:43:00,263 --> 00:43:00,863

You're fucked.

00:43:00,923 --> 00:43:01,463

You're fucked.

00:43:01,853 --> 00:43:02,153

Agreed.

00:43:02,213 --> 00:43:04,313

And so, you know, while we did.

00:43:04,313 --> 00:43:09,293

We had a date in our lease that we had

to be open by, which happened to be.

00:43:09,653 --> 00:43:12,353

About a week, past the

day we wanted to be open.

00:43:12,473 --> 00:43:12,803