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Balancing Business and Acting
Episode 116 • 16th January 2025 • Faith & Family Filmmakers • Geoffrey and Jaclyn Whitt
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Episode 116 - Balancing Business and Acting

In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, Jaclyn interviews Ulises Larramendi about his life experiences and how they influence his acting and entrepreneurship. Ulises discusses his diverse background, growing up in Cuba and living in Europe, and his extensive travel, which has given him a unique perspective on culture and faith. Ulises shares insights on managing his time between his restaurant business and acting career, stressing the importance of planning, networking, and continuous learning. He also reflects on the significance of listening to God's guidance in his life and career choices.

Highlights Include:

  • Welcome and Introduction
  • Travel and Cultural Experiences
  • Tracing the Footsteps of Paul
  • Entrepreneurship and Acting
  • Balancing Restaurant Business and Acting
  • Networking and Continuous Learning
  • The Importance of Updated Headshots
  • Scheduling Your Career
  • Balancing Acting and Supporting Jobs
  • Hearing God's Voice

Bio:

Born in Cuba in 1963, Ulises moved to the US in 1977 where he settled in Houston and has considered Texas "home" ever since. 

In 2006 Ulises created his own restaurant concept called Eden Café. But while he carries hospitality in his veins and loves what he does, he also has another passion for telling stories and acting. Ulises has been blessed to work in faith-based films and TV series glorifying God with his gifts. Ulises lives in Texas with his wife and children.

Ulises on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/es/name/nm7245884/

Ulises on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UlisesALarramendi

Eden Cafe Magnolia, TX https://edencafe.net/index.php

We Are Stronger: https://www.strongermovie.com/

Breaking Strongholds Series: https://www.breakingstrongholds.com/


FAFF Networking Kickoff Event on January 30: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/3mZ-gAx1S6OoZGonzsE-9A​

FAFF Screenwriting Bootcamp: https://www.faffassociation.com/screenwriting-bootcamp

Screenwriters Retreat - Mexico: https://www.faffassociation.com/writers-retreat

Jaclyn's Book - In the Beginning, Middle and End: A Screenwriter’s Observations of LIfe, Character, and God: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9R7XS9V

VIP Producers Mentorship Program https://www.faffassociation.com/vip-producers-mentorship 


The Faith & Family Filmmakers podcast helps filmmakers who share a Christian worldview stay in touch, informed, and inspired. Releasing new episodes every week, we interview experts from varying fields of filmmaking; from screenwriters, actors, directors, and producers, to film scorers,  talent agents, and distributors. 

It is produced and hosted by Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt , and is brought to you by the Faith & Family Filmmakers Association

Support Faith & Family Filmmakers Our mission is to help filmmakers who share a Christian Worldview stay in touch, informed, and inspired. If you would like to assist with the costs of producing this podcast, you can help by leaving a tip.

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Enter the Faith & Family Screenwriting Awards festival

Faith and Family Screenwriting Academy: https://www.faffassociation.com/

Script Notes and Coaching: https://www.faffassociation.com/script-services


Copyright 2024 Ivan Ann Productions

Transcripts

Jaclyn:

Welcome back to the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast.

Jaclyn:

I'm Jaclyn, and today I'm excited to have Ulises with me.

Jaclyn:

I was not part of his first portion of the interview, but I get to conduct the second half, so I get to talk to Ulises about all kinds of fun stuff.

Jaclyn:

And actually, I want to start by, um, getting to know Ulises.

Jaclyn:

What are some things that you learned?

Jaclyn:

Like, cause you, you grew up in, Cuba and then when you moved to America, like, what were some of the things that you learned that you have really taken with you throughout the rest of your life?

Ulises:

First of all, Jaclyn, thanks for having me again.

Ulises:

Uh, I love the intro.

Ulises:

Quiet on set, rolling.

Ulises:

And I've listened to so many of your podcasts with some of the other great guests that you've had that that, that little intro has kind of set in my mind.

Ulises:

So it's going to be pretty cool to hear it when.

Ulises:

When I'm a guest, uh,

Jaclyn:

yeah.

Ulises:

hey, so, yeah, your question, uh, about my experience growing up, you know, I've always encouraged my sons to travel and get to know other cultures, you know, they've only been blessed to travel throughout the America, Central America, the Caribbean, right now, a lot of the United States, so, They're working their way.

Ulises:

But I was fortunate, you know, I grew up in Cuba.

Ulises:

I lived in Europe for a while in, in Madrid, then came to the States, but I've had a chance to travel back and gone to Italy and Greece and, France and Portugal.

Ulises:

And, that opens up your, I mean, you know, you're from Canada, you live in Mexico now, you know, it opens up your, your view of, the world and how.

Ulises:

everybody else lives outside of the United States.

Ulises:

Heck for me, outside of Montgomery County with some of the people that I interact with, because You know, I, I have even some of my staff does never left the, uh, you know, the three, three, one, three, three, five, one, four, you know, seven, seven, three, five, four zip code that we live in.

Ulises:

Uh, but yeah.

Ulises:

You know, I speak Spanish, dabble in Italian a little bit, because I love Italy, and one day I want to be fluent.

Ulises:

It's probably the one country that I want to go back to over and over again.

Ulises:

just the way people react to you, the food, the cuisine, the different cultures, and how they approach their relationship with God.

Jaclyn:

Mm hmm.

Jaclyn:

Mm hmm.

Jaclyn:

It's true.

Ulises:

My parents lived in Venezuela for a long time, and I got a chance to go there and visit.

Ulises:

I've been to Argentina and Chile and on wine trips and cultural things, and it really does help to understand, God's creation, God's, versatility in creating different people

Jaclyn:

Mm

Ulises:

them all different.

Ulises:

You know, my wife, She says one of her favorite pastimes is getting delayed at an airport and just sitting there watching people at some of the busiest airports, like if we're at, you know, in Miami or Atlanta or, or some of these really, really busy airports and she just loves to sit there and watch.

Ulises:

same two eyes, two ears, one nose, one mouth, but in so many different shapes and colors and variations of characteristics.

Jaclyn:

Mm hmm.

Ulises:

mean, God's creation,

Ulises:

right?

Ulises:

infinitely creative.

Ulises:

that's how he made us, and we're created in his image, so we're infinitely creative, and that's what I love about what we do.

Ulises:

Whether it's with cuisine and the restaurant business, or in art.

Jaclyn:

Absolutely.

Jaclyn:

And I can imagine the more experiences that you have in life, the more that you have to draw from when you are acting.

Jaclyn:

Because I know as a writer, I draw from a lot of my own experiences in life.

Jaclyn:

Um, you know, it informs a lot of my own storytelling and characters that I develop and all of that.

Jaclyn:

So I, can imagine that.

Jaclyn:

Having traveled so much, you would be able to draw from a lot of different experiences bring more depth to characters.

Ulises:

Yeah, I'll tell you, my recent experience to go to Greece and go to Turkey, And Rome, we were just there a couple of weeks ago.

Ulises:

I went on a trip to trace the steps of Paul with a local church and there were 30 of us and, uh, I got to be in places where Paul set foot, you know, Corinth, Ephesus, uh, Rome, Athens, Patmos, where John was exiled.

Ulises:

I mean, we visited Mykonos and Santorini, which have no biblical significance, but it was fun anyway.

Ulises:

but still, you know, I mean, I, for a performer, Jaclyn, to stand on Mars Hill with Athens behind you, all of Athens, and you get to recite Acts 17, 22 to your group at Mars Hill.

Ulises:

I, I can't tell you how that felt,

Jaclyn:

Mm

Ulises:

uh, or how, I mean, the pastors introduced it as, uh, Geoff Wells, an amazing, wonderful biblical man.

Ulises:

And he's introducing me, and then he looks behind him and I'm standing there looking at Athens completely lost in the moment and in character.

Ulises:

And, and he's, Ulises is unique to use the headphones or the speaker or the microphone.

Ulises:

And, and I, I don't respond because I'm already gone.

Ulises:

I'm, I'm not there anymore.

Ulises:

You

Jaclyn:

Yeah.

Jaclyn:

You're in character.

Ulises:

He didn't know what to do with that, and the audience started chuckling because they understood what was happening.

Ulises:

But yeah, that was a moment that I'll never forget.

Jaclyn:

Yeah.

Jaclyn:

Amazing.

Ulises:

on location, right?

Ulises:

Truly, literally

Jaclyn:

Yes.

Jaclyn:

Yes.

Jaclyn:

Literally on location.

Ulises:

Yeah, I wish, you know, and I know, I understand now, like, you know, we watched Gladiator 2 and how they filmed in Malta, and I'm thinking, wow, what is it like to be in a production where, you know, it's millions of dollars and And you actually get to go to these places and film in these incredible geography and topography.

Ulises:

Yeah, but

Jaclyn:

I don't think I ever thought of that before.

Jaclyn:

Like, just kind of breaking it down the way you just did.

Jaclyn:

I mean, I guess, of course, when you, like, watch these movies where they're filmed where they actually took place when they're historical movies.

Jaclyn:

But it never really occurred to me to think it through the way that you just did and that you, you basically went right back to the place and said the same words standing in the same place as this historical figure that we all look up to.

Jaclyn:

Like, that is an incredible opportunity.

Jaclyn:

And crazy, crazy.

Ulises:

People, when I tell people about recent trip, they go, Oh, so did you guys go film there?

Ulises:

And I'm like, ha ha!

Ulises:

You know, uh, us non Hollywood filmmakers don't have that kind of money.

Jaclyn:

Right.

Ulises:

you know, I paid for my way there, but that's okay.

Ulises:

You know, well, maybe someday.

Ulises:

I don't know.

Ulises:

I know

Ulises:

the Mel, Gibson's of the world, you know, they, do this kind of thing,

Jaclyn:

Yeah, yeah.

Jaclyn:

All right, so let's get into, some other things that also inform your acting.

Jaclyn:

I actually, wanted to talk to you about, being an entrepreneur, owning your own business, because I know now that I've, you know, done that few times in my life that I always learn so much.

Jaclyn:

And so I'm curious what you have learned so far from being a business owner that you have then applied to acting like, you know, transferable skills kind of thing.

Ulises:

You know, in the restaurant business, and I wear many hats in my restaurant because we're small, uh, mom and pop for lack of a better word.

Ulises:

So, um, You know, I used to work for a big, chain, uh, national steakhouse.

Ulises:

And, you know, we had people in every department.

Ulises:

I had a guy that handled maintenance.

Ulises:

I had a guy that handled marketing.

Ulises:

And if I got to one of my locations, all I had to do was pick up the phone and go, Hey, Geoff, I need a marketing strategy for, Denver or for LA or or my store in Dallas.

Ulises:

So when you have your own little place, you become all those guys and you wear all those hats.

Ulises:

And at our little place here in Montgomery, Texas, you know, I hire, I terminate, I train, I, buy, I purchase goods.

Ulises:

I, you know, dictate my wine list.

Ulises:

I shake hands.

Ulises:

I kiss babies.

Ulises:

I

Ulises:

, you know, you're doing it all.

Ulises:

you know, you're out there in the community.

Ulises:

Go into the Chamber of Commerce and making it back to your restaurant by 11, to open the door to, you know, to serve your food.

Ulises:

it's a great, training, but it's also exhausting because it's 24 seven, you sit here on a Sunday, if you happen to be close like us on Sundays.

Ulises:

And, you know, Maria and I are on our laptops talking about the business on Sunday afternoon, you know, looking at the numbers, looking at the bills

Jaclyn:

Yeah, like it becomes your

Ulises:

24 seven.

Ulises:

so, you know, if I was to take some of that, work ethic to acting and the art and performing.

Ulises:

Yeah, when I joined, uh, Actors and Models, Actors, Models and Talent for Christ and got to know people like Laura Mae and yourself and, you know, listening to the, you know, the, the master classes that, some of your guests have put on.

Ulises:

Cause I, I love listening to your podcast because there's so many guys there that are offering free information.

Ulises:

It's

Jaclyn:

right?

Jaclyn:

Yeah,

Ulises:

Uh, Beverly, Beverly Holloway on Tuesday nights, you know, I mean, it's stuff like that.

Ulises:

You just have to continue to educate yourself, which is.

Ulises:

The same thing that we do in the industry, right?

Ulises:

In the restaurant industry, you just have to constantly be connected to the network of people and your colleagues in the area, communicate with your, the guys that own restaurants around you, so you all know what each other's doing, and not competing, just What's going on?

Ulises:

What's

Ulises:

going on with the market?

Ulises:

What's going on with the cost of, you know, a case of chicken?

Ulises:

You know, what's happening with the laws?

Ulises:

Who's going to Washington to talk, to the leaders about the laws that affect our business?

Ulises:

That kind of thing.

Ulises:

So networking.

Ulises:

it's something that I've definitely see value in that I do in my restaurant that I have to apply to, performing because you're a brand, you're a brand, you, you, yourself.

Ulises:

I learned that from listening to all these experts that are giving us so much free, beautiful advice and at the seminars at Capernaum and the, the content festivals and any type of festival that I have the time or the finances to attend, you know, and I encourage everybody who's listening to, do these and meet people and shake hands.

Ulises:

Uh, I think John, John Goad said it perfectly on your last interview when he said, it's not who you know, it's, Who knows you?

Ulises:

A lot of times, you know, that was beautiful.

Ulises:

I, I, you gotta get out there and just like when you own your own business, you got to market yourself, market your brand.

Ulises:

And, that resonated with me from, knowing that in my restaurant business that couldn't just be a, an isolated guy serving Lasagna, I had to get out of my building and go let people know that I am here.

Ulises:

Uh, and I, I gotta tell you for a couple of years, we dropped the ball and stopped marketing, cause we thought, well, word of mouth, you

Jaclyn:

right.

Jaclyn:

And did it affect your

Jaclyn:

business?

Ulises:

absolutely.

Ulises:

And, you know, the attrition happened and people stopped coming and, you know, we had to jump back on it and realize you never, never stopped marketing.

Ulises:

As a business owner, because people, when they stop hearing from you, they'll go somewhere else, as loyal as they could be.

Ulises:

Now, we have our loyal regulars that come no matter what,

Jaclyn:

Right.

Ulises:

but we lost, and especially the new people coming to the area.

Ulises:

So, you have new, applying that to acting, right?

Ulises:

You have new filmmakers, you have new studios, you have new people that are coming on board, new writers.

Ulises:

that don't know you exist because you did a big project that everybody knew about before, but they don't know you.

Jaclyn:

Right.

Ulises:

You gotta be constantly attending these conferences and meeting people and letting

Jaclyn:

okay, yeah, I was, I was gonna ask, like, what, what do you do as an actor to market yourself and keep yourself, you know, top of mind and out there for people?

Jaclyn:

What are some things that you can do?

Ulises:

You know, I, sat on a, seminar at Content with Anita Cordell because she's also a business owner that is a realtor and an actress.

Ulises:

And a lot of that stuff she said was on point, just exactly what I'm about to say to you.

Ulises:

It's very difficult sometimes, because you have to manage your time, and you go, Okay, this morning when I get up, do I go to my actor's social media, or do I go to my restaurant's social media and promote the specials for the week?

Ulises:

You know, where do I put my time, because there's only 24 hours in a day, so So it's a very delicate balance.

Ulises:

And, for me in particular, my bread and butter right now is the restaurant.

Ulises:

So I have to give it more attention.

Jaclyn:

Mm hmm.

Ulises:

there's no way around it.

Ulises:

if it was the opposite and you know, my bread and butter was acting and I was hugely successful at making a ton of money at it, who is,

Jaclyn:

Uh huh.

Ulises:

uh, unless you're in that, you know, 0.

Ulises:

05%, uh, in Hollywood.

Ulises:

a lot of times I have to choose to work on my building and work on my restaurant and take care of my employees and be shaking hands and kissing babies.

Ulises:

Um, when I do choose to put some time into this, it is finding the conferences and the seminars and the Tuesday night chats with Beverly and the educating myself.

Ulises:

And the keeping my resume active and, you know, something I have not done is to get my headshots redone.

Ulises:

I need to do that.

Ulises:

I don't look anything like my headshots anymore.

Jaclyn:

How often do you have to do that?

Ulises:

well, depending on how much you've changed, but I mean, if you're younger, if you're younger, you probably have to do it pretty often because young people change a lot at my age, probably not so much, but.

Ulises:

The ones I have, I don't have as much gray hair as I have now

Jaclyn:

Right.

Jaclyn:

Right.

Jaclyn:

Mm.

Ulises:

you know, as many wrinkles and, you know, if you want to market yourself as a more serious, 60 year old.

Ulises:

Versus my pictures depict a 35 40, uh, yeah, you have to use your common sense and decide, yeah, that's not me anymore, or the roles that I'm looking for, that I can play now at this age, that picture's not going to sell it.

Ulises:

So, yeah, headshots, uh, and your agent, I'm blessed to have an agent.

Ulises:

I know a lot of performers are not at that point yet, maybe in your audience, but.

Ulises:

You do have an agent.

Ulises:

Your agent has to be your partner.

Ulises:

You have to talk to them constantly and be in touch with them listen to their advice.

Ulises:

at the end of the day, make money if you make money.

Ulises:

And if they're telling you to do something, they know better.

Ulises:

So listen, you know.

Ulises:

A lot of us, any industry, I think, a lot of us think we know more than they do.

Ulises:

than anyone else.

Ulises:

You know, be humble.

Ulises:

Listen to the guys who are out there that know the industry and learn from them.

Ulises:

Um, I think if we walk into all this knowing we don't really know anything, you'll be more open to sitting in a seminar,

Ulises:

add content, and listening to a screenwriter seminar or a producer seminar or, Uh, I, just a couple of days ago, they had The Dallas Fort Worth Prayer Network, and there's always so much valuable information and people there.

Ulises:

I couldn't make it up there because it's only a three hour drive.

Ulises:

I really wanted to go, but I missed it.

Ulises:

And, again, you know, you have to choose when you can go and when you can't.

Ulises:

But if you can attend, it's only going to benefit your career and your growth.

Ulises:

Uh, you're your own brand.

Ulises:

there was a time there where I had the time.

Ulises:

restaurant was doing a lot better.

Ulises:

This was pre COVID.

Ulises:

And, uh, along with business cards, thank you cards.

Ulises:

You know, I printed a lot of stuff, materials that you need to promote your business.

Ulises:

Just like you need flyers, and you need table tents for your restaurant, and you also need business cards that you can hand to a producer and a filmmaker.

Ulises:

Uh, your actor reel, you know, staying on top of that.

Ulises:

I've known from sitting there editing my own actor reel that it takes hours to do it yourself.

Ulises:

So if you can afford to hire a pro, I and, you know, then again, how do you get to know these people that do reels?

Ulises:

Well, you go to these places where they are and you meet them and you shake their hand and, and you get to know the ones that are doing reels.

Ulises:

Because your reel's important these days with the way that digital era has changed everything about us marketing ourselves,

Jaclyn:

Yeah,

Jaclyn:

so, um Since we've already established that basically, like, the restaurant business, it does become your life when you are a business owner, and from what I have seen in movies, let me just say, when you own a restaurant, like, restaurants specifically take up so much of your life, um, and so I'm curious, how much time, on average, would you say, let's say either in a week or in a month, that you put into your acting career?

Ulises:

Loaded question, Jaclyn.

Jaclyn:

Whether it's auditions or, um, going to events or getting educated or, you know, all of the things.

Ulises:

assuming you have a mixed audience.

Ulises:

You have many people here listening who are full time actors, or trying to be.

Ulises:

And their income, that's not coming from acting, It's just enough to survive and pay the bills because their main focus is to be in front of a camera.

Ulises:

And if that's the case, then yeah, you just, you, you devote as much as you can of your a hundred percent to your craft and your passion.

Ulises:

I'm in a unique situation because my restaurant pays my bills, pays my mortgage, put my kids through college, uh, you know.

Ulises:

my age, we have acquired a certain lifestyle and the restaurant is what keeps that alive.

Ulises:

And Marie and I are very conscientious of that.

Ulises:

So I would say that, you know, in a week or a month, because I'm so passionate about performing and acting, I, I don't know that I have a percentage in one month that I dedicate to acting.

Ulises:

I can tell you that.

Ulises:

I'm looking forward to going to content again next year.

Ulises:

Uh, I would love to go to, a couple of, uh, the conference that are happening in the spring.

Ulises:

I know that once Thanksgiving takes off and we're in Christmas season, I can't do anything until the end of the year, except a restaurant.

Ulises:

Because we're going to be full, thank God.

Ulises:

And that requires my undivided attention.

Ulises:

Um, January, February are busy months.

Ulises:

Then, you know, we got Valentine's coming up.

Ulises:

That's like Superbowl for restaurants.

Jaclyn:

Mm

Ulises:

But then, as soon as I know that we're going to be slowing down, I start planning ahead.

Ulises:

I said, well, you know, in March, April, yeah, I'm going to, try to, get out there.

Ulises:

And, I already know from like, for example, with Paul, you know, we're, planning and the producers are talking about raising enough funds to maybe shoot in March.

Ulises:

And I'm like, okay, that works out for me because December and January are going to be really busy.

Ulises:

Again, my, my situation is unique.

Ulises:

You know, it's, it's not unique to me, I'm just saying that it's different than most, most actors.

Ulises:

but I keep going back to that as often as I can because I have a passion for

Ulises:

it.

Ulises:

And, and like I told Geoff in the first interview, you know, I, I just love telling stories and love using my gifts to glorify God in that way, you know, and getting all the stories on the screen where people can see them and, and the message resonate.

Ulises:

And maybe not necessarily the message of a churchy message, but a message of, hey, Christ is trying to reach out to you and help you in your life.

Ulises:

And you can see all these instances on the screen where that can happen.

Ulises:

And if people identify with that character.

Ulises:

Bam, the message went through

Ulises:

and they, and they walk away with that, you know, just like you writing, you know,

Jaclyn:

Yeah,

Jaclyn:

I think a lot of people in the film industry do have a day job and then they pursue this passion on the side.

Jaclyn:

And of course, they would love to get to the point where that can flip where, you know, they are pursuing the film industry full time and, you know, have maybe something on the side that just kind of, you know, fills in the gaps when things get slow because it is such a feast or famine kind of industry.

Jaclyn:

But yeah, I mean, it's interesting, at least, like, you've been in the restaurant business long enough that you've recognized where your months are, where you're like, okay, I have to prioritize the restaurant, um, so it would not work for you to be filming during those months, but then you know which months you would have the time to be able To pursue filming and, that's even in itself, that's something valuable for people to be considering is like, are there seasons, because if it's feast or famine in the film industry, I mean, maybe there's some kind of, equivalent to a degree within whatever your day job is that maybe there are certain times of the year that, you know, there's more of a demand and then other times where you have a little bit more freedom, maybe even if it's.

Jaclyn:

It's like, in the summer where, oh, okay, if you have a job where students can fill in while they're off of school or something like that, and so then you would be able to go and do something because for you to take time off, it would be easier for the company to fill your position.

Jaclyn:

You know, just as an example, something like that.

Jaclyn:

Um, so that's definitely something worth looking into so that you could plan ahead, like you said.

Jaclyn:

And I think that's one of the things that, You know, when you are a business owner, you are planning ahead, like right now as we record this, it's November.

Jaclyn:

And already for like a month, Geoff and I have been planning for 2025.

Jaclyn:

So like we started planning for 2025 months before January, and I already have plans for into 2026.

Jaclyn:

Like, so as you're building out your business and you're setting your goals and you're making your plans, like thinking through.

Jaclyn:

Because it's the same for you.

Jaclyn:

Like, as we're thinking, like, okay, what events do we want to offer?

Jaclyn:

What classes?

Jaclyn:

And all of those things.

Jaclyn:

We're also taking into consideration, like, the other events that are going on in the industry.

Jaclyn:

Because we don't want to overlap.

Jaclyn:

Like, CWVFF, or Content, or ICFF.

Jaclyn:

Like, we're thinking about all of these other events that are valuable that we're encouraging people to go to, and so we don't want to, you know, set something that's at the same time as those events.

Jaclyn:

And, so, I mean, the planning aspect is such a valuable skill.

Ulises:

yeah, absolutely.

Ulises:

I mean, just got out of a marketing call right before you and I got on, you know, talking to our agency about planning, things in 2025, let's get ahead of the game.

Ulises:

How

Ulises:

are we going to.

Ulises:

How are we going to market, you know, spring break, uh, Valentine's, things that are coming up in the first quarter of 2025.

Ulises:

And you have to apply that same strategy to your act.

Ulises:

And if you're going to treat it as a business, and if you're getting through yourself as a brand and a, product to the people who are going to hire you, I'll tell you, you know, and I say all of that.

Ulises:

And when we were talking about, some of the options for the Paul, The Last Apostle TV series, one of them was to, if we found the amount of money that we needed was to take four months and film five episodes.

Ulises:

and go on location for a while and do it.

Ulises:

And I'm the lead.

Ulises:

I'm Paul.

Ulises:

So I thought, okay, uh, you know, this is important.

Ulises:

This is something pray for.

Ulises:

Be careful, what you ask God to give you.

Ulises:

And, you know, he gave me this role of Paul in this TV series in the moment where You know, things like The Chosen have an audience of, you know, half a billion people.

Ulises:

and I'm like, well, then it's important enough that I will figure out some way.

Ulises:

My wife is going to have to run the restaurant, uh, and I'm going to have to promote managers and do something and prepare for those four months that I'm going to be gone.

Ulises:

And I'm going to tell all my regulars what I'm doing, because I'm going to make this a part of

Ulises:

Eden and, and, and, they're going to watch it and they're going to be excited about the fact that I am playing Paul in a TV series.

Ulises:

But, but I approach it like that because it becomes a part of your life and it's that big,

Ulises:

you know.

Ulises:

Now I'm not going to take a week for a Colgate toothpaste commercial, you know.

Ulises:

So, you, you prioritize.

Ulises:

And in my case, like I said, I have a blessing that I have a business.

Ulises:

but, uh, I look forward to the day when God gives me the time to devote more to giving these gifts back to Him.

Jaclyn:

Mm hmm.

Ulises:

At the end of the day, that's, that's what it boils down to us.

Ulises:

It's all I want to do.

Ulises:

You know, we all want to hear, well done, faithful servant.

Ulises:

However you did it, you know, whether you train somebody, you taught somebody.

Ulises:

I'll tell you when I've terminated people, it's hard, right?

Jaclyn:

Mm hmm.

Ulises:

To fire someone our place of business.

Ulises:

And as an actor, you're probably never going to have to do that.

Ulises:

But as a restaurant owner, you do.

Ulises:

And there's a lot more people in my career that I've fired that have come back later and said, thank you.

Ulises:

that was the best thing you could have done for me.

Ulises:

I was spiraling out of control.

Ulises:

And you firing me taught me a huge lesson and I got my act together.

Jaclyn:

Wow.

Ulises:

So, it's not that I'm saying, Hey, then I need to fire more people.

Ulises:

No, it's that, sometimes it does serve, you know, that, that hard decision.

Ulises:

It's very meaningful in people's lives, even though it's hard and painful for you to, cause you're thinking, Yeah, I'm going to change these people's lives, but I have to.

Ulises:

Because the other 42 families in the restaurant are suffering because of this one person who can't get their act together.

Jaclyn:

Right.

Ulises:

But then you realize that what you did in that moment changed that person and they were able to finally find their way and their path.

Ulises:

So, you know, I'm sure there are tough decisions in the film business like that, you know, you walk away from a project and you fire yourself, I guess, you know, or you decide to say no,

Ulises:

but that opened the door because God was opening the door for something else.

Jaclyn:

Mm hmm.

Ulises:

I don't know, do you know Reuben?

Ulises:

Reuben, uh, Martinez, uh, he was in, he's been an extra in The Chosen.

Ulises:

Anyways, he's working on a project right now called A Small Still Voice, and I love the title to that show, because that's how God talks.

Jaclyn:

Mm hmm.

Ulises:

It's a small, still voice.

Ulises:

It's never screaming, it's never, you know, saying ugly adjectives or yelling.

Ulises:

You have to learn how to listen to that quiet voice.

Ulises:

For me, it happens in the middle of the night.

Ulises:

I don't know why God chooses to wake me up at three in the morning.

Ulises:

and talk to me.

Ulises:

And it's, this throws my sleep out for a whack, but he does, you know, and, and I get up and in the morning I'm talking to Maria going, you know, I think God's trying to tell me something.

Ulises:

Last night he said this and this and this, and it was very quiet and very still.

Ulises:

And, uh, I love that.

Ulises:

I love that.

Ulises:

We need to learn how to listen,

Ulises:

you know, to the Lord in our direction, in our careers, in our paths.

Ulises:

and I always pray the same prayer.

Ulises:

Say, please God, open doors and close doors.

Ulises:

And the ones that you want me to walk through, make them wide open.

Ulises:

And the ones you don't want that are not in your will, shut them closed so hard that I get it.

Ulises:

And he has, And he has, over the years.

Ulises:

I've seen that happen over and over in our experience, in the restaurant and in performance.

Jaclyn:

Mm hmm.

Jaclyn:

Yeah.

Jaclyn:

My prayer lately has been, God, I want what you want.

Jaclyn:

Help me to know what that is.

Ulises:

Yeah.

Ulises:

Amen.

Jaclyn:

Yeah,

Jaclyn:

wow, this has been fantastic.

Jaclyn:

I really appreciate you, spending time with me and sharing your wisdom and your insights and I really enjoy getting to know you more and, and learning about your business.

Jaclyn:

Um, so thank you so much for being on the podcast.

Ulises:

Hey Jaclyn, thanks for having me.

Ulises:

Good luck to you and Geoff.

Ulises:

Love you guys.

Ulises:

We'll see you soon.

Ulises:

I'm sure we'll run into each other.

Jaclyn:

for sure.

Ulises:

Take

Jaclyn:

Alright, God bless.

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