Miguel: 0:00

I was born and raised in Mexico City. Mexico City is one of the largest, biggest cities in the world. Probably the same size of GTA might be the size of the first year. I doubled the sales. The next year I doubled the sales again. Of course the owner was super happy. I think that was one of like the highlights and early achievements that I had.

Gurasis: 0:17

How old were you?

Miguel: 0:17

24-ish

Gurasis: 0:19

. Oh wow, I heard you saying this line that I was king of the hill back in Mexico. You were not kidding, you were the king of the hill.

Miguel: 0:28

I was very cocky, very overconfident, because in my early 20s, like everything was going so well, Hire a lawyer, paid exorbitant amounts to that lawyer. I guess my entire process cost me everything. Put all my life savings, I put everything I owe into the process and at that time I got the deal of my life. A big producer of coffee in Mexico told me you know what, miguel, would you like to do what you're doing for yourself? You don't need to put money, just put your know-how, your time, you just execute and we go 50-50. And we were talking about a big deal. We're millions and millions.

Miguel: 1:09

But before I say that, I got a paperwork from Canada saying like you have been accepted and you have this much time to come to Canada. And I came to Canada.

Gurasis: 1:25

So let's get straight into introducing our guest today, because there's a lot to unpack. So, embarking on a journey from CEO in Mexico to navigating the complexities of the Canadian job market, our guest story is a testament to resilience and reinvention. In today's episode, we dive deep into his experience, from the highs of quadrupling sales as a CEO to the unexpected challenges he faced upon arriving in Canada in 2010.

Gurasis: 1:49

Navigating survival jobs, facing a toll on confidence and confronting cultural barriers to vulnerability, he shares the transformative power of mentors who guided him through the maze of uncertainties. We explored the pivotal moment when networking, mentorship and community building propelled him towards his Canadian dream. Beyond personal triumphs, he is the visionary behind UnstoppableMerocks, a career support network for newcomers by newcomers. We'll uncover how this platform is reshaping the landscape for struggling newcomers by providing resources, connections and collaborative opportunities. And if that's not inspiring enough, he is the host of the Newcomers on Fire podcast, where he amplifies the voices of individuals who have turned struggles into breakthroughs. Get ready for insights, motivation and a roadmap to navigate your own journey in this conversation. Please welcome Michela Basko.

Miguel: 2:43

I'm super excited. Thank you so much for inviting me.

Gurasis: 2:46

Absolutely. First of all, I don't know if it's fair to ask that I think you're given multiple interviews in the past decade or since you have come to Canada, but how are you feeling by getting on the other side of the table today?

Miguel: 2:58

Oh boy, it's funny because I feel nervous as well and I have done so many of these in the past, but it's always this feeling of like excitement, nervousness and yeah. I'm very happy to be here, because I've been following you and I've been listening to your episodes and it's like oh, wow, and this is a dream come true. So thank you so much.

Gurasis: 3:18

Absolutely Welcome once again. So, Miguel, definitely in the second season. You know I think our listeners know by now we are turning up the fun factor a little bit. So I'm going to start by asking you some fun questions. So ready, Ready, Awesome.

Miguel: 3:34

So first tell me what's your go-to breakfast? I will say Cheerios, Honey, not Cheerios.

Gurasis: 3:41

So is that something that you are having from a long time? Was it like a recent adaptation? What was it?

Miguel: 3:47

I think that was something that I learned in canada. It's, uh, I had never had honey not serious before. The cereal that I had in mexico, uh, is not sold here for some reason. But yeah, it's. I guess it's one of the closest to what I am used to.

Gurasis: 4:03

Okay, I'm just like curious. Another question just popped up in my mind. So what is, like usual, the go-to breakfast for people in Mexico.

Miguel: 4:12

I will have tacos. Tacos is good for breakfast, for lunch, for dinner. Really, tacos is good for all the time. So it will be scrambled eggs with black beans and tacos.

Gurasis: 4:25

Yeah, okay, very interesting. So next is share a favorite song or a dialogue or a movie and tell us why it's significant to you.

Miguel: 4:38

Oh, wow. So if it's a song, I would say it's ACDC Thunderstruck, which I love the beat. I will say is ACDC Thunderstruck, which I love the beat, and it helps me always just to reset my mindset and help me just to get again into like, okay, I can do this. If it's a movie, it's a matrix, just because I feel that I need to be awakened constantly from either the system or either my own mindset. But I am constantly questioning myself Is this what I want? Is this where I need to be? Is this purposeful? Does this align with my goals? So yeah, sometimes I go very philosophical, but the matrix helps a lot.

Gurasis: 5:18

Hmm, okay, very interesting. So is that something that you go back to often or is it like once in a watch, you just watch it?

Miguel: 5:28

oh, I have watched it a lot of times, especially the first one. Um, yeah, probably three or four times a year, just okay just to help me. Yeah, I don't know. I find it very relaxing. By the way, it's not the, it's the action and everything. You know, the bullets and everything is fun. But it's yeah, it's about the, the story behind it and the, and I guess the, the concept of is this reality, or what is reality or perception? Yeah, it's.

Gurasis: 5:56

I'm telling you we can do an episode of like the, the philosophics behind it and definitely like they get your mind running right that, okay, what's happening, what is actually real. So I see what you are saying yeah, yeah, um 100. So next is, if you had to teach us you know one phrase or any words in your mother tongue, what would it be and what does it mean? On my mother tongue.

Miguel: 6:21

Hmm, let me take a second. Sure, yeah, okay, um, it's similar to um, my, my grandma used to tell me a lot, um, to be polite and diplomatic, and uh, I guess in spanish it says that uh, and it's exactly, almost as literal as in English. It's like honey attracts more bees than vinegar. Okay, yeah, I guess you wanted to say it in Spanish.

Gurasis: 6:56

Yeah, tell us like how do we say that?

Miguel: 6:58

Oh yeah, it would be like la miel, which is honey.

Gurasis: 7:01

La miel okay.

Miguel: 7:03

La miel. Yeah, it's similar to French in a way. French Uh. So la miel. A try, mas abejas que el vinagre. So it's uh it. It attracts more bees than vinegar. And and for what it means to me is uh, it's similar to the idea of uh, people uh, to the idea of people will never forget how you make them feel like you know, Maya Angelou's quote they will always remember that.

Miguel: 7:30

They might forget the facts, they might forget everything, but they will always, for they will always remember how you make them feel. So again, absolutely honey versus vinegar yeah, it's.

Gurasis: 7:40

It's funny you said that because my father used to tell me this also that people not gonna remember what are you wearing, what colors are you wearing, what brands are you wearing, but they will never forget that how you really made them feel in that particular moment and because that's what stays with them and I think we also hear this in psychology all the time that a body remembers. Body always remembers how the person makes you feel.

Miguel: 8:06

Oh, a hundred percent, especially for a newcomer, when you're facing so much struggle, frustration, when you're completely lost. That was my journey. I will never forget the helping hand of my mentors. It's it was just, uh yeah, incredible. So those people are like I. I consider myself almost as a saint. It's's like. They are amazing people, angels that came to help me.

Gurasis: 8:26

Yeah, absolutely, I mean in that particular moment, definitely anybody who gives you a helping hand. I think you do feel that they are saints, you know, sent by God for sure.

Miguel: 8:36

Yes.

Gurasis: 8:36

Yeah, Okay. So final question if you could teleport back to a particular place from your home country or anywhere for a day, where would it be and what would you do?

Miguel: 8:47

And could it be before I was alive?

Gurasis: 8:51

Sure, if you want, yeah.

Miguel: 8:56

I'm a person of faith and my faith is Christianity, so I will go back and meet Jesus and I will ask a lot of questions.

Gurasis: 9:05

Yeah, yeah, okay. Why don't you tell us one of the questions you might ask?

Miguel: 9:11

Oh boy, I will say again a little bit more philosophical, but I will be like what is the purpose of all of this, in a way like and the unconditionally um factor of love, and uh, yeah, like it's what is success at the end of the day, and like, of course, everything's like a test or feels like a test, but then like the journey itself, like yeah, and of course, the classic questions about like why these things happen to people. That um seems unfair, it seems like different. So many questions, but we will have a really good coffee chat for sure.

Gurasis: 9:53

You know, when you said these questions, I feel like, despite the religion one follows, I feel like these are the questions which everybody has. I think these are the common questions. I'm sure that might pop up in people's mind or just by living in this world, right, you do have all these questions that come up in your mind and you feel like they are the people who might be having the answers. But I sometimes feel I think the scriptures that they have written. Maybe from there you can somehow find these answers, don't you believe in that?

Miguel: 10:29

A hundred percent and for sure, the scriptures and the holy books help a lot. It's a guide that sometimes it gives you more than enough. But then there are some questions like that. I still struggle. So, and I've been asking these questions to pastors, preachers, rabbi, and I will ask the same questions to Jesus and I will be like, okay, tell me more. I'm really interested. It's more of a curiosity conversation. It's like, okay, what is the purpose of this creation? If you knew all of this, it was going to happen as well. And also it's because there is a story that I believe a lot, that one day I'm going to meet my creator and he might ask me. It's like, what did you do with all the talents and abilities and experiences that I gave you? And then I don't want to say like, oh, I didn't do anything. I just, you know, watch tv. I want to say like, hey, I multiply what you gave me in a way. So it's more about that as well. It's kind of like, hey, tell me more yeah.

Gurasis: 11:26

Well, in that case, I think you definitely use your talents to help people and give it back to society. For sure, we'll definitely get more into it. So that's the end of that segment, and now I want to take you back to the time you spent in mexico. Tell us a little bit about your time there, and how was it like just growing up there?

Miguel: 11:43

oh, oh for sure. I was born and raised in Mexico City, so Mexico City is one of the largest, biggest cities in the world. I think population-wise, mexico City, and similar to the surrounding areas, might be almost at the same population number as Canada. The difference is that Mexico City is probably the same size of, if not smaller than, in Ontario, or even like almost I will say like GTA, might be the size of like what I'm talking about. So a lot of people just imagine this, a lot of people everywhere, and that's normal. So the subway infrastructure is like a spaghetti just throwing down and then trying to navigate. That is incredible.

Miguel: 12:30

So from my early years, I remember a couple of things. I was born into, I would say middle class, which I was privileged enough for my family to invest in private education, privileged enough to for my family to invest in private education, and because of that, and where we live, which was not that fancy, uh, it was a gated community. So within the gates of my community, everything was safe. Outside the gates, not that so much. So I remember, um, where I was living, that outside the gate was the, the park. There was a big park where a lot of children would be playing, but I was not allowed to go there because again, something could happen. If there was no one watching then, yeah, it was dangerous. So within my gate there was not that many children to play with, so I think I went inwards or inside to entertain myself. I remember reading a lot of books. I remember teaching, or like learning how to do stuff at a very early age I.

Miguel: 13:33

I taught myself how to code, how to do websites, how to be financial modeler, a master in excel. Um, even before university, I was really good at many different things. Just because, again, a a lot of time, a lot of books and a lot of questions, I was very curious. I want to be an inventor at an early age, so I was always playing around with different tools solving different problems. Well, yeah, overall, I will say, for my parents to be able to afford private education, uh, they had to work crazy hours. And, just to give more context, you know how here in Canada, we work nine to five, monday to Friday. Yeah, um, well, in Mexico, you work probably seven to seven or seven to 10. That's, that's quite normal for a 14 hour shift.

Miguel: 14:22

Yeah, yeah, yeah, totally Uh. And also, um, I remember my parents had to drive one or two hours just to get to work and yeah, they were long days, very long days. So, of course, like I had a long time to kill or to invest in something, so yeah, so I have like two follow-ups here.

Gurasis: 14:45

First, like what do you mean by like gated community? Are you talking about like a colony? Like you guys live there? What is that?

Miguel: 14:54

Yeah, so just imagine a street of houses and then you have a probably 30 foot tall gate with spikes on each side, okay, and you can only enter to that committee with um, I guess with a garage opener.

Gurasis: 15:10

Okay.

Miguel: 15:11

And once you're in, you close the gate and then again it's that, just that street.

Gurasis: 15:16

Okay.

Miguel: 15:17

Yeah.

Gurasis: 15:18

And the other thing you said that you taught yourself. You know coding and many other things always an overachiever.

Miguel: 15:32

So who was like your inspiration at that age, like that in your early years, formative years, yeah, um. So remember back in the day, the y2k, that the world was going to end because the computers are going to switch to 2000, and then everything was going to be forgotten and okay, yeah um, so before that there was like probably three or four years of preparation and it's like, oh, 1999 is going to be the end of time and it was interesting.

Miguel: 15:53

So back in that time also, the Matrix came out. I was fascinated from day one of that movie and that helped me a lot. Just to say like, oh, let's look into computers and let's look into different programs. And, yeah, I started to like do research and I was one of the unfortunate and privileged ones to get internet, almost not from day one, but like very, very recent, early in the years, especially for mexico. So yeah, I always was very curious to know what's next, what's going on, and the first thing that happened with the internet, it's websites.

Miguel: 16:31

It was your opportunity for everybody to see what you were doing. So I did a lot of projects, I did a lot of different things and then jumping into university and talking about the coding and website, oh boy, that was kind of like an explosion of me, of my entrepreneurial skills. I became a social entrepreneur and I was trying always to solve issues especially from a social perspective, and then, through my skill set, I was doing really well.

Gurasis: 17:03

Okay, I want to also walk us to the point where you actually got into the coffee company and became the CEO, but tell us like what even led you to this career. You know how did that happen? I'm sure there must be like a story behind it.

Miguel: 17:17

Yeah, yeah, yeah, a hundred percent. I think one of the things that shaped me was that in my private school I was bullied. In this private school I guess I was not rich enough for some of the students that went to that school. And of course, my mom and my parents taught me to always respect people. Like the golden rule treat others as you want them to be treated. So I will always treat and respect a lot of people. And then I was always puzzled, it's like why people don't respect me back. And of course, I was always like at some point I was mad because it's like hey, I have nothing against you and you're always like on my case, what's going on? And there were like years and years of that.

Miguel: 18:05

So because of that I think, um, I had this feeling of like I need to help people like, especially people that cannot defend themselves or the people that cannot speak, but to like the voiceless ones and what to do. So, um, because of that I say, okay, I want to study something that like where I can help people. So I I say, maybe a doctor, I'm going to become a doctor. But then I start crunching numbers and it's like, as a doctor, I can only help maybe 50 people a day. I'm like, no, that's not enough, I want to help more. Okay, a psychologist, I'm going to help them with their minds and to help them grow. And it's like, how many people I can see in a day? 100, that's not enough. And then I said, you know what? I'm going to become a business person, a business man, because as a business person, through my companies, I can help thousands of people. You know policies and benefits and different things.

Miguel: 18:55

And then I learned about companies like guinness, the, the company that created bruce, an amazing beer in Ireland Back in the day, because it's a very old company. They had benefits even better than the ones that employees today will have, like in Google or Apple or Microsoft. And I was blown away how that company created so much goodness around it, just because people and employees were so loyal and loved the company so much Like hey, you know what I'm going to do the same. I'm going to become an entrepreneur, a businessman, and through the companies, I'm going to help people. So I decided to study international business and back in the day, mexico city was not safe, so my family decided to move to another uh estate which is called vera cruz and that state, the population of the city where I live almost the size of Toronto, like 2 million people, and in that state I studied in university and in that university I studied business. I did really well because, of course, once you know why you are doing something, once you have that, why then there?

Miguel: 20:03

is nothing in your way, you become unstoppable.

Miguel: 20:06

Because, if that's something that I always tell to newcomers as well like, if your why is not strong enough, that makes you cry, then you need to ask yourself again why. Because if not, when things hit the fan, when things get very busy or difficult, then of course you're going to stop and not continue. So again, I studied university, finished Within the university, I created so many different projects, initiatives. I created one very quickly about helping seniors be recognized and empowered and respected. Because I don't know other countries, but in Mexico, once you become a senior, you become forgotten and sometimes abused, and I was not okay with that, because I respect so much my grandparents and I was like, wow, like, if anything, we should be building monuments, altars to these amazing people that have done so much, sacrificed so much for us. But yeah, it's very common how seniors get forgotten. So I created this company called Wise Hands, where senior people will knit scarves and I will put them online, because I knew how to do websites and each scarf will have a unique code and then, if you wanted to know more about the person that created the scarf, you can go into that website, look at the code and then you will learn more about that person. So the scarf becomes a medium to honor and respect the senior person behind it and and it was um, a way also for you to to chat with them. Really cool project and um, I did really well. And, of course, I made some mistakes and, once I started exporting to different places, run out of cash and then I had to close the business. But I learned so much. I learned a lot about running a business doing different things.

Miguel: 21:52

So, long story short, after finishing school, university, I always it's funny because I always approach my family and say, like I have another business idea, I just need 50,000. Would you give me the money? And my family will look at my business idea and it's like, oh, no, no, no, no, this is not going to work out. And I will be like, no, this is incredible. Just look at the numbers. No, these numbers are not that great. So I will get super upset because my family will always like turn down my ideas. And it's like you know what I'm going to do? A master in finance because, yeah, my, my financials are not strong. Okay, I'm going to show them how they're going to be strong. And of course, I did my master in finance. I pay for myself and, um, and I was super happy because, again, I did really well, because I had a purpose, I had a vision. And after that I remember showing up my business ideas to my family and it's like, hey, here are the financials super strong and, um, I just need 50 000. Just give me the money and I will open this business. Yeah, and then my family, of course, I will say, yeah, they're pretty strong, but we don't have the money. So, yeah, long story short, um, I, I guess I out of, uh, the out of challenge. I will say like, say, I became really good at numbers and financial modeling and all of that. So that helped me a lot along my way.

Miguel: 23:11

So, to answer your question about how I became a CEO of a coffee company, it was when I was doing my master's degree. One of the professors told me you know what? I'm going to move out. I'm right now managing this company. I'm going to move out and I would like to. I think you have a strong potential to apply for this role and I thought it was going to be, you know, sales manager role. And it's like, okay. So this person became, I guess, my first mentor and he told me about more about the company, more about the opportunity, and I started asking questions. He's like okay, so how can I make my application stronger? And then he will give me some ideas. Because if I had only taken that information and then apply and say like, okay, I'm going to apply, I will not have gotten the role at all. I will not have gotten the role at all. But it was because I asked the questions about okay, so for this company, what is the culture? What are the things that work out? How did you got in? What are the things that the owner prefers versus the things that he doesn't prefer? Or a family it's a family-run business. So, because of all of that insights, the first time that I go into the interview, yeah, I knock it out of the park. It was incredible because I pretty much, I talk the language, I say exactly what they wanted to hear in terms of like. Of course, my skill sets on top of like tailoring to what they're looking for. So, of course, it was like, almost meant to be. And, to my surprise, the owner of that company said you know what I like it, so just start, let's say, next week I start.

Miguel: 24:51

When I started working at a company. It's like, okay, I'm going to be managing sales. But uh, to my surprise, he told me. It's like no, no, I want you to take over everything. It was like, what are you talking about? Like yeah, yeah, take over. Like production, sales, marketing. In fact, you he had had, like, different companies. I want you to manage this company plus the other two. And uh, it was.

Miguel: 25:12

It was pretty cool because, um, my, my original plan was like, okay, here is my plan. How can I double your sales? But uh, it was super cool when, when was surprised with how I'm managing everything. It was like, wow, I'm in my 20s and then more than 30 people reporting to me, people that are twice my age were saying like, okay, what is this guy going to teach me? How is this guy going to lead the team? It was a lot of that too, but, to the surprise of everybody, I'm quite resourceful and if I don't know an answer, it's like okay, give me, give me some time and I will. Yeah, I will go deep and and long story short, within four years, yeah, I quadruple. Like the first year, I doubled the sales. The next year, I doubled the sales again. By the time that I finished, like. I remember that company used to sell, let's say, 500 kilograms of coffee. Just to put a number, I ended up selling 12,000 kilograms a month, like. So that was kind of like it was exponential.

Miguel: 26:18

Of course, the owner was super happy and everybody was super happy. So, yeah, I think that was one of like the highlights and and early, early achievements that I had, like how?

Gurasis: 26:29

how old were you then?

Miguel: 26:31

uh 20, I will say what?

Gurasis: 26:33

24 oh wow, pretty young. So when you were, I heard you saying this. You know a line that I was king of the hill back in mexico. You were not kidding, you were the king of the hill back in.

Miguel: 26:46

Mexico.

Gurasis: 26:46

You were not kidding, you were the king of the hill Tried multiple businesses, tried so many things.

Miguel: 26:52

And, yeah, go ahead. You think you were pretty cocky. I was very cocky, very overconfident, because in my early twenties, like everything was going so well, of course, I was like, oh you know what, like my next project, I'm going to just nailed it, it's going to be awesome. And it was because, also, my network of friends and connections and everything like it was already there and I had family members that they were also really good, successful business owners.

Miguel: 27:14

So I always reach out to them. It's like, hey, what do you think? And it's like, oh, I know somebody. And then of course it was just easy just to manage and navigate the, the, the process, just because again you have a network, you have people that already know you like and trust you. So it's easy.

Gurasis: 27:29

But you're right, like I was really really overconfident well, I think even all these things come your way. Sometimes it happens. I think definitely you. I think, especially when you're at the younger age, you're not able to like kind of differentiate when to actually be humble and when to be just accepted as a gift. You know, so to say, from God, but definitely when you came to Canada things didn't humble you. But before we get into that, I have a couple more questions, which is definitely tell me something that people might not know about Mexico that you would like to share.

Miguel: 28:05

Oh, I will say, mexicans are lovely, like majority of them. They are like incredible human beings, super open. They will see you once and you're part of their family. So I love, I love that Of course, there is the bad ones, which is not a big number, but of course, because of that, then you need to be more safe and you need to be streetwise. Yeah, like it's quite not that simple. My recommendation is like, if you go to Mexico, go with somebody who knows, or go to places that are more touristic. Don't go into, like you know, by yourself and into places that you should not be there, because, of course, it's looking for trouble. Something that you might not know about Mexico is that we have, I would say, hundreds, if not thousands, of different dishes that are incredible, like flavorful. Yeah, it's a paradise in terms of food, in terms of relationships, in terms of family. If we can have the safety and the organization structure that we have in Canada there, I will move there, no problem at all.

Gurasis: 29:14

So whenever I'm going next, I'm asking you for my identity for sure.

Miguel: 29:18

Yes, yes, yes, and you know what it's like. Okay, go and stay with this person, or like here is the safe way. For example, something that you might not know in Mexico is that there are safe taxis and taxis.

Gurasis: 29:30

So what does that mean?

Miguel: 29:31

Yeah, you should never take a taxi out of the street, for example, because it could be a fake taxi just looking for express, kidnap you. What does that mean? So every time I marry a, I marry a French Canadian, a lovely, beautiful French Canadian, and, um, every time I explained this kind of things to her, she's like, oh, boy, and you were raised like that. It's like, yeah, it's, that's, that's normal, right, so a taxi could be faked in the street. Therefore, you should always call um a central station, or just you should always call different places, even uber. Sometimes uber, uh, have also fake uber drivers.

Miguel: 30:10

So again, if, if you take an uber in mexico and the guy that is driving is not the guy that is on the app, do not get in you. You never know what exactly it could be. Somebody stole the phone and they're just trying to get the other person it's thinking about always looking over your shoulder. So, moving here, I totally forgot about that, and every time I go back to Mexico, people know that I'm not from there anymore, even though I speak the language I might look alike. Immediately, within seconds, I can see like, oh, this guy is a foreigner or this guy has lived outside, because the way you walk, the way you do everything.

Gurasis: 30:48

So okay yeah I think I got the scoop for my trailer, so thank you for that. You know, tell me. I don't know at what point or where this thing fits, which I'm going to ask you, but I did read that you were also an avid beekeeper. Is that true you were talking about? You know, your grandma telling you the example of that bee. It just kind of struck me and I said I have to ask you. So tell me, where did that fit in?

Miguel: 31:17

I love that because I always said okay, like my first interaction with a bee was when I visited an uncle and this uncle told me do not go to the basement and do not open the door. So of course, as a little one, it's like go to the basement and open the door, right, it was almost like telling me what to do. So of course, I went to the basement and the moment I touched the knife the most painful experience ever, like I don't know what happened, but I was. I felt like significant amount of pain. And then I look at my hand and there was a bee and in the basement my uncle had all of these equipment and bees and and honey, you know. So the bees were always trying to get in and out. So that was my first impression of a bee. And of course I got, I got a stung and I'm allergic to bees. So I got like completely my hand was so low, I got fever and so on, but I, I don't know, out of that, for some reason I got, um, I guess, impressed. I go I don't know what is the the word, but to to explain it but I was like how is that something so small can create so much pain.

Miguel: 32:21

And after that I learned that without bees, pretty much we die or we will suffer, because more than half of the food comes, uh, thanks to the pollinators, and bees are a big part of that. So I was like, wow, how something small is so important. So, again, that that feeling of like almost this insignificant insect it's. It's the reason we are so happy and the reason we have so much. So that was always part of me and it's like you know, when I retire, I'm going to become a beekeeper.

Miguel: 32:53

But then I started hearing stories about how a person, one month close to retirement, die of a heart attack. And then what? This person had so much health issues and couldn't enjoy retirement at all because something happened. So I was like, wow, like I'm just waiting and waiting to start living. And then all of these questions about is this right? Is the purpose for like? And I said you know what, like, I'm going to start. Like I don't know how, I don't have the space, I don't have the resources, I don't have anything, but I'm going to start now, I don't know how. So I took a class on how to become a beekeeper and in that class they said, like, well, as part of the class, you have 50 off to buy the equipment. Again, I don't have a space, I don't have a farm. I was living in a toronto apartment. Uh, it's illegal to have bees in a toronto apartment, just to say that. But it's illegal to have them anywhere 30 meters from a property line.

Gurasis: 33:44

So I couldn't put it anywhere in Toronto.

Miguel: 33:46

So it's like, okay, but I bought the equipment and it's like, okay, I'm going to buy it, just because I don't know how, but I'm going to figure it out Before getting the equipment. I was able to find a farm and then I put my business on the farm farm and then I put my bees on the farm and, of course, learning through trial and error, which is the most expensive and, I guess, slow way of learning. I reached out to some mentors, I reached out to different places and it's like, yeah, I was able to learn more, but I became a beekeeper Like after. Well, my first years I would say I was not a beekeeper, I was a bee killer, because for some reason or another, my bee hives will die, maybe because I put them in the wrong place and they were frozen, I didn't put the safety equipment in the winter and then some mice got in and ate everything. Yeah, you name it. There are so many predators and there are so many things that they can just die. So many predators and there are so many things that you can just they can just die.

Miguel: 34:45

So, again, something so sensible and so important or, I guess, forgotten or people don't think about them and there is a lot of confusion, because they see a wasp and it's like, oh, this is a bee. It's like, no, it's a wasp. It's a very different animal. A wasp is carnivorous. A bee is vegetarian. A wasp will carnivorous. A bee is vegetarian. A wasp will get you several times and don't die. The bee dies. So, oh, we can talk about another episode of the Importance of Bees. For sure, I love it.

Gurasis: 35:14

I love it.

Miguel: 35:18

And I guess I just love the fact that it is so important. I think we need to pay attention again. I don't know, is this feeling of like helping the little one, I guess okay, but you know my takeaway from this.

Gurasis: 35:33

Definitely a lot of like information to share about bees and wasps, but my takeaway is not to wait for retirement to do what you really desire to do. You know, and people do that. I think I've seen my elders do that, who have waited for the right moment to come and then do the thing that they desire. I think this is the right moment. You have to start right now and go for it. Don't wait for the moment to happen. So that's my takeaway.

Miguel: 35:59

That's a very important message, because there will never be a right moment to start doing the right thing.

Gurasis: 36:05

Yeah.

Miguel: 36:12

There is this saying about the right moment to do the right thing is always right now. So I always remember that. Newcomers tell me you know, once I'm more settled, once I'm more established and once I'm helping people, it's like, well, actually you can start helping people now. Oh no, you don't need to wait, you just do, because you are one chapter ahead. You are one step ahead of somebody else's. You might be not happy with the job that you have right now because it's just an entry level or whatever, but there are a lot of people that don't have a job and they would love to hear your experience and feedback and ideas. Some people might just need to practice their elevator pitch. So, again, you can always help someone To do the right thing. There is always the right moment and the right moment is right now.

Gurasis: 36:58

Absolutely Very, very well said. I think we do that initially when you come and you want to help, but you feel like you don't have the right sources, you don't have the money to help. But sometimes it's not even the money just your presence or your tiny bit of support to the person, even your few nice words can help the person, or even just a smile can help the person. So that's what matters. Another thing I discovered about you you and correct me again if my facts are not correct that you were also a mountain climber. Is that true? Yeah, I read that you climbed like mount. It was called mount kilimanjaro is the world's highest freestanding mountain. You also climbed the africa's highest mountain, uhuru peak. Then you also climbed one of the world's largest volcanoes.

Miguel: 37:49

So many things you have learned. All of them is the same one? Yeah, no, all of them. The Uhuru peak is within the Mount Kilimanjaro. It has three peaks and Uhuru is the, I guess, the highest one. And, yeah, it was an incredible experience because I always I had never done something like that. That was what, probably six, seven years ago.

Miguel: 38:09

Okay, now in my 30s, I did that to recover from a divorce, because I got married and I would say, through all of the difficulties of being a newcomer, there is a lot of mental health issues, there is a lot of struggle issues, there is a lot of struggle, financial issues, all of that I think that impacted a lot my, my first marriage and because of that, for sure, um, it failed. So I, I felt like I felt again like a huge failure. I felt like things were like really, really not working out. You know, uh, what's the point of life? Going back to those original questions, uh, asking like, why, why, what happened? Um, and then, out of the blue, I said you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to climb this mountain.

Miguel: 38:56

So I have never been a climber, I have never done anything like that. I, I was a coach potato kind of guy watching tv all the time. And my friends I remember a friend tell I was telling this like you know what I decided to? I'm going to climb this mountain. I found a package. It's it's not cheap, but it's not crazy expensive, so I'm going to do it. How much was it was like. Well, I think the package used to do it like uh what, six thousand canadian back in the day okay uh, but okay, of course that doesn't include the flight nor the vaccinations, not everything that you need to do.

Miguel: 39:30

I would say the entire thing was probably 20,000. Okay, but if you compare this to trying to climb the Everest, it's like, yeah, that's not even close. Yeah, maybe 20,000 gets you to the base camp, but yeah, again, it was just more like I need to test that I can do this. Because, going back to my decision of coming to Canada, remember I was very overconfident and cocky but I always had this question about do I have what it takes? And I wanted to test out if I had what it takes. Because, again, I thought back in the days, like I'm so successful because of others, because help of my friends and family, but do I have what it takes to do something like this, to move to another country? So that was my first question and of course, I can tell you today that yeah, for sure I have what it takes. After my failed marriage, I had the same question Do I have what it takes? Like, what's happening, like.

Miguel: 40:27

And then I decided to climb the mountain and and that mountain, oh boy, it was tough, the toughest thing I have done in that regard. Like he was nine days of hiking seven days to go up, two days to go down. They are at, like the, the company that I hired was it's incredible, it's super good, and they always test your oxygen levels because if it's dropping you're in trouble. They always check out if you're having issues just to talk, because then that means that your brain is swollen and you can have a, a bad, bad brain injury. Yeah, um, everything. So, from walking, checking out, because they just want to make sure that you're, that you climb the mountain, but also you come back healthy, because a lot of people react really bad with, um, high altitudes, absolutely, and in fact, some of my, my fellow climbers, which they were more professionals, they, they were like marathon runners, they were super healthy. Some of them couldn't make it because, again, altitude doesn't differentiate or discriminate, you know, the healthy or the sporty from the non-sporty one. So altitude hits everyone very differently. To hits everyone very differently.

Miguel: 41:52

Um, and yeah, by by, I guess the the grace of god, and yeah, I was blessed and had the opportunity and privilege to to climb. Of course, I was not the first one, I was the last one, I was really slow, everybody was super fast, but I I was able to make it and I was like, wow, if I, if I can do this, I think I can do other things. And that was my first step for recovery and after that, I think that helped me a lot just to like keep moving and set me in a path of finding the love of my life, so which now I'm super happy. Oh, we can do another episode about the lessons learned in relationships and everything that you can do and should not do. Just to give you a quick context.

Miguel: 42:30

The reason I'm so happy now is because, even before I got married, one of the dates that I had with my wife was like, would you like to come with me to this marriage conference? And she was like, oh, this is weird. Like we're not even married but you want me to. You want me to go to a marriage conference. Like, yeah, yeah, let's go. And she said yes, and since then it has been our tradition to every year we go to a marriage conference. Oh, wow, because the tagline that I love is like great marriages don't just happen, it requires work, it requires effort, it requires mentorship, it requires community, it requires mentoring, everything like it. Yeah, definitely, it's a, it's very important and if you have the right partner with you, everything in life is super enjoyable, everything is super good. If you don't have the privilege opportunity to have the right partner, then everything gets more complicated.

Gurasis: 43:27

Absolutely Well. So many life lessons you have just imparted us. You know, miguel.

Miguel: 43:32

Oh boy, I'm telling you we can talk about a lot more.

Gurasis: 43:41

One of the things I would like to echo here is the way you said that you know I was the last one to finish climbing the mountain, and that's a lesson from there. I think that's a lesson that people can learn and, like everybody has its own time of success, we think that we are ahead or behind something. No, we are not. Everything happens in the right moment, when it's time. So I think that's the lesson I would like to impart here to our listeners there.

Miguel: 44:03

Yeah, You're so right, because I became more happy when I stopped comparing myself with others and and when I started comparing myself with myself. When I say, okay, miguel of 2023 or 2024, how different is from miguel of 2017, and I can tell you, it's like oh, light, light years different it's. In fact, I'm ashamed sometimes of my early versions of Miguel. I remember a mentor telling me if you're not ashamed of your older you, you're not growing fast enough or you're not growing enough. So I was like, oh yeah, exactly. So sometimes I'll be like, oh wow, like did I say that on camera? Did I put that there? He's like, oh boy. Today I would be like, oh boy, I'm ashamed. I I'm proud of the, the growth, I'm proud of the transformation, of the story behind it.

Gurasis: 44:50

So, yeah, yeah, sometimes also, then you come across those memories from facebook and you see that you have written those quotes of, like what was I thinking? Why would I write that, you know? So it means that you have come a far way and you have grown now yeah, exactly, exactly okay. So, miguel, now I would like to get into your Canadian journey. Obviously, tell us, like why did you decide to move briefly and how was it like when you came here your first day, your initial thoughts and emotions?

Miguel: 45:23

100% when it's's interesting, because there was a show in Mexico that I used to watch a lot with my best friend and it was called the Wildest Catch and it's about how they make a lot of money going into these crazy dangerous waters to catch either, sometimes, a specific kind of fish or king crab. And I was telling my friends like wow, these people just make a hundred thousand dollars for working less than six months. And he's like I think we should do it. It's like you know, like they are always looking for people and for some reason and of course this show is more in Alaska but it was like you know, like have you seen these options? And I just started doing my research.

Miguel: 46:03

Of course, my family never allowed me to do something like that, because success rate and survival rate is quite questionable, but in my mind I was like okay, the North, the North and Canada. So, just to give more context, I used to live in front of the ocean. So imagine palm trees, coconuts, imagine a sunrise in the ocean, imagine like a beach, a warmth like the eternal summer. And even with all of that, I was always looking for a colder environment, always looking for mountains, lakes and forests. So yeah, for some reason I was misplaced in a way, so looking for my place.

Miguel: 46:45

So I decided to start my process of researching, found Canada, hired a lawyer, paid exorbitant amounts to that lawyer. I guess my entire process cost me everything, I will tell you. I put all my life savings, I put everything I owe into the process and I guess that's another lesson when you believe in something so hard, you go all in. I did, and without knowing that if it was going to work out, if it was going to anything. So it took me two years because I applied for a suburban resident okay, federal skilled worker that was the class back in the day. Um, and it took a long time. A lot of people told me it's like oh, you should have applied to quebec, it was just six months, or you should fake this process and they pay you. It's like you know a lot of that thing.

Miguel: 47:32

But I was like no, no, I'm doing the things right, because I don't want to look, I don't want to be worried and looking over my shoulders all the time. So I did all of that, got the papers at the moment of my life that I was not expecting them, because once it took like two years, I was like, okay, this is not going to work out, so I'm moving on. And at that time I remember I got the deal of my life. Uh, the producer of coffee knew what I was doing. A big producer of coffee in Mexico has like thousands of like actors and everything.

Miguel: 48:02

Um, um told me you know what, miguel, would you like to do what you're doing, both for yourself and would you like to partner with me? And I was like, oh boy, this is the dream come true. It's like you don't need to put money, just put your know-how, your time, you just execute. And we go 50, 50. And we were talking about we were talking about a big deal, like we're millions and millions. So it's like, oh, wow, I'm you know, I don't need to think about it, I mean. But before I say that, I got a paperwork from canada saying like you haven't accepted and you have this much time to, to come to canada, and I was like oh, man what should I do?

Miguel: 48:38

what should I do is like should I go, you know, in business by myself? I know I'm going to rock it out because I have done it, so it's just like copy paste, repeat, um. Or should I go to canada and start this process? Like, what should I do? I don't know. I remember applying different methodologies to try to define, like pros and cons, making the list, and financials, no financials, all of that. But the question that helped me the most was asking myself if I'm, if I'm, a senior person looking back in time into this moment, will I be regretful, will I feel regret, will I feel that I missed an opportunity? And if yes or if no, that that will help me, you know. So the question was my 65 year old person looking back, and it's yes, I feel regretful because, yes, I make millions of dollars or millions of pesos, but I miss an opportunity. Or what if? What would have happened if I had just taken the chance when I didn't have a family, kids, and I was young enough to just try out something adventurous? So because of that, I said you know what I spoke with that friend. So because of that, I said you know what I spoke with that friend and I said you know what? I need to do this, because if I don't do this I'm going to regret, and I don't want to regret things, I want to live a life as much as possible without regrets. So he said, oh, you're making a mistake. And I said, yeah, potentially I'm making a mistake, but if things don't work out well, I'm coming back or I will see. Of course I said that and I came to Canada. So my first time moving to Canada, just with that context, I say no to a great commercial business deal.

Miguel: 50:20

I was very overconfident because it's like hey, I made it in Mexico, I'm really good, I'm going to nail it in Canada. In fact, where is the prime minister? I'm going to tell him how to run this country. In fact, I'm going to become the prime minister of Canada like within 12 months. Like that was my mindset. I take the planes, my plane gets delayed and it's like in my mind, it's like you know I'm going to arrive. There is going to be a red carpet photographer saying like Miguel, miguel, we were waiting for you, where have you been? Like you know in my mind, playing all of this, and then my, my plan, I guess, is the last one of the night.

Miguel: 50:54

It was like there was no one in the airport. I was nervous. My English was not that fluid, so I was like in my broken English trying to figure out okay, where should I go? I was crushing a friend of a friend of a friend, of a friend's couch, which I didn't have a telephone number. I didn't know what to do, like how to take the subway. Everybody was picked up. I was the last one on that terminal and he was like, oh man, that's when reality hit me. It's like middle of the night, how can I go? Or where is everybody? Or like who can I call?

Gurasis: 51:30

Yeah.

Miguel: 51:30

And yeah, so by a miracle I was able to find out. I was looking some people that were getting into a bus and it's like, okay, if they are taking a bus, I'm going to take the bus. I don't know where the bus was going Like. It took me forever. Finally I was able to land and arrive to the friend of a friend of a friend of a friend's couch. I stayed there for a couple of weeks while I tried to figure out my next step and I was completely that's when I felt the most overwhelmed and confused and everything it was a blur.

Miguel: 52:01

Those first six months, every day, I remember being having a headache because I was pushing myself so much. I was trying to pay attention 100% of the time to everybody. I was trying to understand different accents. I was trying to understand how people communicate. I knew English. I understood English, but I was not able to speak it that fluid. Therefore, some people thought I was not smart enough or whatever.

Miguel: 52:26

Um, I was able to land a first survival job because my that's another thing that happened to uh, to move into canada, you need to have some savings.

Miguel: 52:36

I didn't have those savings because I gave it to the lawyer, so I told my, my grandma, could you please, you know, loan me this much money, which was like probably like 11 000 or 12000 back in the day, and she said, yeah, for sure. So the moment I came to Canada I pay back the money to her and it's like, okay, I'm going to start. So I really was literally running out of money, not a lot of experience. I was applying online even before I came to Canada. No one even invited me for an interview or replied or anything like that, because my resume was wrong, everything was wrong. And I took my first survival job and I remember my first interview for that survival job, which was going to the hire manager smiling and saying me want a job. And she said like, oh boy, your English is quite rough. And I was just smiling but it's like but your smile is golden and I can work with that, so just start next Monday. And I was like, oh, perfect, I nailed this.

Gurasis: 53:33

So your charm got you the job.

Miguel: 53:36

Exactly exactly. It was my attitude, it was my positivity, but it was crazy because, from working as a CEO of a coffee company, I started as a server in a coffee shop Tim Hortons and I was happy. I was happy because it's like, okay, I'm learning, I'm trying to understand more of this, how it works, and that I would say first what? Six months a year, it went very fast. I was applying, I was trying to understand more about the business world in Canada. I was trying to understand more about the business world in Canada. I was looking for my ideal job. I had so many lessons about that.

Miguel: 54:09

To be honest, I wanted to be the same and I wanted to do the same I was doing back in Mexico. So I was a problem. I was a solution looking for a problem. So what do I mean? I wanted to do the same. So it was like I want to be a marketing manager, sales manager, financial analyst, and I want to do the same. So it was like I want to be a marketing manager, sales manager, financial analyst, and I want to be an operation manager at the same time.

Miguel: 54:29

And every time I go to an interview or talk with people, they were so confused because it's like in Canada that doesn't exist, and I would say like well, yeah, and they will sometimes say like no, you're lying. You cannot be that many roles within one. And it's like, yeah, I just did it. You know so, so many different years and and people will always question that it's like no, it's not possible. It's like, well, I, I can show you and you can call my references like I, yeah, I did that, I, I controlled production, I went to the farms. I went, like I went to business meetings with uh, customers like walmart, I, yeah, like so, yeah, it was very confusing because I have learned that in can it's more silo, it's more specific, more like single.

Gurasis: 55:08

Yeah, and I think one of my guests also said that Canada is more of the country of experts. The all-rounders are kind of not that appreciated If you're an expert in one, they really value you.

Miguel: 55:20

Yes, you're so right, Because I think from my experience, people really want to see that you were born and raised a project manager. You become a junior project manager.

Miguel: 55:30

Then you jump into being a project manager and now you're a senior project manager, trying to become a director, and then people are like, oh, I think I know what you are right now. I think you might be a project manager. It's like yeah, because the resume says that journey. Well, from countries like India or Mexico, where if you only do one job you're in trouble because you might get fired. Absolutely you need to be resourceful, you need to do four or five things at the same time because then you're of value. So you're more generalistic and you become an expert in so many different things. But you have many hats. Absolutely you do many jobs.

Miguel: 56:06

So it's quite different to understand that part and that took a long time. So I would say it took me five years to land an entry-level job in my profession and the reason was because my communication it was not that clear, not that crisp. My story was also not that easy to understand from a Canadian perspective. My connections were non-existent. It takes time for people to like you, to know you and trust you. Of course, and finally, like my mental health, my confidence was completely crushed because for me, now I can do everything I'm super successful to like I'm cleaning toilets, which is there is nothing wrong with cleaning toilets, but in my mind I was running the remember I was running the country in within 12 months where 12 months mark hit and I was cleaning a toilet. So it was like, oh, man, what's going on Like?

Miguel: 56:55

this is exactly what I was not expecting and, like because of that, it took me just a long time. And mentors in Mexico those like they they are not called mentors in Mexico are friends. So when people say like, oh, you need to get a mentor, it's like what is that? Like people helping you for free, it's like I don't believe in that. Like there is a catch, like you know all of these uh feelings of like, but why will that person help me? Like, if I'm not paying? It's weird, it's very different. So I was raised to believe that you don't share your weaknesses, you don't share your issues, you don't wash dirty laundry in public. So, of course, when everybody says like, oh, how is Miguel? Oh, miguel is perfect, miguel is doing great. Oh, you know, I'm nailing it. It's amazing. But inside it's like I don't know if I'm going to pay my rent this month. I'm paying my rent with my credit card because I don't have enough cash. Like, all of these issues, of course, create a lot of mental health pressure, which impacted my confidence, my happiness.

Gurasis: 58:00

I became depressed many times just because of the process. I want to just go back to the time in that initial five years. You know, yes, you did. You said the time in that initial five years. You know, yes, you did. You said like you worked at Tim Hortons, you did various construction work as well. I believe you worked in customer service, various sales positions. You also do clean toilets. Tell me about a time where you were actually at your lowest, miguel, and I want to go there because we all have been there being immigrants. You, you are really forced to to question yourself and forced to fall into that pit, that really imposter syndrome pit. I want to tell us how did you tell me about the time where you were in that pit and how did you pull yourself out of that or what was your driving force in that particular moment?

Miguel: 58:44

oh boy, I think I went through that several times, several bits, but let's start with the first one. Once things were not working, pretty early in my journey, I'd say like, okay, this is. I think I made a huge mistake because friends in Mexico, executives, friends in Mexico, they are doing great, opening businesses, and I'm here Again comparing myself with others. So that creates so much pressure and it's like, oh, by now I should have done this, by now I should have a house, by now I should have a car. And that pressure. So yeah, every time I wake up and it's like, did I make the right choice? That was always on the back of my mind. And that day I will go to, let's say, tim Hortons or different restaurants or construction, and that day I will be working but also thinking what should I do? And applying. I was always applying for the jobs that I wanted, but either getting interviews, failing at the interview, or never getting a response, or never getting feedback. So, yeah, for my first month, six months, I was not able to even tell my family that I was failing. So I was always a success. So I will not take their call, sometimes Like a turtle. I will get in After work, I will just sleep, sleep until the next day because I didn't want to do anything. I didn't apply, sometimes at the job interviews because what's the point? Or, yeah, I didn't feel confident. I will go to the job interviews.

Miguel: 1:00:19

I remember being completely like, from a physical perspective, showing very low confidence. From a physical perspective, showing very low confidence, I will say, my first crash within three to six months. I was like completely devastated and not able to share Because, again, you don't share your stuff with others and I didn't have friends in Canada. So that process, yeah, it took a long time, but how I got out? Um, many different steps, but the first ones, like in terms of mindset, I started to to be more grateful even though I was not successful. I'm grateful that I'm here, I'm grateful that I'm able to, to try it out. I I always had this mindset of like, okay, if a didn't work, let's jump to b and, and sometimes I will finish the alphabet and start again, just because different. I was testing and trying different things. Trial and error, trial and error and the part that cured me in a way I would say I would use the word cure because my mental health or my depression, everything that I had. It was gone after I started helping people. So, even though I was a disaster and people don't know about that, I was a disaster inside. I was just always like, okay, I'm going to help people I don't know.

Miguel: 1:01:39

So I remember once going to a networking event talking with people, and two people from colombia told me miguel, in the last 20 minutes I have learned more than in two years in canada. Would you like to be my mentor? And I was like, oh, I cannot be your mentor. It's like, why not? It's like I'm a, I'm a huge failure, like it's it's you know, five years to land an entry-level job in my profession and I guess other people can be a mentor. In fact, I can refer you to the people that are more successful. But then they told me like, no, no, what you told me is exactly what I need.

Miguel: 1:02:10

Okay, so I started doing that and through mentoring people and chatting with them, uh, something clicked and something different.

Miguel: 1:02:24

Through helping people and mentoring, something changed in me and I was just focusing on the other person instead of focusing in my issues, my problems.

Miguel: 1:02:29

Instead of magnifying what I was feeling and what I didn't have, I focused on what I have and helping others. So that was the first one. And volunteering I started just volunteering everywhere. I gave my time and instead of focusing, instead of like wasting my time of like oh I should have done this or this didn't work, or like, instead of like feeling pity, I was just like moving, moving, moving and testing and turning rocks upside down just to see what was there, and that changed everything after that. So I can tell you, uh, I have never felt that again, just because my focus is not inward, my focus is more like outsides, and and that's my approach to networking as well it's like it's not about you being interesting, it's about you being um interested in the other. It's not about let me sound professional, let me sound impressive, let me sound amazing. No, it's about you being um interested in the other. It's not about let me sound professional, let me sound impressive, let me sound amazing.

Miguel: 1:03:22

No, it's about let me ask you questions because I'm curious to know about you absolutely. And how can I help you? And I think six siglars said that um, you can have anything you want in life, as long as you help others get what they want in life so it's like oh, okay that's easy, so I apply. I apply that philosophy as well, and so like.

Gurasis: 1:03:41

Since then, I've been helping people try to get there faster so when I heard you talking in one of your interviews, you said that your mentor taught you to how to talk to strangers. Tell me that. What did they teach you and what did you learn from that?

Miguel: 1:03:53

yeah, totally, um, a couple of things. I thought I I knew how to talk with people because as people, as a person from Mexico, you talk with anybody and it's fine. But I learned that talking in a different language, my personality changed. I was more if I speak in Spanish, I was vibrant, I was curious, I was happy. But the moment I switched to English, my whole personality changed completely. I was like gray, I was not sure, I was always thinking maybe I'd say the wrong thing.

Miguel: 1:04:23

So one of the things I remember from this mentor specifically was just be yourself, just be your name, just like embrace it. And a lot of things that happened to was that at some point I was very, I would say, um, at some point I was not that sure about my accent, because I will speak with people and people will not understand me. So I thought it was me and I will. I at some point I remember in Tim Hortons, in the drive through, saying like I'm sorry about my accent, what, how can I help you? And and this person told me like to never, never, never apologize for your accent. In fact, let me tell you that the reason I come to this story, the story, is to listen to you because you have a very sexy accent and you just made my day and I was like, oh, wow, that's super cool.

Miguel: 1:05:15

Like it helped me a lot because now I felt proud about my accent, absolutely All of this to say the way we communicate is so important because it builds your confidence or it destroys your confidence. And I guess it's so different because in my own language you are who you are, but in a new language I guess you're becoming that new person as well, because you cannot use the same words, words are different. So, yeah, in a way, my mentor is like embrace it, just own it, just go with it. People will love it because it's different and it shows also that courage of you over your story in a way. And that's why, like, like the purpose of your podcast is lovely, because exactly is right, like knowing people's uh, beneath that accent, or understanding their journeys, like super important because, uh, it, it's, it's what drives us, it's what makes us, it's what makes canada a beautiful place. Just because of that yeah, absolutely, you know.

Gurasis: 1:06:16

This reminds me of one of the things recent guest of mine said that when we come here, when we try to talk, we focus so much on how are we saying it rather than what are we saying, and that's what stops us for building that connection with the person. Also, you know, and then you start questioning yourself that did I say it correctly, that I pronounce it correctly? But the thing is that doesn matter. As long as you're able to articulate your thoughts properly, that's enough.

Miguel: 1:06:43

You nailed it. Because if I'm focusing on oh, I made a mistake, say my mind is like, oh Miguel, oh that was dumb, I did it again. And then, like thinking all of this inner chat, I totally forgot what the other person was saying and it's like like, okay, now what should I say? I need to be smart, I need to sound professional, and it's like, again all of that. But if I only focus on, hey, how can I help you? Then I don't. I don't hear anything else, anything anymore, because I'm just focusing. Okay, maybe this person just needs a, b or c and I can focus on that miguel.

Gurasis: 1:07:16

Now I want to pivot towards uh time in 2015. And I say that because you have said that there is so much power in the community and that's where you started the Unstoppable Me that rocks in 2015, I believe, and it is a career support network which you said it's for newcomers, by newcomers, where you are helping struggling Canadian newcomers find meaningful employment faster. I want you to tell us about the inception of this idea and where can people even join the mission? Or people can just join this community where they can help them?

Miguel: 1:07:51

A hundred percent. So from that experience of having two people from Colombia saying, would you like to be my mentor, it's like, okay, let's try it, let's see how it works that weekend, the next weekend, the two became four, then the next weekend, four became eight. At some points I had like 16, 20 people showing up to the coffee shop and I was like, oh, what's happening? Like people were just coming because people were referring others to like, oh, you need to hear this guy, or like we were talking about a specific topic, and then that creates a movement, that created a community. And at some point I was like, oh, I guess this is something this is working out. I'm happy to help and more people are showing up and more people need to listen to my mistakes, or listen to people's mistakes as well, because a lot of people share their successes but they don't share the journey. They don't share the journey, they don't share the struggle or what's happening. So I'm very honest, I'm very transparent, I'm very like hey, this is how it is and this is what happened. And people love that because they learn so much and they try to avoid those mistakes just like okay, somebody did it, I might as well, I shouldn't, but talking with people and talking with their stories, like, so I'm talking with people and talking with their stories, I noticed that a common denominator within our stories is that, no matter what, every newcomer that I talk and every newcomer in Canada, they are unstoppables. They are people that they just keep going, that they just keep trying, that they just keep pushing. So it's like wow, like I think this group of people, uh, we are unstoppable, like we, we just keep, like, we either find our way or we make the way, like that was and that has been since day one, kind of like the, the thing that um identifies every one of us. So, um, I started creating these workshops, meetings, networking events, you name it. We have created so many things since 2015.

Miguel: 1:09:41

And the idea is to have a place where you can go and practice, where you can go and feel safe to ask a stupid question, where you have peers that they understand what you're going through, that they are not judging you. It's a place where it feels like family, it feels like home, because it's like hey, guys, I doing great or I'm I'm not doing that great, like I need help, and then people can let you a helping hand, just to to your point maybe just to listen or maybe just to practice, or you name it and the importance of having the right community. When you're starting in a place, like your new journey in canada, for example, it's. It is huge, because when you don't have anyone to go and to say like, can somebody help me, it's crazy, it's super difficult. I experienced that myself. That's why it took me so long to figure out things. But when you have the right community, then miracles happen. Things go super fast just because people I have not met a person that hasn't saying no to help somebody. It's crazy.

Miguel: 1:10:40

Yeah, I have not met a person that is bad, uh, that wants to help others. So I'm telling you it's like you just need to ask for it. And sometimes it's our culture, sometimes it's our, our racing, uh, how we were raised because, um, it's about, uh, accepting and being vulnerable and said I need help, and then the other person will show up. So unstoppable means about that. It's like that environment, that group, um, it's free to join. Again, it's a volunteer group. It's not not even a not-for-profit. We don't receive grants from government, nothing like that is, again, volunteer group run by newcomers for newcomers and the idea is just to help each other.

Miguel: 1:11:17

So, and and that the con, the idea is just to help each other, and that the idea was just to help you connect the dots faster so you can find what you're looking for in a faster way, because, yeah, I do not want people to struggle the way I did. And another thing, too, is that underemployment it's a huge issue in Canada. I believe that underemployment is like a financial cancer for our families, for ourselves, for our economies, for our nation, and my vision, through Unstoppable Me and all other things that I do, is that I want to see Canada underemployment free. So I want people that, if they want to work at Tim Hortons because they want to, okay, for me that's not unemployment, that's a decision.

Gurasis: 1:12:00

Yeah.

Miguel: 1:12:01

But if you are working at a job because there is no other option, even though you have a PhD or three master's degrees or everything, then for me that's an issue and it's unacceptable, so I want to do something about it. I discovered that through community networking and mentoring, you get wherever you want, from opening a business to finding your dream job to become a prime minister. Like it's those three ingredients for a recipe.

Gurasis: 1:12:27

Yeah, no, I love the enthusiasm, I love this vision that you have. And the other point you said where you know I haven't found a single person who has refused to help. I think that's because, especially within the immigrant community, they know how hard it is, they know how tough it is when you come here, how lonely it is, what kind of questions you ask yourself. You doubt yourself, you question your identity at times because of the atmosphere that you live in and I think in that moment, you need somebody like these, who have been through this, who have walked the talk and they know what to do. And I think, like you said, we we are not taught to be vulnerable growing up and eventually, when you do that, when you actually are able to show your vulnerable side at the same time, I feel like you actually get that uh, equip yourself with the information to be more confident eventually. So I think that initial vulnerability is very, very essential to reach where you want to go. So thank you for sharing that.

Miguel: 1:13:21

I agree, Vulnerability is a superpower, so the moment that you embrace it the same way as your accent is a superpower. Vulnerability is a superpower. Mentorship there is a lot of power there, so there is a lot of components, and everything is found through community.

Gurasis: 1:13:36

Yeah, absolutely, and I think you did not stop there. You definitely got on to your next venture of newcomers on fire podcast. I love that. I have been there. I'm listening to that as well. I've been part of it as well, fortunately. Thank you for that. I want to tell our listeners more and more about that and where they can listen to it yeah, 100.

Miguel: 1:13:55

So newcomers on fire uh, you can find it on on fireshow. It's uh, it's a new podcast created with a vision of helping people get it hope, especially when, for newcomers that recently landed or people that are preparing to land into canada, or for people that have been here for a while but they have like they are facing a glass ceiling, it's like, okay, I cannot understand what's happening. Uh, the vision is to help you through stories and through interviews with other people that have gone through a similar situation. They can share you how they did it. So it's very practical advice, steps on what they did, so that you can say like, oh, if grasses or miguel was able to do it, I think I can do it too. In fact, here's the recipe or here's the community, because, also, newcomers on Fire is a community where you can go into the backstage and talk with people and say like, hey, just give me more context or give me more information, and then that gives you a clearer idea of what to do next, because my goal is to help people thrive faster, is to help people prosper and find their way.

Miguel: 1:15:01

So I always ask this question Do I rather live in a Canada full of frustrated, unhappy, underemployed people, because if I look at the statistics from the Toronto Regional Employment Council, it says that 66% of us we are living in, that we're living in a world where survival jobs, barely paying bills. Some people say, you know what, forget it, I'm going to a different country because this is too hard. So do I want that world? Do I want that Canada? And my answer is no. I want a Canada where people are living their dreams, living their Canadian dream. I want them to feel happy. I want to feel them generous and to be generous enough to share their time, their knowledge, their resources with others. And that's what happens when you get to the point like you, russ, is like you want to pay for what you want to give back, and you want to do that because you're in a place where it's like, hey, I have the knowledge, I have these resources, I want to share the same with me. The moment that I started, um, giving back and pay it forward, uh, my life changed for completely. I live super happy, I'm very happy in in a lot of different aspects in life and I think if we can replicate that in millions of people that are facing that, we can have that transition we will have a different kind of. We have have a richer Canada.

Miguel: 1:16:17

It's sometimes it blows my mind that I spent eight years to get to the same level I had back in Mexico and I say, like I could have done the job that I had eight years earlier. And I always say, jokingly, it's like CRA, you will be more happy for me paying you the big bucks because for eight years I've been paying you, like you know, survival wages, taxes. I could have done this and just imagine how much benefit we have the community, my family, the community, the nation. So if we can just have people working at their levels faster. So, of course, going back to Newcomers on Fire, newcomers on Fire, vision is for people that are lost, people that are looking for questions, people that Imagine this view of you're navigating uncharted waters, it's dark, it's stormy, it's like people are getting lost and confused and angry and sad and they feel scared and fear.

Miguel: 1:17:14

Well, newcomers on Fire, and your, your podcast, I think we're like lighthouses where it's like okay, you know what? Here is land, here is safety, here is home, here is a community, here is something for you to reach out. If you're drawing, drawing, uh, here you're, just reach out and here's a place of of um, safe people just to reach out because people say like, oh well, I have linkedin it. Linkedin like yeah, but LinkedIn Sometimes it takes people don't answer, people don't connect. Yeah, you might send a message, you might have, you might send a hundred messages, but I'm Good luck if they. You have maybe five people to ten people to respond, but I once you have in a community of people like you, people with this similar vision, oh, response rates are completely different. In fact, you get answers very fast. So again, all of this to say Newcomers on Fire was born just because we wanted to help, to give you practical advice and to help you find that where you're looking a little bit faster.

Gurasis: 1:18:19

You know, I absolutely, absolutely love the analogy where you said that imagine like getting into. You are in a boat and you're going to the uncharted waters and these podcasts, these conversations, acting as a lighthouse. It's so profound. I mean, that's exactly I wish we had when we came right. We did not have access to these conversations, these podcasts, these resources which are so readily available now, and I think people must must make use of this right now. And sometimes I feel there are so many conversations I can have on this podcast, so many people I can bring on, but then people like you come in or who's also have joined the mission to educate people, bring out those stories, and I highly encourage my listeners to must listen to Newcomers on Fire and reach out to Miguel. If you have any questions as well, I'll put the links to that in the show notes.

Miguel: 1:19:13

Oh, thank you Francis. Yeah, 100%, I love that. We are on the same path of helping people Absolutely. Yeah, so, before we get into the final segments yeah, 100%, I love that.

Gurasis: 1:19:17

We are on the same path of helping people, absolutely yeah, so before we get into the final segments, miguel, is there anything that I haven't covered so far and that you would like to mention?

Miguel: 1:19:27

Hmm, I think we need to make more podcasts because there is so much to talk about. For this initial one, I will say speaking up your voice is our responsibility. So what do I mean with that? And I will say speaking up your voice is our responsibility. So what do I mean with that? It's a little bit of the origin story of the Newcomers on Fire podcast.

Miguel: 1:19:47

For many years I said you know, I want to do something like this, but I always was able to persuade myself of not doing it because somebody else was doing it better. Somebody else had a better accent, somebody else speak better English, somebody else, you know, was more prepared. Why should I do something like this? But I remember this mentor saying like, if you don't speak your voice, you are robbing someone else's from their potential. And I was like no, that's not possible, that's not right, because I'm helping people, how can I be robbing people? And then he's like no, that's not possible, that's not right, because I'm helping people. How can I be robbing people?

Miguel: 1:20:21

And then it's like no, if you don't speak up your voice, you're robbing people, and from a culture where I need to be. I don't need to be that noticeable. My upbringing was from you don't self-promote, so that's another lesson that we can talk about. You don't showcase what you do. You don't self-promote, so that's another lesson that we can talk about. You don't showcase what you do. You don't attract attention, because if you attract attention it's bad, like you need to be under the radar all the time, you know like that's the mindset, that's the culture.

Miguel: 1:20:50

So of course it's like I don't need a spotlight, I don't need to be recognized, like that kind of thing. So listening to this mentor saying to me that I'm robbing people, like hit me because I was like why, like how? And then, uh, they, uh, they explained this, um in a different way too, because, um, with an analogy, and I love analogy. So the analogy is this uh, my favorite restaurant, it's an italian restaurant. Uh, there is one in Joggan, eglinton, very small one, and that restaurant was where I went on a couple of dates with my wife. In fact, the first date was there as well. And then the question is imagine that the owner of that restaurant has said why should I open another Italian restaurant in this neighborhood? There are so many has said why should I open another Italian restaurant in this neighborhood?

Miguel: 1:21:38

There are so many and you know, like the restaurant one block north is bigger, the restaurant two blocks south has a Michelin award. You know there are so many. Why should I do that? Well, if that had happened, that restaurant owner would have stolen memories and potentially the love of my life, because I have will never met here. So I was like I don't need that restaurant to be the best in the world, I don't need that restaurant to be the most important or the most significant or the most amazing. Yeah, I just need that restaurant to be the the way it is, like you know, because that has created in my life a lot of changes transformation, growth, growth and amazing dates, because it's, you know, the wine, everything just perfect for me, even though it's not the best.

Miguel: 1:22:26

I don't know if that makes sense, but with that I learned oh boy, you're so right, because maybe New Commerce on Fire is not perfect, it's not the best, it's not like the most or the grandiose podcast, but there is someone out there there is a Miguel out there that this is going to help and if it's just for one, it's worth it. It's important, it's significant, and I decided not to keep robbing people. I decided to like okay, I'm going to speak on my voice, and I decided to become uncomfortable enough to be online, to be on video and to share different perspectives, and it has been a tremendous success, because, of course, people do love stories like the one that you're telling and the work that you're doing, because it's important. People need to know that somebody else did it. People need to know that this is possible.

Miguel: 1:23:10

So my message to everybody, my last words, would be speak up your voice, talk, give, because you are always in a position to give and to help others, and to, and, and. Don't. Don't say like once I'm in a better position because you're already in a better position. You're very privileged, like. Let's focus on gratitude, let's focus on the things you have, not on the things you're missing, and that changes everything love that, love that.

Gurasis: 1:23:36

And once again, I loved your analogy of Italian restaurant. Very well said. And I think initially, when I started, fortunately, majority of the people were in support. But many of them also mentioned that what are you talking about? Who is caring about the accents? Who's caring about this discrimination and everything? But again, because I feel like I was kind of, you know, talking about uncomfortable topics people were not comfortable to really hear about, so maybe that's why it was hitting them that, why are you saying that? But I think, after the support we have received and I'm sure that you have received as well that these are very, very important topics that need to be talked about more and more. So, miguel, now I want to get into the final segment, but before that I introduced this another segment I call it know your host where I give my guests an opportunity to ask me a question, although I know you have asked me a couple of questions on your podcast. But is there anything else you want to ask me today? Please go ahead okay.

Miguel: 1:24:33

Question for you is if you could redo your immigration journey to Canada, what would you do differently?

Gurasis: 1:24:41

I think I've thought about that. I will do nothing differently. I will not. I think I am absolutely okay and absolutely grateful. However, the things unfolded.

Gurasis: 1:24:50

The only thing, one tiny thing, would be. I will tell my younger self, the person who came good asaseesh, who came the initial months, that work somewhere, like even if you get like two hours a week just to work somewhere, because, to be honest with you, I was so occupied with my studies because my college was five days a week and even on the weekends I was just going to the college for the group meetings, group projects, and I absolutely love my program and I feel like my program is what prepared me to get into the workforce. But I think I would say that at least work somewhere for two hours, if you can, a week. Not because you needed that money, of course you did who doesn't need more money? But just I think it will allow me to build that little bit more connections and I think you also feel a bit of more groups you kind of be part of. You feel more belonging, I feel like. So that's what exactly I would say, but otherwise I'm absolutely happy with how several things unfolded. Yeah.

Miguel: 1:25:49

I love that. It sounded like it's more like a community as well, compared of community and networking, and yeah, I love that.

Gurasis: 1:25:56

Perfect. So now we get into the final segment of the podcast. I call it beneath the accent. I'm gonna ask a couple of questions. You can answer them in one word or a sentence, or however you feel like. The idea is just to know more about you. So, ready, ready. So my first question is what advice would you give to your younger self, and at what age?

Miguel: 1:26:15

let's keep it within the last chapter of my life, which is the Canadian chapter, because I have many tweets or many messages that I would like to send myself, my younger self, and I will say vulnerability is a superpower, gratitude is your compass, is your compass and mentorship is is what is going to transform your life. So keep it short and I can expand, but I will say yeah, focus on, uh, being vulnerable, asking for help. Focus on gratitude, because there is no point in comparison with others. That's a waste of time, that is, it's impossible to compare with others because so many different factors. Just compare with yourself, with yourself.

Miguel: 1:26:57

And mentorship there is power in mentorship, but to get to mentorship, you need community, you need networking. So you need to learn to those two skillsets. Oh and lastly, the skill that is going to change your life is to master information interviews. So that part is like if you can focus on mastering information interviews, then you're going to be really good at networking, then you're going to be really good at networking, then you're going to be really well community, then you're going to be really good at mentorship. And navigating, uh, either job promotions or opening businesses, you name it great answer, and what advice would you give to your?

Gurasis: 1:27:31

not advice like what we like to say to your 60 year old self.

Miguel: 1:27:35

Oh, I have questions for my 60 year old self. Um, yeah, I will say how can you find? How did you find harmony? Because, um, the question why I have a question for me, harmony is success. For me, like, success is not financial, like that's an outcome, that's a symptom, that's a, that's something that happens just because you're focused on the right things. But, um, harmony is in this world where there is so much and so much distraction and so much flashiness and and things that are quite golden and distracting you from what is important yeah harmony is like doing the right things at the right time and giving the right um mindfulness.

Miguel: 1:28:16

So, for example, being example, being a father, being a husband, being a business person, being an employee, being a friend, being a brother, like putting all of that into the right moment, right time and the right mindset, like the right share of wallet in your mind, kind of thing. So sometimes it's almost impossible, sometimes it's like, oh, you need to sacrifice something for other things.

Gurasis: 1:28:41

So yeah, no harmony is huge.

Miguel: 1:28:43

So again, how did you go to that? Because I I'm envisioning my 65 or older self. I was able to accomplish. So it's like how did you go there? Like what, what are the steps like? Tell me more about it. I just need to do it now, you know, because I'm so sometimes I get myself into like I want results fast. I want you know, the microwave solution is I use 30 seconds and I'm there. But no, it's like what can I do? Because that comes with discipline, that comes with mindfulness, that comes with oh, again, another episode on. Let's talk about harmony.

Gurasis: 1:29:18

But by that age I feel like you would be able to learn how to tackle all that right. But keeping that in mind, what would you say Like if it's not a?

Miguel: 1:29:31

question, but like a statement to your 60-year-old self, what would you say? Oh, okay, I will say did everything I do was worth it. Again another question. I guess I talk with questions. I will say something like I hope this worked. Or I like yeah, like I hope the outcome of this was meaningful or significant, or I wish I knew better, but this is with the information I had. I did all of this, so something like that.

Gurasis: 1:30:00

Okay, we'll go past that. Okay, tell me about one dish from your home country that always brings you nostalgia, oh wow, mole.

Miguel: 1:30:09

Mole is like an Indian curry Well, mexican curry which is made with so many different spices and so many different ingredients. The reason it brings me nostalgia is because my grandma used to make it by herself and scratch. So it takes hours, sometimes days, to make it, and it's delicious, it's quite flavorful and quite complex. Sometimes people ask me describe yourself with one dish. I would say mole, just because of that, it has so much and it tastes so different whenever you try it. And yeah, it's beautiful, it's amazing, it's. Yeah, it's my go-to, my recommendation If you want to try some Mexican cuisine mole.

Gurasis: 1:30:52

Okay, perfect. Tell us about your first friend that you made in Canada, and how did you meet them? Oh, wow.

Miguel: 1:31:00

First friend in Canada was at church. I started going to a church and just by being genuine, by being myself. I was not looking for a job at church, I was not to have a hidden agenda or anything like that, I was just like there, just to listen to the sermon, to volunteer, to whatever. And I think that freedom allowed me to be myself and be genuine and that helped me to create a great relationship. And then, without looking for it, that friend became pivotal for me to have my biggest career promotion in my Canadian experience like my Canadian journey.

Gurasis: 1:31:40

Are you still in touch with them? Yes, yeah, okay, perfect. Tell us about this one Canadian tradition that you have adopted wholeheartedly. It's been like more than a decade. You are here, so tell us about that that you have any certain traditions, certain festival in Canada that you have adopted.

Miguel: 1:31:57

When I was living in toronto. Um, I had, I visited all of them. Um, I love the greek one, I love the polands that I had back in in, um, in blur, um, my favorite, I would say the greek, the greek festivals. Uh, just because of food again.

Gurasis: 1:32:16

I've heard that before. Yeah, you win with food. Yeah, okay. So what's something that you ate for the first time in Canada?

Miguel: 1:32:25

Oh, wow, memory lane. The first thing that I ate in Canada was sushi. Okay, yeah, it was a restaurant in Toronto and I was like, oh, let's try it out.

Gurasis: 1:32:38

And it was pretty good. Good, okay, and do you continue to love sushi, or have you just stopped?

Miguel: 1:32:41

yes, I love it. The difference is that sushi in mexico is very different. They have they put chocolate, they put um, they put yeah, sometimes it's like it's different flavors, very rich, um, again, I guess it's part of the culture where let's test it out, let's see if it works. And, yeah, it's amazing again, imagine sushi with mango, imagine sushi with pineapple and different flavors. So, of course, the reason I went it was more japanese and, um and uh, the flavors were just, you know straight, very authentic and I was like, oh, exactly very authentic. I was like, oh, and that reminded me a trip when I went to japan and I was like, yeah, it exactly Very authentic. So I was like, oh, and that reminded me of a trip where I went to Japan and I was like, yeah, it tastes like Japanese sushi.

Gurasis: 1:33:21

So, yeah, so my next question is if you had to describe yourself as any creature, what would it be?

Miguel: 1:33:28

Wow, these questions are quite cool, gracie. If I can describe myself as any creature, I would say it's a combination between a dolphin and a turtle. Why? I know a dolphin is quite smart, fun and social. A turtle is more like introvert, but very wise, so I guess that will be a perfect description of sometimes what I am.

Gurasis: 1:33:53

Very unique answer I've got. Okay, if you had to create this one law that everybody has to follow, what would it be?

Miguel: 1:34:01

I will reuse a commandment from a religion which is love others as much as you love yourself, and I think that it's if people were able to do that, or if people did that there, in my opinion, there would not be wars, there would not be issues, because if I love you as much as I love myself which a lot of people love themselves a lot then we would live in a world full of love.

Gurasis: 1:34:33

Yeah, absolutely Great answer. So describe Canada in one word or a sentence.

Miguel: 1:34:39

I would say Canada. It's a lovely struggle once you make it.

Gurasis: 1:34:48

Absolutely, yeah, I can relate, yeah. So finally, if you could leave me with one piece of advice, what would it be? Oh boy, I see you as a mentor.

Miguel: 1:34:56

So if I can give you a piece of advice, what would it be? Oh boy, I see you as a mentor. So if I can give you, yeah, my piece of advice for you is you are focusing on the right thing and you're doing it at the right moment. Um, my question is can you do more? And I know it's not a piece of advice, it's more like a challenge, and potentially the answer is yes. Potentially it's not a piece of advice, it's more like a challenge and potentially the answer is yes. Potentially the answer is no, but it's why always focus on more? Because growth mindset. So it's like what else is out there for you? And if you have done all of this with so little, I'm just wondering what else can you do, which is impressive?

Gurasis: 1:35:38

And I would like to see more. You know, I actually love that. That's a great way to uh push me to push my own limits, you know, to go beyond my limits. That's a great way to say that. But once again, it's miguel, so you can expect a question from a question. You're so right. It's funny because, uh, my mind goes to the questions.

Miguel: 1:35:56

I don't know why, but I but. But you're so right. It's funny because, uh, my mind goes to the questions. I don't know why, but uh, but. But you're right, like I. You know, growth is found outside comfort zone. So if you are comfortable right now, awesome. If you want to be comfortable, your life, awesome. But if you want to grow, let's get uncomfortable and yeah so course, like it's pushing the limits.

Gurasis: 1:36:18

Awesome. So, finally, how would you describe your experience of being on this Matic Accent podcast?

Miguel: 1:36:25

My own experience being here. I loved it because I have never shared so many different things. I talk with you. It's one of those things where it was also I felt therapeutic in a way. I felt therapeutic in a way because some of those questions were like oh, you're right.

Miguel: 1:36:39

I think now everything connects, the reason why I want to help people, the reason that I do this, everything had a reason. So, going back to the question of if you didn't want to change anything, the answer is very similar to me because I didn't want to change anything just because my struggle became my, my journey, and now I'm helping people because of that. If my journey was perfect, I will not be helping people. So maybe there was a way and there is. There is a why and there is a way of all of this.

Miguel: 1:37:09

So the importance of it so yeah, it's, it's one of those things that is like everything has a purpose. And for people like you, I things that is like everything has a purpose. And for people like you, I'm very happy that you are listening to to the message, in a way that you're listening to yourself, like you're listening to inner god, and say like, yes, let's, let's do it. So yeah, I'm super happy and, for me, being in this podcast has opened my eyes to be like maybe I can do more, maybe I should be doing more because just just following, just looking at your example, is like oh wow, yeah, there is so many ideas I can do better.

Gurasis: 1:37:40

Yeah, well, that's amazing to hear. Thank you. Thank you for being on the podcast and adding value to my listeners.

Miguel: 1:37:46

Miguel, thank you. Thank you so much for inviting me. Thank you, thank you.