Fred Talk with Freddy Vasquez

This week's guest is Meggan Kerber, Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Alvernia University.

Meggan and I go back to the days of Bethany Children's Home. She called me in to do some website work and a new friendship was born. Fast forward a few years and a couple of careers, and she's here enlightening me with her thoughts on community involvement, funding for non-profits, and how important self-care is to help you not only obtain your goals but to be active in your everyday life.

Meggan is also a miracle! She was in a vehicular accident years ago that should have taken her life. As she put it, "I shouldn't even be here doing this podcast!" Next time you see Meggan, give her a hug and thank her for being such a valued member of our community here in Berks.

For the past year and a half, I've had to struggle with mental health. Two major events that happened in my life made me question everything I ever was as a person, man, father, husband, and friend. I quickly began to think negatively about most of my relationships and I was seriously considering a way out of them all. I now have a therapist I am speaking to on a biweekly basis and that has definitely helped me turn the page. I strongly suggest you take the therapist route if you are having bad days with your mental health.

Marcy and Stephanie both provide mental health services at Grey Muzzle Manor, and this episode discusses not only how they can help you, but that it's okay to have these feelings and that it's definitely okay to ask for help.

This week's guest is Javier Ramos, owner and creative director of A Night with Javier.

The source of the proverb 'The devil is in the details' is often attributed to the German/American architect Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe. This is almost certainly a misattribution. The expression derives from an earlier German proverb - "Der liebe Gott steckt im detail", which translates as 'God is in the detail'.

In Javier's case, his faith in God, passion for mixology, and attention to detail was the driving force in creating one of the most elite bartending services in the country.

From Arizona to New York City, Miami to DC, and Buffalo to Reading, Javier is on his way to being not only the most famous culinary mixologist in the country but the world.

This past weekend I visited the city of St. Louis. I checked out the Cardinals and crossed off ballpark number 14 on my list. Busch Stadium is an excellent place to catch a game and be amongst some of America's most die-hard, rabid fans. The vibe is jumping in Downtown St. Luis when the red birds are playing, and it made my personal Top 5 list when it came to parks already visited. If you're curious, the other 4 are Wrigley Field (Chicago), Petco Park (San Diego), PNC Park (Pittsburgh), and Camden Yards (Baltimore).

What I also noticed in St. Louis was the lack of leadership and government downtown. I didn't visit the rest of the city to be fair, but what I saw by The Gateway Arch was astounding. There were feces in the streets and I can't say for sure it all belonged to dogs. Questionable people in the area after dark, and even more questionable activities Sunday morning on a stroll for some coffee.

It made me sad to think that situations like this still existed.

I know I've made a good life for myself and I'm not ignorant to the fact that these situations exist, but I never thought it would be so apparent, so in your face. I right away found myself wondering who ran this town and what they were doing to make it better. Local government is SO IMPORTANT! Please do yourself a favor and research who you're voting into these positions of leadership! St. Louis needs help!

I also discussed assertiveness and how important it is to not only your life but your business. I've finally reached a point in my career where I no longer NEED to work with everyone. That's not an egotistical statement, because it's something I should have done long ago to spare myself hours of negative thinking and energy.

When you work with clients that lack the fun and positive vibes you are looking for on a daily basis, you're almost killing yourself slowly. DON'T DO THAT! Rather, work with those clients that put a smile on your face. You'll find yourself working even harder of your own volition and even greater things come from that.

Trust me, it's apparent in all the work I do.

Working in the automotive sales industry for over 20 years, Eddie grew to become one of the most successful salesmen in the game! Making six figures was a walk in the park, but believe it or not - HE QUIT!

Ya see, COVID actually gave Eddie the gift of staying home and that's when he realized he needed to make a change to keep his presence permanent. After a chance encounter with a car buyer, Eddie was motivated to start a new business.

After a mere 14 months, Eddie is pulling in more than he did selling cars, and his smile is even brighter.

This week I hosted my very first two events at FXV Digital Design. I was nervous. I was scared. How bad was I going to be up there speaking to a small group of peers and friends? I felt like I tanked! But session two came around and the outcome was different.

I also drove hours to hang out with my Uncle in Brooklyn. We decided to get together before he left for TN to start the next chapter of his life, but my hopes for humanity were challenged. A veteran in a wheelchair wanted to go on the fishing trip as well and what happened next left me dumbfounded.

Be kind to each other my friends, looks like we need more of it in this world.

If you want to grow and become a better version of yourself, uncomfortable situations need to be part of your routine. This week I plan on holding two in-person website seminars to jumpstart the next chapter of my career and my life.

It's the unknown and the uneasiness you put yourself in that makes goals so awesome to achieve. If I've learned anything during my time here, it's that you can never stop setting goals for yourself.

You should also never stop dreaming.

Starting his journey at the University of Miami, Ed figured out college wasn't for him. He ended up coming back to Berks and grabbing his degree locally before stepping up to the plate to face LIFE.

Ed is in love with learning. So much so that he took a shot at running a political campaign, used the school of Google to learn marketing enough to start his own agency, and now he's helping the family business propel to the next level.

And guess what? he's not even warmed up yet!

This week's guest is Andre Young, motivational teacher, author, and founder of You Evolving Now, LLC.

I recently had the pleasure of watching Andre speak for the first time at an event and my mindset has evolved ever since. From the moment you wake up, to the minute you lay your head back down, gratitude, attitude, and love should be consistent parts of your day.

There are a plethora of positive nuggets throughout this episode of Fred Talk, and you really should jot down the highlights to add to your daily repertoire. Believe me, this is one for the books!

This week I'm talking about your SOUL! You need to take the time to make sure your SOUL is filled with all the goodness it needs so you can continue to enjoy the ride we call life. I also speak about letting go of the negative and listening to the future of America - they actually know what they're talking about!