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From a One-Man Show to $12 Billion Projects
Are you a CEO who still finds yourself overwhelmed, unable to step away without things falling apart? In this Episode of The Speak In Flow Podcast with Melinda Lee, Oscar Zavaleta, founder and CEO of Montez Group, shares his journey from running a one-person operation to leading a team of 35 on billion-dollar infrastructure projects, such as the $12.5 billion VTA Silicon Valley megaproject. If you're a leader who cares deeply about quality but feels trapped by your own involvement, this episode will change how you think about letting go.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
The Cost of Owning Everything
“The hardest part is to say, you know what? I don't need to own it.”
Why starting as a one-person show creates a dangerous pattern, and how to break the cycle before your company stagnates.
How to Trust Your Team Without Losing Quality
“If you break something, we'll fix it.”
The mindset shift that allows you to empower people, even when real financial risk is on the line.
Why Training Creates Leadership
“If you put somebody completely unprepared, that spirit gets beaten down, and then it's hard to build up.”
How investing in your people's preparation builds their confidence and their ability to lead.
Communication as Rocket Fuel, Not a Soft Skill
What becomes possible when your whole team can speak about your company with one consistent voice.
________________________________
You can’t delegate to a team that isn’t working toward the same goal. So, before you consider lightening your workload, ask yourself: “Is my team ready for the responsibility? And how can I tell?”
Learn how to identify misalignment in our latest blog post. "Identifying Misalignment. Is your team not working toward the same goal?"
________________________________
About the Guest:
Oscar Zavaleta is the founder and CEO of Montez Group, a construction management firm headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Long Beach and Seattle. Born in El Salvador, he earned his Civil Engineering degree from Santa Clara University and has since worked on iconic projects, including SoFi Stadium and the $12.5 billion VTA Silicon Valley megaproject. Oscar is passionate about mentoring the next generation of leaders and dedicates time to supporting industry nonprofits in workforce development, construction management, and transportation. His philosophy? Hire great people, train them well, and then get out of their way.
Social Handles
Website: www.montezgroup.com
Fun Facts:
🏃♂️ Oscar is a dedicated runner and casual golfer.
✈️ He loves to travel and read.
🪑 In his spare time, he makes furniture.
________________________________
About Melinda:
Melinda Lee is a Presentation Skills Expert, Speaking Coach, and nationally renowned Motivational Speaker. She holds an M.A. in Organizational Psychology, is an Insights Practitioner, and is a Certified Professional in Talent Development as well as Certified in Conflict Resolution. For over a decade, Melinda has researched and studied the state of “flow” and used it as a proven technique to help corporate leaders and business owners amplify their voices, access flow, and present their mission in a more powerful way to achieve results.
She has been the TEDx Berkeley Speaker Coach and has worked with hundreds of executives and teams from Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Caltrans, Bay Area Rapid Transit System, and more. Currently, she lives in San Francisco, California, and is breaking the ancestral lineage of silence.
Website: https://speakinflow.com/
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/speakinflow
Instagram: https://instagram.com/speakinflow
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpowerall
Thanks for listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
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Leave us an Apple Podcast review.
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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By Melinda LeeAre you a CEO who still finds yourself overwhelmed, unable to step away without things falling apart? In this Episode of The Speak In Flow Podcast with Melinda Lee, Oscar Zavaleta, founder and CEO of Montez Group, shares his journey from running a one-person operation to leading a team of 35 on billion-dollar infrastructure projects, such as the $12.5 billion VTA Silicon Valley megaproject. If you're a leader who cares deeply about quality but feels trapped by your own involvement, this episode will change how you think about letting go.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
The Cost of Owning Everything
“The hardest part is to say, you know what? I don't need to own it.”
Why starting as a one-person show creates a dangerous pattern, and how to break the cycle before your company stagnates.
How to Trust Your Team Without Losing Quality
“If you break something, we'll fix it.”
The mindset shift that allows you to empower people, even when real financial risk is on the line.
Why Training Creates Leadership
“If you put somebody completely unprepared, that spirit gets beaten down, and then it's hard to build up.”
How investing in your people's preparation builds their confidence and their ability to lead.
Communication as Rocket Fuel, Not a Soft Skill
What becomes possible when your whole team can speak about your company with one consistent voice.
________________________________
You can’t delegate to a team that isn’t working toward the same goal. So, before you consider lightening your workload, ask yourself: “Is my team ready for the responsibility? And how can I tell?”
Learn how to identify misalignment in our latest blog post. "Identifying Misalignment. Is your team not working toward the same goal?"
________________________________
About the Guest:
Oscar Zavaleta is the founder and CEO of Montez Group, a construction management firm headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Long Beach and Seattle. Born in El Salvador, he earned his Civil Engineering degree from Santa Clara University and has since worked on iconic projects, including SoFi Stadium and the $12.5 billion VTA Silicon Valley megaproject. Oscar is passionate about mentoring the next generation of leaders and dedicates time to supporting industry nonprofits in workforce development, construction management, and transportation. His philosophy? Hire great people, train them well, and then get out of their way.
Social Handles
Website: www.montezgroup.com
Fun Facts:
🏃♂️ Oscar is a dedicated runner and casual golfer.
✈️ He loves to travel and read.
🪑 In his spare time, he makes furniture.
________________________________
About Melinda:
Melinda Lee is a Presentation Skills Expert, Speaking Coach, and nationally renowned Motivational Speaker. She holds an M.A. in Organizational Psychology, is an Insights Practitioner, and is a Certified Professional in Talent Development as well as Certified in Conflict Resolution. For over a decade, Melinda has researched and studied the state of “flow” and used it as a proven technique to help corporate leaders and business owners amplify their voices, access flow, and present their mission in a more powerful way to achieve results.
She has been the TEDx Berkeley Speaker Coach and has worked with hundreds of executives and teams from Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Caltrans, Bay Area Rapid Transit System, and more. Currently, she lives in San Francisco, California, and is breaking the ancestral lineage of silence.
Website: https://speakinflow.com/
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/speakinflow
Instagram: https://instagram.com/speakinflow
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpowerall
Thanks for listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave us an Apple Podcast review.
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.