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🎙️ We’re back! After a rollercoaster year in business, we’re kicking off 2025 by reflecting on the challenges, wins, and lessons from 2024. From working harder for the same returns to pivoting strategies and streamlining workflows, we break down what worked, what didn’t, and what needs to change.

🔥 In this episode, we cover:
✅ Why 2024 felt like more effort for the same (or less) results
✅ The balance between custom work and production work in business
✅ Streamlining operations to maximize time and profitability
✅ Post-COVID business realities and adjusting to new challenges
✅ How entrepreneurs can reassess, pivot, and set up for success in 2025

💡 Key takeaway: Business is always evolving, and adapting is key to long-term success.

📢 Join the conversation!

• Follow us on Instagram: @thepridefulones
• Watch the full episode on YouTube: The Prideful Ones Podcast
• Subscribe for more stories from Latino/Hispanic entrepreneurs!

🎧 Listen now on Buzzsprout, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram @thepridefulones and find us on Facebook.

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In this episode, we sat down with Luis and Andrew from Sheepdog Firearms Training. Listen in on how Luis decided to teach what he had learned from mentors and how Andrew helped him grow the business by using gorilla marketing tactics. We also touch on the current state of our country and why you are your first responder.


If you are looking for firearms training click here -----> Sheepdog Gun Club

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In this episode we sat down with Sergio "El Cheko" Melgar, a barber turned comedian but still doing  the fresh cuts. We learned about Sergio's humble beginnings growing up as a kid in Sinaloa Mexico, to becoming a you teen and later adult in Southern California.

After a few unsatisfactory jobs and working for a barber who essentially became his mentor, Sergio went and opened a barber shop in Pico Rivera and later on a second location. During that time he decided to get into comedy and now he's not just a funny guy, but he also hosts a few successful open mic nights in Bell, Downey and a few other cities.

Listen in on this fun episode to get to know Sergio a bit more.

Find him at:

@_sergiomelgar

@_aresbarbershop

@choppin_it_up_barbershop

@theprivatesweet

#barbershop #entreprenourship #smallbusinessowner #comedy #comedian

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram @thepridefulones and find us on Facebook.

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In this episode we sat down with Christian Ramos, a musician turned TV personality on channel 62 Estrella TV.  We spoke about his life in Mexico, how his father taught him to play the guitar, being in a band and getting signed for a moment in his young life and his road to television as a reporter, and host.
 
We also talked about the difficulties it is to navigate the world of television and looking back with the knowledge he has gained to possibly have done a few things differently. Through his successful career on television Christian has still maintained a love for music and says that deep inside he considers himself a musician before anything else professionally. We also touched on his children and how one is, in her own right, becoming a well known influencer on TikTok.

Christian now focuses on building his show on YouTube called "El Hangar De Las Estrellas", and well if you want to know what the show is about you will have to click and listen.

And somewhere at some point Christian pulls out his guitar and sings one of his songs in our studio.


Find him at:
@christianramostv
El Hangar De Las Estrellas
@elhangardelasestrellas
Youtube
El Hangar De Las Estrellas

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram @thepridefulones and find us on Facebook.

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In episode 27 of The Prideful Ones, Joe and I sat down with Tetris, director of the SELA Art Center in Bell, California. Tetris told us of his passion for art and his time as a tagger and graffiti artist. As time went on, he felt it was time to give back to his community and opened the SELA Art Center where he promotes art of all mediums to young ones and adults. His efforts have garnished him many accolades including recently from the Bell Chamber of Commerce.

Find him on:
@tetriswai
@selaartcenter

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram @thepridefulones and find us on Facebook.

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In episode 26 of The Prideful Ones, we sat down with Nick Velez of Bastards Canteen in Downey and Temecula California. Nick shared with us the origin of Bastards Canteen named after the 2nd Battalion 4th Marines "The Magnificent Bastards" and how the city of Downey gave him some grief on the name. He also shared how having the bar birthed their annual Marine Corp Birthday block party and from that the need to create a non profit to help veterans with PTSD and TBI called Save The Brave.

In all this Nick also mentions creating an event called Vetwork to help veterans network and make connections with local business owners. 

We also touched on them partnering with one of our former guests, Veterans Stand Together. Listen in on this empowering episode on Nick's passion to help his fellow brothers and sisters from the military.

Find them on:
@bastardscanteen
www.bastardscanteen.com
@savethebraveorg
www.savethebrave.org

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram @thepridefulones and find us on Facebook.

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In this episode of The Prideful Ones, we sat down with serial entrepreneur, Alfredo from Los Barbones Cerveceria, a contract brewer out of Paramount California. He shares with us how it all started after reading an article in which the author compared the simplicity of brewing your own beer to boiling water.

Alfredo shares how although he quickly fell in love with brewing craft beers he was initially cautious of unintentionally turning his hobby into a business with all of it’s complexities and associated responsibilities. We also learn about the recent movement by Latino brewers across the state trying to get their foot in the door in the lucrative $100+ billion dollar beer industry. 

Lastly, we hear all about some of his previous startups he launched over the years and how he quickly learned to pivot when those businesses called for it.

Now sit back, relax and listen in on this episode of TPO.

Find them at:
www.losbarbones.com
@los_barbones_cerveceria

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram @thepridefulones and find us on Facebook.

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On this episode of the Prideful Ones, we sat down with Sebastian from Ray's Texas BBQ out of Huntington Park California.  We learn about their back story and how through a stroke of luck his Dad, Rene "Ray" started their BBQ business shortly after finding a “thrown out” outdoor grill.

Now famous for their authentic Texas style BBQ and their out of this world brisket, they have become a true staple in the community. Sebastian shares about how over the years they have been able to grow their following and overall popularity so much so that they have been noticed and featured by various online media, TV and other news outlets.

Sebastian also speaks to us about the life altering decision to take the reigns together with the help from his brother and mother and continue with his fathers legacy after his passing in 2022.  One year later and the business continues to grow and together as a family, they continue to perfect their craft.

Find the at:
6038 Santa Fe Ave, Huntington Park Ca 90255
IG @raysbbq90255

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram @thepridefulones and find us on Facebook.

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In this episode of The Prideful Ones, we sat down with Karol and German, owners of Michi Tacos in Lake Elsinore and Menifee California. 

We learn about how they ultimately benefited from their years in the banking industry, during which time they developed invaluable skills and gained real world experience which they would later apply to their own small business. 

Together they have created an impressive brand which they operate with the upmost attention to detail. Listen in as we go over how it all started and how it almost didn’t happen at all.

With this couples work ethic, Joe and I have no doubt that they'll keep hitting home runs out of the park!

Find them at:
@michitacos
https://www.michitacos.com/

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram @thepridefulones and find us on Facebook.

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In this episode Jose and I sat down with Miguel, owner of Unguardable Kicks in Lakewood. Unguardable Kicks specializes in the buying, selling, and trading of sneakers. We spoke about his beginnings working for a big box store from the bottom moving up to where he learned some trade secrets where he later applied in his business of flipping sneakers and growing his brand. We also touched on the work ethic he learned from his father and how that impacted his way of thinking.

Thank you for listening! Follow us on Instagram @thepridefulones and find us on Facebook.