Unprepared Men

We’re back! After a short break, the Unprepared Men Podcast returns with special guest Brent Bagley, candidate for Salinas City Council District 3.

Jesse and Will sit down with Brent for an honest, unfiltered conversation about the future of Salinas, what inspired him to enter politics, and why he believes everyday people deserve a stronger voice in their community.

From rising housing costs and renter protections to potholes, local taxes, struggling small businesses, and the challenges of raising a family, we get into the issues affecting Salinas residents. Brent shares his journey from working at Safeway as a teenager to managing hundreds of employees, becoming a father, and launching a grassroots political campaign.

But it’s not all politics. We also talk about fatherhood, family, personal growth, finding time for what matters, and why getting involved in your community doesn’t have to wait until retirement.

Of course, there’s plenty of laughter, questionable jokes, and the usual interruptions along the way.

Whether you’re interested in local politics or just want to hear a conversation about making Salinas a better place, this episode has a little bit of everything.

Real people. Real conversations. Always unprepared.

This week on Unprepared Men, we're joined by Chris Cain — criminal defense and immigration attorney here in Salinas.

From telemarketing for a 90s matchmaking service to driving 52 hours to law school in Virginia to practicing law out of a self-storage facility, Chris shares the unlikely journey that made him one of the most recognizable attorneys in the 831.

We get into what to actually do when you get pulled over, public defender vs. private attorney, DUIs and the DMV, whether money buys justice, how accurate Better Call Saul really is, and his immigration work — from family petitions to consular processing in Juarez.

Of course, it wouldn't be Unprepared Men without a few detours. We revisit Will's history with traffic tickets, and why Chris says it's an honor to fight for every client who walks through his door.

From the courtroom to the community, this episode is about knowing your rights, second chances, and the hustle it takes to build something from nothing.

Tune in, turn it up, and stay Unprepared!

This week on Unprepared Men, we’re joined by ECAST da’ Producer — music producer, audio engineer, musician and entrepreneur.

From growing up in Puerto Rico and traveling the world performing music to serving in the military and building his own recording studio, ECAST shares the journey that brought him back to his passion and inspired him to help the next generation of artists.

We get into the business behind the music, his million-stream milestone, his project The Experience, and his mission to bring local musicians, producers, and creatives together. We also talk about what’s missing from the Salinas music scene, the importance of supporting local artists, and why talent alone isn’t enough without discipline and consistency.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Unprepared Men without a few detours. We get into the reputation of bass players, old-school albums, our questionable singing abilities, and the possibility of ECAST producing our very own podcast intro.

From Puerto Rico to the 831, this episode is about music, culture, community, and creating opportunities for others.

Tune in, turn it up, and stay Unprepared!

In this episode, we sit down with KSBW’s Jacquelyn Quiñones for a conversation about her journey into television news, the work that happens behind the scenes, and what it takes to tell the stories that matter to the Central Coast.

Jacquelyn shares how she found her path in journalism, the challenges and memorable moments she has experienced along the way, and the responsibility that comes with reporting on the community. We also get to know the person beyond the television screen as we talk about her background, career goals, connection to the area, and what viewers might not realize about working in a fast-paced newsroom.

It’s an honest, entertaining, and unprepared conversation about journalism, community, and the road that brought Jacquelyn to KSBW.

On this episode of the Unprepared Men Podcast, we sit down with Greg Delgadillo and Elias Faris, the owners of the soon-to-open EAT31, to talk about the journey behind bringing a brand-new restaurant concept to Salinas.

We get into their road to becoming chefs, the experiences and challenges that shaped them, and how Greg became known as “The Rice Gai.” They also give us a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to open a restaurant and tell us just how accurate—or completely far-fetched—those intense cooking shows really are.

Greg and Elias share what Salinas can expect from EAT31, what they plan to do differently, some of the changes already happening before the doors even open, and why they believe they’re bringing something to the city that Salinas has been craving.

And of course, we had to talk food. We find out their favorite things to eat, what inspires them in the kitchen, and the one ingredient they absolutely can’t stand—and their answer might surprise you.

Get ready to meet the guys behind EAT31 before the doors officially open.

This week on the Unprepared Men Podcast, we sit down with Jorge Sanchez, co-founder of After Run Club here in Salinas.

Jorge takes us back to how it all started, how he met Shey Gibson, and how the two came together to build a run club that has become much more than just a place to get some miles in.

We hear about Jorge’s experience training in Alaska , break down what it actually takes to train for and run a marathon, and even talk about whether the Unprepared Men could survive one ourselves.

But the real heart of this episode comes from the After Run Club community. We read messages from members sharing what the club has meant to them, the friendships they’ve made, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the ways being part of this group has genuinely changed their lives.

It’s a conversation about running, community, discipline, friendship, and what can happen when a simple idea turns into something much bigger than you ever expected.

Recorded live at the Cars, Crafts & California Brews Festival in Salinas, this episode of the Unprepared Men Podcast brings together local creators, community advocates, podcasters, and one very special musical guest.

We sit down with Salinas Retro Roses to hear how they got started, the work they’re doing as an organization, and why giving back to the community is such an important part of their mission.

We were also honored to welcome special guest Micayla Rivera, a Southern California artist and singer, who shares her journey into music, how she got her start, and the important role her family has played in supporting her dreams and helping her get to where she is today.

Xina Kendra Garcia shares her story of leaving Salinas for Las Vegas and eventually making her way back home. We talk about her journey as a digital creator, what brought her back to Salinas, and what she hopes to accomplish now that she’s returned to her hometown.

Local content creators Lil Roller (Jesse Hernandez) and Bri Bri Tha Hutt join us to talk about their journeys into content creation, supporting the 831, highlighting local businesses and events, and using their platforms to give back to the community that supports them.

We also switch sides of the microphones with Uli and Sam from Anything For Salinas Podcast. They tell us how their podcast came together, what inspired them to start sharing their stories and experiences, what they’ve learned along the way, and what the future holds for Anything For Salinas.

And this episode looked a little different for us, too. Will was overseas spending time with his family, so our friend Robert, better known as Masa, stepped in as special guest co-host and helped us hold it down at the festival.

Different backgrounds, different platforms, and different stories — all connected by community, creativity, and a love for what they do.

Recorded right here in Salinas, California — another Unprepared Men episode highlighting the people creating, inspiring, and giving back.

This week, we sit down with Drew Dub from the band Dubside to talk about his love for music, the style he plays, how his journey began, and where it has taken him today. Andrew also shares what it’s like balancing his life as a musician with his career as a nurse.

For the first time ever on the Unprepared Men Podcast, we bring live music into the studio as Andrew performs acoustic versions of two of his songs. He even lets us test out our own singing voices on one of them—which may or may not have been a good idea. It’s an episode filled with great conversation, live music, and plenty of unprepared moments.

This week on the Unprepared Men Podcast, we sit down with Marina Banda Luis, a local welder and artist, to hear about her journey into the trades and the creativity behind her work.

Marina shares how her welding career took an unexpected turn after a dog she welded helped land her a job, and we talk about her experience competing in the local Brush Wars, where she qualified to move on to the next round.

We’re also joined by Masa as the conversation goes beyond welding. Marina talks about her goal of creating something that brings women working in blue-collar careers together, giving them a place to connect, communicate, share their experiences, and support one another.

And just when we thought we had Marina figured out, she gives us a little taste of her voice-acting skills and shows us another side of her creativity.

From welding and art to competition, voice acting, career opportunities, and building a stronger community for women in the trades, it’s another fun and completely unscripted conversation with the Unprepared Men.

This week, we’re joined by local filmmaker Alvaro Resendiz to talk about his journey behind the camera and the stories that have shaped his career. We discuss his films, including Por el Amor de Fútbol, a movie inspired by his own life and love of soccer, and Rising Heat, a short documentary highlighting local chef Rudolfo Ponce and his passion for food and the community. Alvaro also gives us an exclusive look at his upcoming feature film, The Last Time I Saw You, which is set to begin production right here in our local community.

Alvaro shares how his deep ties to the community inspired him to pursue filmmaking, how working behind the lens has completely changed the way he watches movies, and why Interstellar remains his all-time favorite film. We also have some fun as Will talks about his lifelong dream of becoming a movie actor—and whether he might finally get his shot on the big screen.

Join us for a conversation about storytelling, creativity, chasing big dreams, and the power of making films that begin with the people and places you call home.